131st Bomb Wing milestone: MOGAR makes first all-air guard B-2 flight

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Dilia Ayala
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo., --  The Missouri Air National Guard achieved a major milestone in their transition to the B-2 mission by completing the first B-2 sortie flown and launched by Missouri Air National Guard personnel.

The 131st Bomb Wing, currently in transition from the 131st Fighter Wing, is a classic associate unit with the 509th Bomb Wing and the first Air National Guard unit to take part in the B-2 mission.

Col. Gregory Champagne, 131st Fighter Wing vice commander, and Maj. David Thompson, were launched by Master Sgt. Bob Francis and Tech Sgt. John Venable both of the 131st Bomb Wing.

"This (flight) is a culmination of years of work," said Maj Thompson. "There are hundreds of people behind the scenes in the 131st and the Missouri guard making this transition happen. This (flight) is a culminating milestone."

Feb. 27, 2006, the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Staff of the Air Force approved Total Force Initiative Phase II, which directed the creation of a Classic Association with the 509th BW and the 131st.

The 131st is a highly experienced wing that is losing its F-15 mission due to the recommendation of the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission. The initiative integrates Air National Guard aircrew, maintainers and support staff with their 509th BW active-duty counterparts in support of the B-2 mission with the ultimate goal of enhancing warfighting efficiencies whether employed from home station or a Forward Operating Location.

"We are currently in the process (of transitioning)," said Colonel Champagne. "It is a two and a half year process, and we are in the first year right now. We are right on time, everything is going well."

This association will add combat capability to the ANG, increase the ANG's contribution to the national defense while ensuring the ANG remains a viable part of the total force as it participates in one of the Air Force's most elite and relevant missions.

Although guardsmen have been flying B-2 missions with their 509th BW active-duty counterparts over the last year, this is first time during the wing's transition to Whiteman that 131st aircrew and maintenance personnel completed a sortie from launch through mission execution.. 

"It's not typically active duty only with active duty or guard with guard, we fly together," said Colonel Champagne. "It is seamless. We train the same, we are the same, and our goal is the same, which is the success of the mission." 

Presently, the Missouri Air Guard has seven B-2 qualified pilots and four in training. There are 46 members of the 131st currently operating out of Whiteman. In the future, the MOGAR will have 25 B-2 qualified pilots and nearly 500 maintenance personnel, operations personnel and support staff at Whiteman.