Under BRAC 2005, the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 188th Fighter Wing at Fort Smith, Ark., has to trade its F-16 Vipers for A-10 Warthogs, a change expected to begin this October, reports the Arkansas News Bureau. Unlike many of their fellow Air Guardsmen, the 188th FW airmen do not have to give up manned aircraft, but there is a world of difference between the two fighters. The wing’s pilots begin training on the Warthog in October, and the maintainers and weapons loaders in January 2007.
As commander of Air Forces Central, Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich has been at the heart of almost all U.S. military action in the Middle East, from overseeing airstrikes against Iranian proxy groups to protecting troops as America’s air defense commander for the region. Just before handing over his command to…