Nellis activates 926th Reserve Group Published Oct. 26, 2007 By Capt. Karin McWhorter Nellis Public Affairs NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- A new Air Force Reserve group will be activated today during a ceremony at the Officers' Club. The 926th Group, which was officially established on August 17, is a classic associate unit to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, and a perfect example of Total Force Integration. "TFI places highly experienced geographically stable Air Force Reserve Command members into regular air force units through the TFI concept. In our classic association here at Nellis, the USAFWC provides the mission assets and we provide manpower," said Col. David Culbertson, commander, 926th Group. In 2005, the Base Realignment and Closure Commission identified the 926th Fighter Wing, an A-10 unit based in New Orleans, La., for closure with personnel and aircraft relocating to four bases. The damage caused by Hurricane Katrina accelerated the process by more than three years. By spring of 2006, the A-10s flew to Whiteman AFB, Mo., and Barksdale AFB, La. with the pilot and maintenance positions, the LRS organization moved to Buckley AFB, Colo. and the command element moved to Nellis to establish the 926th Group. The 926th Group consists of the 926th Mission Support Squadron, the 78th Reconnaissance Squadron in Unmanned Aerial Systems operations at Creech AFB, the 706th Fighter Squadron and 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron integrated in the 57th Wing, the 84th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Eglin AFB, Fla., integrated in the 53rd Wing, the 26th Space Aggressor Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colo., integrated in the Aggressor Tactics Group and Det 1 of the 706th FS at Hurlburt Field, Fla., integrated in the 505th Command and Control Wing. The 926th Group will continue to grow here at Nellis. "This group will eventually grow to more than 770 [personnel] assigned with a fully functioning military personnel squadron and medical element to support our reserve population," said Senior Master Sgt. Terri Vrastil, 926th Group superintendent. In fact, the breadth of mission and numerous geographically separated units is the justification listed on the current initiative to re-designate the 926th Group as the 926th Wing, said Colonel Culbertson.
