SEPTEMBER 18, 2018 – This week, the 28th Bomb Wing celebrates the birthday of the United States Air Force. We honor 71 years of Air Force heritage and 71 years of our Air Force – military, civilians and contractors – defining American history.
Our Air Force has been there for our nation through our roots in the Army Air Service formed in 1918, to the Army Air Corps in 1926, and later, the Army Air Forces in 1941. Our Airmen braved the skies above Europe and the Pacific using airpower to fulfill the promise of freedom.
We celebrate 71 years of tradition as a branch of the U.S. military when President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 on September 18th, establishing the Department of the Air Force. Since then, we have embarked on a journey of strength, earning our place as the greatest Air Force in the world.
We celebrate 71 years of community relations. From our partners in government to our leaders in business, our Air Force has been developing meaningful relationships with influencers who care about the morale and welfare of our Airmen and the mission we accomplish every day.
We celebrate our readiness. Whether it was Operation Odyssey Dawn in 2011 or our deployments in the Pacific and Southwest Asia, our Airmen have been ready for the global challenges we are faced with. For 71 years, our wing and our Air Force have been ready at a moment’s notice to protect our nation. We have adapted to ever-changing technology to maintain our accuracy and effectiveness.
We celebrate 71 years of incredible families — spouses and children who support our Airmen through challenging missions, time apart and long hours. These family members are there every step of the way — through good and bad. We mobilized in groups, from spouse clubs to peer organizations, to show others that we are stronger together.
We celebrate our successes. Every year, we improve our strength as a wing and a service. Our people get smarter and more resilient. Since our founding, we increased our lethality and grown into a force to be reckoned with.
We celebrate our past. We learn from the obstacles we come across and adapt to change. For 71 years, we have been pushed down and get back up. While our service is more technologically-capable than our military leaders of 1947 could have ever imagined, we remain a force of heritage, respecting the traditions that upholding the incredible camaraderie and respect amongst Airmen.
We celebrate our future. With new aircraft and new Airmen come challenges, but we press forward. We stand on 71 years of smart and innovative Airmen, not afraid to enact change for the betterment of our Air Force and our nation’s defense.
At the 28th Bomb Wing, we remain a hallmark of Air Force units and are proud to take part in celebrating our role in our amazing Air Force.
On this birthday, let’s celebrate and continue to celebrate for another 71 years. Happy birthday, U.S. Air Force!
Story by 2nd Lt. Daniel Rosenfield
28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs