WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), member of the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, today announced that the 931st Air Refueling Group – the Air Force Reserve associate unit with the active-duty 22nd Air Refueling Wing (ARW) at McConnell Air Force Base (AFB) – will officially be designated as the 931st Air Refueling Wing as early as January 2016. The designation is a result of the expanding responsibilities of the 931st Air Refueling Group, particularly as a result of McConnell AFB’s selection as the United States Air Force’s first home of the new KC-46A tanker.

"I am pleased that the 931st Air Refueling Group at McConnell Air Force Base will receive the well-deserved recognition of an Air Refueling Wing next year,” Sen. Moran said. “Along with the 22nd Air Refueling Wing at McConnell, the 931st plays a critical role in our nation’s air mobility with thousands of hours deployed around the world. With military construction well underway, the 931st is also preparing for the upcoming arrival of the KC-46A refueling tankers. The Wing designation will make certain the 931st receives the resources and manpower necessary to meet the air refueling demands of our Armed Forces for years to come. I have long advocated for the transition of the 931st to Wing status, and I am proud the Air Force recognizes the hard work and value of the men and women at McConnell."

In order to accommodate the anticipated fiscal year 2016 arrival of the first KC-46A tankers, the 931st is slated to increase their manpower by more than 400 positions. This anticipated increase in personnel and new classification as a Wing will give the 931st the resources and personnel necessary to carry out their air mobility missions with the new KC-46A tankers. 

In 2013, Sen. Moran joined members of the Kansas Delegation in sending a letter to Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh regarding the potential designation of the 931st Air Refueling Group. In April 2015, the senator asked Air Force Reserve Chief Lieutenant General James Jackson about the Wing designation during a Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee hearing. At that time, Lt. Gen. Jackson spoke about the excellence of the 931st Air Refueling Group and projected the Wing classification for the 931st would be in place by 2017 or 2018.

In June 2015, Sen. Moran also met with Colonel Mark Larson, who commands the 931st at McConnell AFB, to discuss this matter. The Colonel was pleased to report that the 931st met the threshold to transition into a Refueling Wing. 

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