HURLBURT FIELD, Fla., -- The Florida Air National Guard and the 1st Special Operations Wing have teamed up to form an Air National Guard Classic Association.
The Florida Air National Guard will add to the 8th Special Operations Squadron and the 801st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
“The objectives for standing up an ANG Classic Association are to capture separating aircrew to provide an enduring operational capability, and supplement the maintenance force to increase aircraft utilization rates as Air Force Special Operations Command transitions its force to meet Global Special Operations Forces Network basing requirements,” said Col. David Silva, commander of Headquarters Florida Air National Guard Detachment 2. “The enhanced maintenance support is intended to increase total CV-22 Osprey availability.”
There will be eight operators working with the 8th SOS and 22 maintainers working with the 801st AMXS.
“About 30 percent of the guardsmen will be full-time, and the remaining 70 percent will be drill status guardsmen,” Silva said.
This change will also provide long-term stability and transform training opportunities for CV-22 maintainers.
“The overall net result will be positive for the unit,” said Maj. Phillip Broyles, commander of the 801st AMXS. “Especially with the added capability to manage daily sortie production requirements and deployment commitments.”
Although the active duty Airmen and FLANG Airmen will keep separate administrative control of their personnel, all Guardsmen will be functionally integrated under the 8th SOS and 801st AMXS squadron commanders.
“This allows for the guardsmen and active duty Airmen to operate under a single commander,” said Silva.
FLANG Headquarters is located in St. Augustine, Florida. Their mission is to provide leadership, guidance, and peacetime command and control of all FLANG units to meet both federal and state missions.
“The FLANG is proud to be partnering with AFSOC and the 1 SOW,” said Silva. “Thanks to the incredible welcome from the 1st Special Operations Wing team and the visionary leadership from all levels at Hurlburt, this initiative is off to a tremendous start.”