14th Flying Training Wing The 14th Flying Training Wing ( 14 FTW ) is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Columbus Air Force Base , Mississippi . Mission . The 14th Operations Group and its six squadrons are responsible for the 52 - week Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training ( SUPT ) mission . The group also performs quality assurance for contract aircraft maintenance . The 14th Mission Support Group provides essential services with a 5 - squadron / 2 - division , 750 + person work force and $ 38 million budget . It operates / maintains facilities and infrastructure for a pilot training base and provides contracting , law enforcement , supply , transportation , fire protection , communications , education , recreation and personnel management for 9 , 500 people . The group is also responsible for wartime preparedness and contingency operations . Units . 14th Operations Group ( 14 OG ) 14th Mission Support Group ( 14 MSG ) 14th Medical Group ( 14 MDG ) Additionally , the 14th Comptroller Squadron ( 14 CPTS ) reports directly to the 14 TFW . History . Components . Group Squadrons Operational history . The 14th Fighter Wing was established on 29 July 1947 . It provided air defense for the northeastern United States , 1947 – 1949 . The unit was redesignated as the 14th Air Commando Wing and was reactivated at Nha Trang AB Republic of Vietnam on 8 March 1966 . On 1 August 1968 it was renamed the 14th Special Operations Wing and was the host unit at the base until 30 September 1971 . From 15 October 1969 through 30 September 1971 the 14th SOW also operated and conducted missions from Phan Rang Air Base Republic of Vietnam . Operations included close and direct air support , interdiction , combat airlift , aerial resupply , visual and photographic reconnaissance , unconventional warfare , counterinsurgency operations , psychological warfare ( including leaflet dropping and aerial broadcasting ) , forward air control operations and escort , search and rescue , escort for convoy and defoliation operations , flare drops , civic actions , and humanitarian actions . The 14th Air Commando Wing distinguished itself by extraordinary heroism , exceptional gallantry and outstanding performance of duty in action against hostile forces in Southeast Asia from 8 March 1966 to 7 March 1967 , earning a Presidential Unit Citation . Flying thousands of widely diversified sorties , elements of the Wing caused many enemy casualties and destroyed or damaged more than 8 , 500 structures , 500 trucks and 60 fuel sites as well as numerous automatic weapon positions , radio stations , bridges and boats . Flying the venerable C - 47 aircraft , one squadron of the Wing helped abort a large number of night hostile operations against friendly forts and hamlets through flare drops and minigun saturation fire . Despite the often heavy and accurate enemy antiaircraft fire , the search and rescue missions of the Wing recovered 91 skilled airmen during this period . In addition , the Wing ' s psychological warfare missions directly or indirectly influenced the surrender of thousands of enemy soldiers . The wing also provided maintenance support for a number of tenants . The wing trained Vietnam Air Force ( VNAF ) personnel in AC - 119 operations and maintenance , February – August 1971 , and transferred some of its A C - 119 s to the VNAF , August – September 1971 as part of a phase - down for inactivation . Air Training / Air Education and Training Command . The 14th replaced , and absorbed resources of , the 3650th Pilot Training Wing in June 1972 at Columbus Air Force Base , Mississippi , and assumed an undergraduate pilot training program , plus base operations and maintenance .