The 446th Airlift Wing is Washington State's only Air Force Reserve flying unit and is headquartered at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (McChord Field), Wash. The mission of the wing is to provide citizen warriors and maintain equipment to meet America's global airlift requirements.
The nearly 2,400 men and women assigned to the wing's command staff, three groups, 13 squadrons and five flights, provide transportation of personnel and equipment in support of U.S. operations worldwide.
Reservists in the 446th AW support the Air Mobility Command mission around the world on a daily basis, performing 44 percent of all missions leaving McChord Field. The 446th AW is nearly a mirror image of the active-duty wing at JBLM, and blends seamlessly into active-duty operations when called upon.
Volunteerism - Cornerstone of Air Force Reserve
All volunteers, the pilots, physicians, cargo handlers, loadmaster, personnel and administrative technicians, along with many other specialists, combine their skills to make the 446th AW operation run smoothly, while balancing the demands of civilian careers and families.
All reservists must maintain the same demanding professional skills as their active-duty counterparts. To prepare for the wing's global airlift mission, members of the 446th AW routinely train in the U.S. and many areas of the world -- Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific Rim and the South Pole.
C-17 Globemaster III - America's airlifter
Reservists from the wing fly and provide support with the C-17 Globemaster III. The Air Force's premier airlifter is heavily involved in every U.S. operation requiring fast and versatile transportation. Away from McChord Field, Reservists support a variety of missions at worldwide locations. In all instances, the 446th AW has passed inspections, dominated competitions and, most importantly, contributed experienced professionals to every contingency in which the U.S. is involved.
Western Washington's Home Town Team
The 446th AW is literally the "Home Team," with 93 percent of wing Reservists residing and working in western Washington. The other 7 percent reside in surrounding communities and states. In all, Reservists from the 446th AW have contributed more than 100,000 days in support of the U.S. war on terrorism since Sept. 11, 2001 for ground operations alone. All-volunteer aircrews have flown more than 5,000 hours on missions supporting Operations Enduring Freedom and Operations Noble Eagle. Since February 2004, the wing has an average of more the 350 people deployed at any given time.
$81.7 Million in Economic Impact
The total economic impact of the wing is more than $81.7 million dollars. A partner with the civilian communities surrounding McChord Field, the 446th AW contributes an annual payroll of almost $368 million to the economy of Western Washington. As an indirect result of 446th AW operations, an estimated 4,291 jobs, with an average annual salary of $42,917, are created.
The 446th AW is assigned to Fourth Air Force, headquartered at March Air Reserve Base, Calif., and to Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB, Ga.
History of the wing
The history of the 446th Airlift Wing dates back to World War II as the active-duty 446th Bombardment Group. The 446th Bombardment Group was activated in 1943 with squadrons at Davis-Monthan Field, Ariz.; Lowry Field, Colo.; Flixton, England; and Sioux Falls Army Air Field, S.D., before being deactivated in 1945. The 446th AW was first activated in the Air Force Reserve in 1948 as the 446th Troop Carrier Group at Carswell AFB, Texas, and then deactivated in 1951. In 1955, the 446th Troop Carrier Group was reactivated at Ellington AFB, Texas, and again deactivated in 1972. One year later the 446th was reactivated and redesignated the 446th Military Airlift Wing (Associate) at McChord. In February 1992, the wing was redesignated again, this time as the 446th Airlift Wing.
(Current as of February 2010)