The 214th Attack Group is a unit of the

Arizona Air National Guard The Arizona Air National Guard (AZ ANG) is the aerial militia of the state of Arizona, United States of America. It is, along with the Arizona Army National Guard, an element of the Arizona National Guard. As state militia units, the units in the ...

162d Fighter Wing The 162nd Wing (162 WG) is a unit of the Arizona Air National Guard, stationed at Morris Air National Guard Base, Arizona. If activated to federal service, the wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Education and Training Command. M ...

(162 FW), stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, with an additional operating location at Libby Army Airfield at

Fort Huachuca Fort Huachuca is a United States Army installation, established on 3 March 1877 as Camp Huachuca. The garrison is now under the command of the United States Army Installation Management Command. It is in Cochise County in southeast Arizona, ap ...

, Arizona. If activated to federal service with the

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...

, the 214 RG is operationally gained by the

Air Combat Command Air Combat Command (ACC) is one of nine Major Commands (MAJCOMs) in the United States Air Force, reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force (HAF) at the Pentagon. It is the primary provider of air combat forces for the Air Force, and i ...

(ACC).

Overview

The 214th Attack Group flies the MQ-1B Predator over Afghanistan via satellite from ground control stations in Tucson. Arizona Air Guardsmen fly 24/7 operations saving American lives through the vital information they provide to troops on the ground.

Operations

Currently, the unit flies over Afghanistan on a continual basis flying 20 hours per day, seven days per week. Predator operations provided U.S. troops on the ground with both daylight and infrared video of selected targets. In addition, the aircraft could carry two laser-guided

AGM-114 Hellfire The AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-ground missile (AGM) first developed for anti-armor use, later developed for precision drone strikes against other target types, especially high-value targets. It was originally developed under the name ''Hel ...

air to surface missile An air-to-surface missile (ASM) or air-to-ground missile (AGM) is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft at targets on land or sea. There are also unpowered guided glide bombs not considered missiles. The two most common p ...

s. Arizona Air National Guard Predator operations will first fill worldwide theater requirements, but will also likely evolve into providing direct defense for the homeland in conjunction with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Northern Command. A permanent facility located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base was completed in 2009.

Fraud scandal

A 2009 investigation found that some members of the 214 RG may have fraudulently collected reimbursement for living expenses from the government over several years. In response, Colonel Gregg Davies was removed from command of the 214 RG on 23 November 2009 by

commander, Brigadier General Michael Colangelo. A state inspector general investigation later concluded that Davies' relief constituted "retaliation," but declined to reinstate him into the Air National Guard. Brigadier General Michael Colangelo was subsequently relieved from his post in command of the Arizona ANG. In late 2013, following his retirement from the Air Force and Air National Guard, Colonel Davies was indicted by the Arizona Attorney General, Tom Horne on fraud charges. Also indicted were seven other officers and thirteen enlisted airmen from the 12 RG. The indictment contends that all named defendants falsified their home addresses so they could collect temporary duty allowances (per diem, etc.) while performing Federalized service at their home station. The charges were subsequently dropped in 2014. Some cases were dropped via prosecution diversion agreements, some were dropped with prejudice and in at least one case the prosecution and Pima county judge ruled that an accused officer was wrongfully indicted.

Specifics

* Lineage: Designated 214th Reconnaissance Group, and allotted to Arizona ANG, 2007 : Extended federal recognition and activated, 29 August 2007 * Assignment:

Tucson Air National Guard Base Tucson International Airport is a civil-military airport owned by the City of Tucson south of downtown Tucson, in Pima County, Arizona, United States. It is the second busiest airport in Arizona, after Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airp ...

, Arizona * Components:

214th Reconnaissance Squadron The 214th Attack Squadron (214 ATKS) is a unit of the Arizona Air National Guard's 214th Attack Group located at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona and is operationally-gained by the Air Combat Command (ACC). The 214th is equipped wi ...

* Station: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona ** Additional operating location at Libby Army Airfield /

, Arizona

References

{{US Air Force navbox Groups of the United States Air National Guard Military units and formations in Arizona