6th Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 6th Air Refueling Wing is the host wing for MacDill Air Force Base, Florida. It is part of Air Mobility Command's (AMC) Eighteenth Air Force. The wing's 6th Operations Group is a successor organization of the 3d Observation Group, one of the seven original combat air groups formed by the United States Army Air Service shortly after the end of World War I.
| 6th Air Refueling Wing | |
|---|---|
6th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker takes off from MacDill Air Force Base | |
| Active | 1951–1992; 1994–present |
| Country | United States |
| Branch | United States Air Force |
| Role | Air refueling |
| Part of | Air Mobility Command |
| Garrison/HQ | MacDill AFB, Florida |
| Motto(s) | Parati Defendere Latin Ready to Defend |
| Equipment | KC-135R Stratotanker |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel Adam D. Bingham |
| Vice Commander | Colonel Edward V. Szczepanik |
| Command Chief | Chief Master Sergeant Shae D. Gee |
| Insignia | |
| 6th Air Refueling Wing emblem (adopted 18 March 1955, reinstated 20 September 1988) | |
| Patch with 6th Strategic Wing emblem (approved 21 October 1980) | |
The 6th Air Refueling Wing provides day-to-day mission support to more than 3,000 personnel along with more than 50 mission partners, including the United States Central Command and United States Special Operations Command. It is a force capable of rapidly projecting air refueling power anywhere in the world. The 6 ARW is organized into four unique groups and three operational flying squadrons to carry out its mission to be provide air refueling, airlift, and air base support.