Hancock Field to host Air Force Commander

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General Frank Gorenc, Commander of US Air Forces Europe and Africa, visits the 174th Attack Wing of the NY Air National Guard this weekend.

HANCOCK FIELD AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, SYRACUSE, N.Y. (08/08/2015)(readMedia)-- New York Air National Guard members of the 174th Attack Wing and Hancock Field along with local community leaders welcome Air Force General (four star) Frank Gorenc this Saturday, August 8.

Gorenc, a command pilot with more than 4,500 flight hours, commands U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa.

He is responsible for Air Force activities, conducted through the 3rd U.S. Air Force, in an area of operations covering more than 19 million square miles. This includes 104 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and the Arctic, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

Gorenc will tour the base and visit with members of the 174th Attack Wing and local community leaders. It is his first visit to Hancock Field.

Hancock Field has ties to Gorenc's command in Europe. The wing's 152nd Air Operations Group (AOG) provides Airmen to augment the Ramstein Air Force Base Air Operations Center (AOC) in Germany, supporting U.S. Air Forces Europe (USAFE).

When serving at Ramstein, the 152nd is responsible for planning, directing and controlling air operations while augmenting the AOC staff personnel.

BACKGROUND:

The 174th Attack Wing is the only attack wing in the total Air Force. The wing trains all MQ-9 maintenance technicians for the Air Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve as well as training some personnel from allied nations. The wing also conducts training for MQ-9 pilots and sensor operators at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base and Fort Drum, operating out of Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield.

At the same time the wing deploys members oversees to support MQ-9 operations and other Air Force commitments.

The wing also maintains the air-to-ground gunnery range at Fort Drum which is used by Air Force, Air Guard and Air Force Reserve units across the northeast and provides forces to respond to state emergencies at the direction of the governor.