[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 124 (Thursday, August 25, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                         THE AIR FORCE RESERVE

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I am pleased to stand before you to talk 
about some of the unsung heros of today's military--the women and men 
of the Air Force Reserve. Their contributions so often go unrecognized 
because they are the consummate professionals. When they put on their 
Air Force uniforms you cannot tell them from the active force, in 
appearance or performance.
  Let me share with you a summary of some of the operations you will 
find your friends and neighbors involved in today. For more than 2 
years Air Force Reserve C-130 crews, and more recently C-1412 crews, 
have supported the humanitarian airlift into Sarajevo, Bosnia and 
Herzegovina. They have flown more than 2,870 sorties and logged more 
than 5,000 flying hours, all in volunteer-status. I had the honor of 
flying into Sarajevo on an Air Force Reserve C-130 and so can 
personally attest to their skill and professionalism.
  Air Force Reservists also are flying close air support over Bosnia 
for the United Nations with A-10 fighters out of Aviano AB, Italy. This 
is the second time they have shared the Operation Deny Flight mission. 
Your Reserve also has sent F-16s to fly top cover and relieve active 
duty units for 2 months over the holiday season. Reserve KC-135 tankers 
are deployed to Istres, France and Pisa, Italy. A crew from the 940th 
Air Refueling Group, McClellan AFB, CA, refueled the A-10s that 
conducted the August 5 air strike against a Bosnian Serb weapon site.
  Today, we also find Reserve aircraft and crew airlifting supplies and 
equipment to Rwandan refugees. Air Force Reserve C-5s and C-141s were 
part of the first wave and have flown thousands of tons of relief 
supplies to Rwanda and Zaire for Operation Support Hope. Reserve KC-10 
and KC-135 tankers are helping refuel participant aircraft for the 
long-haul to Africa. The Reserve has 19 airlift crews, several aerial 
porters and medical personnel committed to the relief effort. Again, 
all are volunteers.
  Stateside, Air Force Reserve C-130s and aircrews of the 302nd Airlift 
Wing, Peterson AFB, CO have flown throughout the Western States since 
June helping to control wild fires. These airplanes are equipped with 
the modular aerial firefighting system, and are used to dump fire 
retardent on the fires. For the first time every they even had to fly 
in their home State of Colorado. They went to California first on June 
27, then to Arizona, Colorado, Idaho and Washington. The MAFFS can be 
loaded on the C-130 in 2 hours and filled with 2,700 gallons of 
retardant in 20 minutes. The entire load is discharged over a fire in 6 
to 8 seconds.
  Today's Air Force Reserve operations are but a few of what we have 
seen over the past few years out of a small investment of our tax 
dollars. During Desert Storm a Reserve crew from the 459th Airlift Wing 
at Andrews AFB landed the first aircraft in Saudi Arabia and Capt. Bob 
Swain, a Reservist from the 926th Fighter Group at New Orleans, got the 
first ever air-to-air kill with an A-10.
  They have served in the desert after the war flying top cover over 
northern Iraq, monitoring the no fly zone, flying support missions in 
their C-130s in Southern Watch, and spending more than 6 months flying 
rescue support with their HH-60 helicopters.
  I bring you this summary, because most of you are not aware of the 
extent of the Air Force Reserve's involvement in the day-to-day 
operations of our Air Force. They have met all of these operational 
commitments as volunteers while also maintaining other training and 
support. The Air Reserve Component has flown all of the Central and 
South American C-130 support for years on a short-tour rotation. Just 
last week, 65 Washington, DC school children flew to the Air Force 
Academy aboard an Air Force Reserve C-141 where the Reserve crew served 
as mentors for applying everyday math and science to the safe and 
efficient operation of an airplane in flight. At Charleston AFB, the 
Air Force Reserve is first to convert to the newest airlifter, the C-
17, alongside their active duty partners.
  I am proud to share this information with you, because I am proud of 
our Air Force Reserve. They travel the globe doing these important jobs 
for our country. It is not easy balancing a civilian career, family 
life and a military career. We owe a thank you to our Reservists, their 
families and their employers. The simple fact is, we cannot go to war 
or meet operational commitments without the women and men of the Air 
Force Reserve, particularly our strategic airlift forces.

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