Massachusetts Air National Guard
Shield of the Massachusetts Air National Guard
Active18 November 1921 – present
Country United States
Allegiance Massachusetts
Branch  Air National Guard
Role"To meet commonwealth and federal mission responsibilities."
Part ofMassachusetts National Guard
Garrison/HQHanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts
Commanders
Civilian leadershipPresident Joe Biden
(Commander-in-Chief)
Frank Kendall III
(Secretary of the Air Force)
Governor Maura Healey
(Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Military Forces)
Commonwealth military leadershipMajor General Gary W. Keefe[1]
Aircraft flown
FighterF-15C Eagle

The Massachusetts Air National Guard (MA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States of America. It is, along with the Massachusetts Army National Guard, an element of the Massachusetts National Guard.

As commonwealth militia units, the units in the Massachusetts Air National Guard are not in the normal United States Air Force chain of command. They are under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Massachusetts through the office of the Massachusetts Adjutant General unless they are federalized when ordered by the President of the United States. The Massachusetts Air National Guard is headquartered on Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and its commander is Brigadier General Virginia I. Gaglio.[2]

Overview

Under the "Total Force" concept, Massachusetts Air National Guard units are considered to be Air Reserve Components (ARC) of the United States Air Force (USAF). Massachusetts ANG units are trained and equipped by the Air Force and are operationally gained by a Major Command of the USAF if federalized. In addition, the Massachusetts Air National Guard Airmen are assigned to Air Expeditionary Forces and are subject to deployment tasking orders along with their active duty and Air Force Reserve counterparts in their assigned cycle deployment window.

Along with their federal reserve obligations, as commonwealth militia units the elements of the Massachusetts ANG are subject to being activated by order of the Governor to provide protection of life and property, and preserve peace, order and public safety. State missions include disaster relief in times of earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and forest fires, search and rescue, protection of vital public services, and support to civil defense.

Components

The Massachusetts Air National Guard consists of the following major units:

Established 18 November 1921 (as: 101st Observation Squadron), non-flying unit
Stationed at: Otis Air National Guard Base, Mashpee
Gained by: Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency
Performs intelligence analysis of ISR data streaming from these sensors and fuse that information with other intelligence sources to provide war fighters timely, tailored, and actionable situational updates within minutes or seconds.[3]
Established 24 February 1947 (as: 131st Fighter Squadron); operates: F-15C/D Eagle
Stationed at: Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield
Gained by: Air Combat Command
The 104th Fighter Wing supports Air Force wartime contingency requirements and performs a variety of peacetime missions required by the Air Force to include an active Air Sovereignty Alert presence and compatible mobilization readiness.[4]

Support Unit Functions and Capabilities:

Stationed at Otis Air National Guard Base, the old mission of the Headquarters 253d Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group was to train Airmen and be ready to deploy anywhere in the world on very short notice and provide quality communications and air traffic control services in support of Air Force requirements and other contingencies.[5]

History

The 131st Fighter Squadron was organized by Lyle E. Halstead and federally recognized in February 1947.

Leak of classified information

In April 2023, Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old member of the intelligence wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, was arrested for unauthorized removal and transmission of classified US intelligence related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The leaked documents, which first appeared in an online group linked to Teixeira, strained relations with American allies and exposed weaknesses in the Ukrainian military. The arrest was conducted by the FBI at Teixeira's residence in North Dighton, Massachusetts.[6]

See also

References

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

  1. ↑ The Adjutant General
  2. ↑ Commander, Massachusetts Air National Guard
  3. ↑ 102d Intelligence Wing website
  4. ↑ 104th Fighter Wing website
  5. ↑ 253d Cyberspace Engineering Installation Group webpage
  6. ↑ "Documents Leak Pentagon". The New York Times. 13 April 2023.
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