RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
A decade ago a unit that was established as a bombardment group in World War II and later became an air refueling group was reactivated for the third time in its existence.
Its new assignment was to provide associate instructor pilots for the Air Education and Training Command's specialized undergraduate pilot training mission.
Based for 10 years at Randolph, the Air Force Reserve Command's 340th Flying Training Group will observe its 10th birthday with two conferences and an anniversary celebration in June.
The group's enlisted and commanders' conferences are planned for June 3-5; the anniversary celebration will begin at 6 p.m. June 5 with a dinner at a local restaurant, followed by bowling and golf tournaments June 6 and a picnic June 7.
The anniversary activities are a fitting celebration of the 340th FTG's first 10 years, which were marked by stability and growth.
"We went from 100 people to more than 800," said Master Sgt. Anna Franco, the current chief of employment and relocation, who has served with the group since its rebirth as a reserve unit. "The number of pilots has quadrupled. They also keep giving us new units to stand up."
The group, which belongs to the 10th Air Force at Carswell Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth, consists of six flying training squadrons: the 5th at Vance Air Force Base, Okla., the 43rd at Columbus AFB, Miss., the 70th at the Air Force Academy (which provides glider pilot and parachute training), the 96th at Laughlin AFB, Texas, the 97th at Sheppard AFB, Texas, and the 39th at Randolph.
The 340th FTG was established as a reserve associate instructor pilot program in 1998, one year after the Air Force Reserve Command became the Air Force's ninth major command. The program pairs Active Guard Reserve and Traditional Reserve IPs with active-duty members to share a single set of aircraft.
"At that time the Air Force was short of pilots and needed some help from the Air Force Reserve Command," said Col. Terry Ross, 340th FTG commander. "We provided them with instructor pilots to help out at all bases."
One of the group's hallmarks is experience.
"We provide the most experienced instructor force for AETC," said Colonel Ross, an instructor pilot who served on active duty from 1984 to 1999. "They average 3,600 hours of flying time, about 1,800 of that in instruction time. Most were instructors when they were on active duty."
He also said reservists' experience is one reason active-duty IPs often turn to them for guidance on matters from scheduling to overall management. Reservists' impact throughout the Air Force is significant, accounting for 20 percent of pilot training.
Chief Master Sgt. Dennis Maurer, the group's military personnel flight superintendent, said the reserve associate program has been a success.
"Very few people thought we could do it," he said. "Not only have we done the mission we set out to do, we've gone beyond that. We've had a real influence on the Air Force. The Air Force Reserve Command is looking at more associate programs in other areas."
Statistics back up Chief Maurer's claim, particularly at 340th FTG bases, where reservists serve in all aspects of the training mission with their active-duty counterparts.
"The Air Force was losing instructors at a high rate," he said. "We were able to bring some of them back to the military and still allow them an opportunity to begin their civilian careers."
In addition to experience, reserve IPs provide continuity at bases throughout the Air Force. While active-duty personnel serve at the same base for three or four years, it's not unusual for reservists to stay for five years or more.
Though instructor pilots account for most of the group's more than 700 personnel, the administrative staff housed in Building 863 provides support in areas such as finance, personnel and communications.
Chief Maurer believes reservists will play an even more important role in the Air Force as it transitions from a strategic to an operational force.
"The regular Air Force is asking for more associate programs, so it's looking for more and more guard support," he said. "It's a testament to how successful we've been."
The upcoming enlisted conference gives personnel an opportunity to "come together and share ideas, talk about new policies and hash out any problems.
But this 10-year anniversary will also give them a chance to celebrate their successes.