CONTACT: Capt. Raymond Maguire or Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Halloran at 845-563-2076.

FOR RELEASE: Wednesday, Apr 21, 2010

STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NY (04/19/2010)(readMedia)-- One hundred and Thirty New York Air National Guard members assigned to the 105th Airlift Wing have been placed on federal active duty for 211 days to support the surge of United States forces into Afghanistan. The 130 includes flight crew members, maintenance technicians, and support personnel. About 100 of the mobilized airmen will perform their mission at the base. The 30 flight crew members will main aircraft moving into and out of the Middle East and Afghanistan. The Airmen will be in federal status for 211 days. The 105th Airlift Wing, which flies the massive C-5A Galaxy transport plane, has approximately 1,200 members. About 500 of those wing members are full-time members of the Air National Guard or federal technicians who work at the base when they are not on drill status. Bringing 130 traditional, part-time Air Guardsmen on duty will enable the wing to ensure that aircraft and cargo flow into the war zone, explained Brig. Gen. Verle Johnston, the wing commander. Four of the 13 C-5As the wing operates are undergoing technical upgrades and the plus-up for personnel will allow the wing to maintain its operating tempo with fewer aircraft, Johnston said. As the United States moves 30,000 troops and their supplies into Afghanistan in order to make President Barack Obama's new strategy there work, the 105th will play a vital role in moving critical supplies into the theater. The 105th is one of three National Guard airlift wings which fly the C-5A, the largest cargo plane in the Air Force inventory. The wing's other part-time; traditional Air National Guard members will also play a role in keeping the 105th's fleet of cargo planes airborne. The wing normally conducts drill on one weekend monthly. Beginning this month, Airmen will drill on different weekends to ensure more coverage during the month. Drill weekends will also be split into two shifts, again to allow more work around the clock. "I'm proud to help out all the troops and airmen across the seas in theatre, to get what they need," said Staff Sgt. Anthony Zembrowski, a vehicle operations journeyman with the 105th Airlift Wing. "The plus-up of troops is a continuation of what we've been doing for the past nine years. We're proud of the job we're doing and are happy to help the deployed troops execute their mission," said Lt. Col. Matthew Godfrey, commander of the 137th Airlift Squadron, the component of the 105th which operates the planes.

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