As a result, the Air Force maintains, its active duty units have been deploying at a rapid tempo almost nonstop since the 1991 Persian Gulf war, and will continue to do so even as the United States draws down forces in Afghanistan.
Instead, the brigade was primarily used to train active duty units, and other general peacetime missions within the United States.
This same scenario plays out on a yearly basis in Guard, Reserve and Active Duty units in the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, and Coast Guard across the world.
Loring was primarily home to active duty units, although this changed in the 1980s, when the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 101st Fighter Squadron sent a detachment to Loring.
Beginning in 1946, the wing began regular patrols of the Northeastern United States which took place in conjunction with Air Force active duty units.
Why? Military police and civil affairs units account for a small percentage of personnel and active duty units are, historically, incompatible with garrison duty given their combat training, youthful inexperience and aggressiveness by trade.
Soldiers of the brigade were among the first National Guard units to see front-line patrolling duty in the conflict, a job held exclusively by active duty units until that time.
In a letter sent Friday to Panetta, Gregoire and Branstad said they appreciate several of his offers, including the transfer of 24 C-130 aircraft from active duty units to the Air National Guard, but disagreed with his proposal to restore only 1,179 positions, saying more are needed.
A good heavy-duty unit can pull more than 50 pints of water out of the air each 24 hours.
