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Military & DOD
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River Region Defense Community Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Survey
Are you a member of the River Region defense community? Please consider taking this survey conducted by The Association of Defense Communities (ADC) as part of the One Military, One Community initiative. This initiative which launched on October 1, 2020, in response to the national conversation on racial justice. The initiative seeks to ensure that defense communities are diverse, equitable, and inclusive, and that no individual in the community faces racism, inequality, or injustice.
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In Montgomery, the military community contributes an estimated $2.6 billion to the local economy annually and represents 68,473 people (nearly 20% of our population). This number represents active duty military, students in/at Air University, AF Reserve, National Guard, DoD civilians, military contractors, military retirees and all their family members in the greater Montgomery Metro Area.
Both Maxwell and Maxwell-Gunter AFB play major roles in the Air Force’s and our entire military’s cyber defense and cyber strategies efforts, and the effects of this spill over the bases’ borders into the rest of the area. The Defense Information Systems Agency Datacenter, located on Maxwell-Gunter, stores all of the electronic medical records for the entire Department of Defense. It is the largest Oracle database in the world. It is also one of only two military cloud datacenters for all of the DOD. Plus, the Program Executive Office for Business Enterprise Systems develops, acquires and sustains all of the applications for the Air Force globally, and the 26th Network Operations Squadron operates and defends the Air Force network worldwide.
Maxwell AFB, the City of Montgomery, ans the Montgomery County Commission are participants in the Smart City/Smart Base initiative. Maxwell is the only military base in the nation to be designated a Smart Base in a pilot program with AT&T.
In addition to being home to the Montgomery Regional Airport, Dannelly Field is the location of the Alabama Air National Guard. The 187th Fighter Wing is home to the 100th Fighter Squadron, which is one of the original Tuskegee units — the famous Red Tails.
Continuing the legacy, Montgomery will be getting a coveted fleet of F-35s that will be "bedding down" with the Historic 187th Fighter Wing. Brig. Gen. Randy Efferson, Chief of Staff Air National Guard, enthusiastically explained how winning the F-35 program will help continue the important legacy of the Red Tails. “The 187th Fighter Wing is home to the 100th Fighter Squadron, which is one of the original Tuskegee units dedicated to flying African Americans in combat fighter aircraft,” he said. “This is a very important and immeasurable legacy for the State of Alabama. Receiving the F-35 ensures this legacy for the next half-century.”
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The Intellectual and Leadership Center if the U.S.Air Force
Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Annex contribute a rich aviation history, military leadership and academic excellence to Montgomery and the River Region. The bases also provide significant defense-related functions including airlift, cyber services and officer accessions. With more than 12,000 active, guard, reserve, civilian and contractor personnel, Maxwell-Gunter has a significant economic and cultural impact on the River Region.
Air University
As the Intellectual and Leadership Center of the U.S. Air Force, Air University’s (AU) reach spans not only the globe but also the careers of every Airman. AU is the Air Force’s center for professional military education. It provides dynamic, comprehensive instruction that prepares graduates to develop, employ, command, research and champion air, space and cyberspace power. AU is a fully-accredited degree-granting military education system that develops leaders and warfighters today for tomorrow.
Muir S. Fairchild Research Information Center
The largest library in the DOD and largest federal library outside Washington, D.C. with nearly 3 million items, including more than 400,000 maps and charts.
The 42nd Air Base Wing
Provides all base operating support, infrastructure, and services support to Air University, the 908th Airlift Wing, Air Force Materiel Command and Air Force Space Command, the Defense Information Systems Agency, and more than 40 tenant units. This includes 42,000 active-duty, reserve, civilian and contractor personnel as well as students and families at Maxwell-Gunter. The installation interacts with local officials across a three-county, 12-city region and has a military economic impact of $2.6 billion annually.
The 908th Airlift Wing
Alabama’s only Air Force Reserve unit. The 908th contributes to national defense, providing airlift and related services with 1,200 reservists and eight C-130 H Hercules aircraft.
The 187th Fighter Wing
Home to a squadron of F-16C Fighting Falcons. As part of the Alabama Air National Guard, its mission is to provide a ready, reliable and essential unit that operates as a full partner in the nation’s total force. The 187th is also host to the 100th Fighter Squadron, the famous Tuskegee Airmen.
The 226th Combat Communications Squadron
One of eight Air National Guard Combat Communications Groups nationwide that make up 80 percent of Air Force tactical communications capability. Its mission is to command, organize, equip, train and administer assigned and attached forces to meet emergency Air Force requirements. The squadron also provides timely and reliable communications, engineering and installation during state emergencies.