17th Training Wing

The 17th Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command's Second Air Force. Based at Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas, it is also the installation's host wing. In its present form, the organization is a non-flying training headquarters whose principal mission is to prepare intelligence personnel, cryptologic specialists, linguists, officers, and military firefighters for service across the U.S. armed forces. The wing's current identity dates from its activation on 1 July 1993, but its lineage extends through several major Air Force missions. It was first established during the Korean War as the 17th Bombardment Wing, Light. Operating Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft from Pusan-East Air Base, the wing conducted night interdiction, armed reconnaissance, attacks on transportation and communications infrastructure, and close air support. After the Korean armistice, it moved to Japan and was later reactivated in Florida, where it operated Martin B-57 Canberra and Douglas B-66 Destroyer aircraft. The unit was reactivated within Strategic Air Command in 1963 as a heavy bombardment wing. From Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, it operated Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers and KC-135 Stratotankers, maintaining strategic readiness and providing aircraft and crews for overseas operations during the Vietnam War. It moved to Beale Air Force Base, California, in 1975, where its tanker aircraft also supported the refueling requirements of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing's SR-71 operations. The wing was inactivated in 1976. A further reorganization restored the unit in 1982 as the 17th Reconnaissance Wing at RAF Alconbury in the United Kingdom. Its 95th Reconnaissance Squadron operated TR-1 aircraft for surveillance missions in Europe. Personnel and equipment supported Gulf War operations, including the movement of aircraft and equipment to Saudi Arabia. The reconnaissance wing was inactivated in 1991. The present training mission developed from the technical-training organization at Goodfellow. The 3480th Technical Training Wing, later reorganized and redesignated through several training-group structures, provided cryptologic and intelligence instruction before becoming the 17th Training Group. The 17th Training Wing now oversees training conducted by organizations at Goodfellow and associated units at locations including the Defense Language Institute, Corry Station, and Fort Huachuca. Its instructional scope includes Air Force intelligence career fields, cryptologic and language specialties, intelligence officers, and firefighters from multiple military branches. The wing also has responsibility for developing certain Career Development Course materials associated with the specialties it trains. Unlike a commercial brand, the 17th Training Wing is a military institutional identity. Its reputation is based on operational lineage, joint training capacity, and the role it plays in supplying trained personnel to intelligence, surveillance, security, emergency response, and national-defense missions.

The 17th Training Wing's lineage begins with its establishment as the 17th Bombardment Wing, Light, on 8 May 1952 and activation at Pusan-East Air Base in South Korea on 10 May. During the Korean War, its operational squadrons flew Douglas A-26 Invaders on night interdiction and close-support missions. The wing remained in South Korea after the armistice as a deterrent force before moving to Miho Air Base, Japan, in October 1954. It was inactivated in March 1955. The organization returned to active service in April 1955 under Tactical Air Command at Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 9 in Florida. It was redesignated the 17th Bombardment Wing, Tactical, in October of that year and received Martin B-57 Canberra aircraft. The B-57 was soon supplemented and replaced by the Douglas B-66B Destroyer. The wing became the only U.S. Air Force wing equipped with that B-66 variant, but the organization was inactivated in June 1958 as the aircraft were transferred to European operations. Strategic Air Command reactivated the lineage in 1963 as the 17th Bombardment Wing, Heavy. The new wing replaced the 4043d Strategic Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and inherited its personnel, equipment, and missions. It operated B-52 bombers and KC-135 tankers, training for global strategic bombardment and aerial refueling. From 1966 through 1975, aircraft and crews were deployed in support of SAC units conducting combat operations over Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. The wing left Wright-Patterson in 1975, moved to Beale Air Force Base, and continued strategic alert and tanker support before being inactivated in September 1976. The lineage was revived at RAF Alconbury in the United Kingdom as the 17th Reconnaissance Wing on 1 October 1982. Equipped with TR-1 reconnaissance aircraft and centered operationally on the 95th Reconnaissance Squadron, the wing conducted surveillance missions in Western Europe. It received the P. T. Cullen Trophy for intelligence-gathering contributions in 1989 and 1990. During the 1990–1991 Gulf War period, wing personnel and assets supported operations by moving aircraft and equipment to Taif, Saudi Arabia. The reconnaissance wing was inactivated on 30 June 1991. On 1 July 1993, the lineage was reactivated at Goodfellow Air Force Base as the 17th Training Wing. Its initial structure included the 17th Training Group, 17th Medical Group, and 17th Mission Support Group. The training organization descended from the 3480th Technical Training Wing, which had operated intelligence and cryptologic instruction at Goodfellow for decades and passed through several redesignations before becoming the 17th Training Group. A 517th Training Group became part of the wing in 2009. Today the wing is a non-flying organization and the host unit at Goodfellow. It trains Air Force intelligence, cryptologic, and linguist personnel, Air Force intelligence officers, and military firefighters from the Air Force, Army, Navy, Space Force, and Marine Corps. Related training organizations operate at other U.S. military locations, including the Defense Language Institute, Corry Station, and Fort Huachuca. The wing's modern role links its historic operational lineage with the Air Force's institutional pipeline for intelligence and emergency-response professionals.

1. 2009517th Training Group assigned

   The 517th Training Group became a component of the wing.

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2. 1993Established as the 17th Training Wing

   The wing was reactivated at Goodfellow Air Force Base with a training-centered mission.

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3. 1982Reactivated as a reconnaissance wing

   The unit resumed active service at RAF Alconbury as the 17th Reconnaissance Wing, operating TR-1 aircraft.

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4. 1966Vietnam-era deployments

   Wing aircraft and crews began supporting deployed Strategic Air Command units involved in combat operations over Southeast Asia.

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5. 1963Reconstituted as a heavy bombardment wing

   The 17th Bombardment Wing, Heavy, replaced the 4043d Strategic Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and operated B-52 and KC-135 aircraft.

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6. 1955Reactivated under Tactical Air Command

   The wing returned to active service in Florida and transitioned through B-57 Canberra and B-66 Destroyer operations.

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7. 1952Established as a light bombardment wing

   The 17th Bombardment Wing, Light, was constituted on 8 May and activated at Pusan-East Air Base, South Korea, on 10 May.

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8. 1952Korean War combat operations begin

   The wing conducted night interdiction, armed reconnaissance, transportation and communications attacks, and close air support using A-26 Invaders.

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A joint-service U.S. military training organization combining Air Force technical education with intelligence, cryptology, language, and emergency-response instruction.

• Intelligence trainingMilitary education1993

  The wing provides initial and technical training for Air Force intelligence personnel and supports corresponding instruction for personnel from the Army, Navy, Space Force, and Marine Corps at Goodfellow and related locations.

• Cryptologic and linguist trainingMilitary education1993

  Training covers Air Force cryptologic and language career fields, including enlisted specialties associated with intelligence collection, analysis, communications, and foreign-language capability.

• Military firefighter trainingEmergency-response training1993

  Goodfellow provides military firefighter instruction for personnel from all branches of the U.S. armed forces, preparing students for installation fire protection and emergency-response duties.

• Strategic bombardment and aerial refueling operationsAir operations1963

  During its earlier Strategic Air Command period, the wing trained B-52 bomber and KC-135 tanker crews for global strategic missions and overseas deployments.

• 1991Liberation and Defense of Kuwait

  Southwest Asia

  The wing supported Gulf War operations during its final period as a reconnaissance organization.

  Outcome. The reconnaissance wing was inactivated on 30 June 1991.

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• 1990Defense of Saudi Arabia

  Saudi Arabia · Southwest Asia

  Reconnaissance-wing personnel and assets supported the movement of aircraft and equipment to Taif during the Gulf crisis.

  Outcome. The deployment supported the coalition buildup and regional defense effort.

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• 1966Vietnam War support operations

  Southeast Asia

  B-52s, KC-135s, and their crews were furnished to deployed SAC wings supporting combat operations over Southeast Asia.

  Outcome. The wing continued providing deployed resources until the end of its Vietnam-era support role in 1975.

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• 1953Korea, Summer 1953

  Korean Peninsula

  Operations continued through the final months of the Korean War, including interdiction and support of ground forces.

  Outcome. Combat operations ended with the July 1953 armistice.

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• 1952Korea, Summer-Fall 1952

  Korean Peninsula

  The wing conducted light-bomber interdiction and close-support operations during the Korean War.

  Outcome. The wing continued operations through subsequent Korean campaign periods and remained in the region after the armistice.

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• 1952Third Korean Winter

  Korean Peninsula

  The wing continued night bombing, armed reconnaissance, and attacks on North Korean logistics and transportation.

  Outcome. The wing remained active in the postwar deterrence period before relocating to Japan.

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• 2009Assignment of the 517th Training GroupOther

  The wing's training structure continued to evolve as Air Force technical and intelligence education responsibilities were reorganized.

  What changed. The 517th Training Group was assigned to the wing.

  Aftermath. The assignment expanded the wing's training organization and component structure.

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• 1993Shift to a permanent training missionStrategy

  Following the end of the reconnaissance-wing period, the lineage was reactivated at Goodfellow Air Force Base around the installation's established intelligence and technical-training mission.

  What changed. The Air Force activated the 17th Training Wing and organized training, medical, and mission-support components under it.

  Aftermath. The wing became a major joint-service provider of intelligence, cryptologic, language, and firefighter training.

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1. 17th Training Wing