MOANG C-130 Shift??

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From AF Daily Report 15 Sep 08

Not Safe Yet: There's more than rumor behind a purported shift of some or all of the Missouri Air National Guard's 139th Airlift Wing from St. Joseph to Whiteman Air Force Base near Knob Noster, according to a News-Press report quoting Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.). "I just want to make sure we keep that Guard base in St. Joseph," Graves told the newspaper, which noted that the state's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, said officials are reviewing "structural options" for the Air Guard support of the B-2 mission at Whiteman. The Missouri ANG's 131st Bomb Wing, located at Whiteman, already has partnered with the active bomb wing to operate and maintain B-2s. Under BRAC 2005, the 139th AW was to continue C-130 operations, although it had to give up two of its 12 C-130 transports. Under consideration, according to Sidwell, is a composite wing that would encompass the 139th and 131st, but he told the News-Press, "We can't trash one community for another." However, according to the newspaper, Graves and others believe Rep. Ike Skelton (D), who heads the Armed Services Committee and in whose district resides Whiteman, is pushing the Air Guard shuffle to further boost Whiteman.

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From AF Daily Report 16 Sep 08
That Was Quick: Elected officials got assurances Friday that an option under consideration to move all or part of the 139th Airlift Wing from St. Joseph to Knob Knoster near Whiteman Air Force Base was "dead," reports the News-Press. We reported Monday that Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and local officials had raised cautionary flags last week over the issue. According to the newspaper, Brig. Gen. Craig McCord, head of the Missouri Air National Guard, told local officials that the restructuring of the Air Guard's 131st at Whiteman from a fighter to a bomb wing prompted the state Guard to "sort through the best way to manage its assets." But, he added that the proposed reshuffle for the 139th AW was "just an option to consider and now it's a dead issue."

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From AF Daily Report 10 Oct 08

Moving In: The Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Fighter Wing held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Oct. 4 at Whiteman Air Force Base to recognize the unit's transition to the 131st Bomb Wing—the name change has yet to formally occur—and mark the grand opening of its new headquarters building at the base. Brig. Gen. Craig McCord, Missouri ANG commander, attended the event as did Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) who chairs the House Armed Services Committee. Under BRAC 2005, the 131st is giving up its F-15 fighters that it operated from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and forming a partnership with Whiteman's active duty 509th BW to jointly operate the Air Force's fleet of B-2A stealth bombers under a classic associate arrangement. "We are proud of our members and proud of our lineage as we transition from an Air National Guard fighter wing to a classic associate bomb wing," said Col. Robert Leeker, 131st commander. The wing's transition has been ongoing since the summer of 2007. Already the wing has about 10 pilots fully qualified to fly the B-2As and more than 80 personnel currently working at Whiteman. Capt. Bridget Zorn, wing spokeswoman, told the Daily Report yesterday that the 131st still has some F-15s operating out of Lambert for the interim until the transition is complete. The last of the wing's fighters is expected to depart for good in the summer of 2009, she said. After that, the wing will still maintain some support functions at Lambert. (Includes Lambert report by 1st Lt. Stephanie Schmitt)