Selfridge Hogs Ready

Six months after officially earning a new A-10 mission, airmen of the Michigan Air National Guard’s 127th Wing at Selfridge ANGB successfully completed their first deployment, traveling to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., for a four-week exercise. “This deployment sets us up for taking the organization to the next level in preparation for the [air expeditionary force]” deployment next year, said Lt. Col. Doug Champagne, 107th Fighter Squadron commander. The unit converted from F-16s to A-10s per BRAC 2005. Selfridge maintainers deployed to Arizona kept the aircraft turning for 16 flights per day, thanks, said Maj. Kurt Ring, with the 127th Maintenance Group, to “a dedicated work force, working long hours, and we didn’t have many hard breaks.” Col. David Augustine, 127th Wing vice commander, credited maintenance and ops for doing an “amazing job in transferring a renowned F-16 unit into a top notch A-10 unit.” (Selfridge report by Capt. Penny Carroll)