As part of Operation Enduring Freedom, two hundred members of the 108th Air Refueling Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard have been mobilized and are deploying to Southwest Asia.
The media is invited to cover a portion of this deployment on Thursday, but must call to arrange admittance to McGuire Air Force Base. Call Captain Denise Waggoner at 609-754-4173 and leave your media representative’s name, organization, and telephone number.

Media are asked to report to the McGuire Air Force Base 24-hour gate, Gate #2, at 3:30 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 13.

Under this current mobilization, New Jersey Air National Guard aircrew members, aircraft mechanics, and support personnel will be assigned as part of the Air Force’s Air Mobility Command. Their mission: support combat missions with aerial refueling.

Media are invited to cover the event with the understanding that the guard members will not be able to disclose the exact location where they will be going. There will be approximately 30 guard members deploying on Thursday and some will be available for interviews prior to their departure. Interviews with the guard members will be between 3:30-6 a.m.

Assigned to the 108th Air Refueling Wing at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., these men and women are just some of the unit’s more than 300 citizen-airmen who have mobilized in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle. The name Noble Eagle refers to U.S. military operations associated with homeland defense and civil support to federal, state, and local agencies in the U.S.  The name Enduring Freedom refers generally to U.S. military operations associated with the war on terrorism outside the United States.  

Additional Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom missions:
Following the Sept. 11 attacks, more than two dozen Air Guard members volunteered for duty under Noble Eagle and reported to “Ground Zero” in New York City.  Their mission: provide mobile lighting equipment, “light-alls,” at the disaster site.  After the light-alls were installed, the 108th guard members quickly began the search for survivors.

 Additionally, the 108th rapidly readied its people and aircraft to support homeland defense.  The 108 ARW is providing air refueling for the Combat Air Patrol (CAP) missions operating in the Northeast Corridor. Full-time and part-time ANG volunteers are supporting these missions.

As of early October, more than 100 members of the 108th Security Forces Squadron have mobilized in support of both Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom. Their mission: provide security for government installations throughout the Washington D.C. area, as well as performing other security-related missions.
 The wing routinely deploys its people worldwide to perform military missions.  Locations include Turkey and Saudi Arabia, helping to enforce the no-fly zones over Iraq, Germany, Spain, Italy, France, Kuwait, Japan, Korea and Panama.

 For more information about this event and to arrange access to McGuire Air Force Base, contact Capt. Denise Waggoner, 108th Air Refueling Wing, Public Affairs, at 609-754-4173.