148th Fighter Wing deploys to support Operation Noble Eagle

By Tech. Sgt Jason Rolfe, 148FW, Public Affairs / Published May 15, 2008

U.S. Air Force Colonel Mark R. Johnson, 148th Fighter Wing Commander Minn. Air National Guard, addresses the audience of nearly 2,000 people showing their support for the members of the wing who will be deploying in support of the Global War on Terror, Feb. 4, 2007. The Wing held a deployment ceremony at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center to say farewell to the troops. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Brett R. Ewald) (Released)
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U.S. Air Force Colonel Mark R. Johnson, 148th Fighter Wing Commander Minn. Air National Guard, addresses the audience of nearly 2,000 people showing their support for the members of the wing who will be deploying in support of the Global War on Terror, Feb. 4, 2007. The Wing held a deployment ceremony at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center to say farewell to the troops. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Brett R. Ewald) (Released)

Airman 1st Class (A1C) Leilani Dumancas and Airman (Amn) Kari Raaflaub of the 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth, Minn. Air National Guard, Life Support Shop repair helmets at their desk inside the Operations building on January 20, 2007. A1C Dumancas and Amn Raaflaub were cleaning and repairing the equipment prior to a training flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Donald Acton)(Released)
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Airman 1st Class (A1C) Leilani Dumancas and Airman (Amn) Kari Raaflaub of the 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth, Minn. Air National Guard, Life Support Shop repair helmets at their desk inside the Operations building on January 20, 2007. A1C Dumancas and Amn Raaflaub were cleaning and repairing the equipment prior to a training flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Donald Acton)(Released)

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- (from left) Senior Airman Nicole Rosga, Tech. Sgt. Kerry Schaub, Senior Master Sgt. Marcia Dumancas and Lt. Col. Guy Schaumburg, 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron operations, discuss the day's flying schedule. Of the more than 250 Duluth Guardsmen deployed here to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's 'Tuskegee Airmen,' 41 are related. Sergeant Dumancas is deployed here with her daughter, Airman 1st Class Leilani Dumancas, and Sergeant Schaub with her sister, Lt. Col. Penny Dieryck. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathan Doza)
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BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- (from left) Senior Airman Nicole Rosga, Tech. Sgt. Kerry Schaub, Senior Master Sgt. Marcia Dumancas and Lt. Col. Guy Schaumburg, 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron operations, discuss the day's flying schedule. Of the more than 250 Duluth Guardsmen deployed here to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's 'Tuskegee Airmen,' 41 are related. Sergeant Dumancas is deployed here with her daughter, Airman 1st Class Leilani Dumancas, and Sergeant Schaub with her sister, Lt. Col. Penny Dieryck. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathan Doza)

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Trever Vanderburg, an electrical and engineering specialist with the 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here, inspects a component on an F-16. He deployed here with the 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth Air National Guard Base, Minn. Of the more than 250 Duluth Guardsmen deployed here to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's 'Tuskegee Airmen,' 41 are related. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathan Doza)
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BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Trever Vanderburg, an electrical and engineering specialist with the 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron here, inspects a component on an F-16. He deployed here with the 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth Air National Guard Base, Minn. Of the more than 250 Duluth Guardsmen deployed here to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's 'Tuskegee Airmen,' 41 are related. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathan Doza)

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Zachary Scouton (front) and Airman 1st Class Ben Butcher, 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maitenance Squadron inspect a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb on an F-16. Airman Butcher is deployed here with his father, Col. Jay Butcher, 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. Of the more than 250 Duluth Air National Guard Base Airmen deployed here to the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Wing's 'Tuskegee Airmen,' 41 are related. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathan Doza)
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BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Zachary Scouton (front) and Airman 1st Class Ben Butcher, 332nd Expeditionary Aircraft Maitenance Squadron inspect a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb on an F-16. Airman Butcher is deployed here with his father, Col. Jay Butcher, 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. Of the more than 250 Duluth Air National Guard Base Airmen deployed here to the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Wing's 'Tuskegee Airmen,' 41 are related. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathan Doza)

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- (from left) Flight Surgeon Col. Jay Butcher and medical techinician Master Sgt. Anne Lied attend to Staff Sgt. Jacob Derungs, 332 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. The colonel is deployed here with his son Airman 1st Class Ben Butcher, and Sergeant Lied with her husband F-16 pilot Capt. Alek Lied. Of the more than 250 Duluth Guardsmen deployed here to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's 'Tuskegee Airmen,' 41 are related. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathan Doza)
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BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- (from left) Flight Surgeon Col. Jay Butcher and medical techinician Master Sgt. Anne Lied attend to Staff Sgt. Jacob Derungs, 332 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. The colonel is deployed here with his son Airman 1st Class Ben Butcher, and Sergeant Lied with her husband F-16 pilot Capt. Alek Lied. Of the more than 250 Duluth Guardsmen deployed here to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing's 'Tuskegee Airmen,' 41 are related. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Nathan Doza)

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11/09/2007 -- The 148th Fighter Wing based in Duluth, MN deploys to Hickam Air Force Base (AFB), Hawaii on November 9th, 2007 in support of Operation Noble Eagle (ONE). The 148th will provide aircraft and personnel to stand-up a second Air Sovereignty Alert (ASA) site in the Pacific Command (PACOM). Though in a different Command Region, the mission the 148th will be performing mirrors its current tasking here in Duluth as the unit will be expected to employ and maintain its fighter aircraft to provide aerospace defense, warning and control for the United States.

Personnel will be on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing air sovereignty of their assigned area. Current indications are that wing personnel will be deployed anywhere from 2-4 weeks.
This is the second time in six months that the 148th has been asked to set up ASA operations within the U.S. "The unit consistently maintains a high level of readiness and our personnel are always ready and willing to support any taskings when asked." said Colonel Gary Moe, Mission Support Group Commander.

The 148th Fighter Wing promptly readied aircraft, packed equipment, confirmed deployment eligibility of deploying personnel and out-processed personnel. "At a moment's notice the deployment 'machine' can activate and precisely follow many meticulous steps to ensure deployment ready airman arrive in the AOR to complete the mission" stated Mission Support Flight Superintendent, Chief Master Sergeant Jodi Stauber. Approximately 50 pilots, aircraft maintainers and support personnel volunteered for the short notice assignment.
The 148th Fighter Wing is one of several units called upon to continue operations around the globe usually accomplished by units with F-15 aircraft. The additional assignment comes in the wake of the Air Force grounding its entire fleet of F-15 Eagle aircraft following an accident in Missouri earlier in the month. The Air Force will ensure mission requirements are met for worldwide operations normally accomplished by the F-15. (see full story at www.af.mil)
The 148th has supported ONE at the 148th in Duluth, Minn and at several forward operating locations to include the Minneapolis International Airport, Minn, Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.; Langley Air Force Base, Va.; Carswell Naval Air Station, Texas; and most recently Shaw Air Force Base, SC. Since September 11, 2001 the unit has flown over 1,600 missions spanning more than 5,300 hours in support of OPERATION NOBLE EAGLE and the Homeland Defense mission.

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