10th Air Base Wing The 10th Air Base Wing ( 10 ABW ) is a non - flying United States Air Force unit that is the host wing for the United States Air Force Academy ( USAFA ) in Colorado Springs , Colorado . Mission . The 10 ABW provides all base - level support activities to the USAFA . These activities include security , civil engineer , communications , logistics , military and civilian personnel , financial management , services , command post , chaplaincy , equal opportunity and the hospital , all of which support nearly 4 , 000 cadets and a total military community of approximately 20 , 000 personnel . Components . The 10 ABW consists of more than 2 , 100 military , civilian and contract personnel . Its organizational structure consists of : History . The 10th Air Base Wing is the current successor unit to the 10th Tactical Fighter Wing , a United States Air Forces in Europe ( USAFE ) organization , stationed in France , West Germany , and England for over 40 years . During its USAFE service , the wing received seven Air Force Outstanding Unit Award s and deployed personnel and equipment to King Fahd International Airport , Saudi Arabia and engaged in combat operations during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 . 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing . The Air Force started a “ wing - base ” service test in 1947 . Under this program the 10th Reconnaissance Wing was organized 3 December 1947 , at Pope Field , North Carolina . The new wing was assigned the 10th Reconnaissance Group as its operational flying component . On 25 August 1948 , the 10th Reconnaissance Wing was redesignated the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing ( 10 TRW ) , with its component groups also being redesignated . The 10th conducted training at Pope , primarily with army units at Fort Bragg until 1 April 1949 when , due to budget restrictions , the unit was inactivated . On 10 July 1952 as a result of the United States Cold War military buildup in Europe , the 10 TRW was reactivated and assigned to NATO at Toul - Rosieres Air Base , France , absorbing the mission and equipment of the inactivating federalized 117th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing . However , the base was not yet ready for jet aircraft , so only the 10th TRW Wing Headquarters was sent to Toul . The propeller - driven RB - 26s of the former 112th TRS were absorbed by the 1st TRS at Toul , while the two RF - 80A squadrons assigned to the 32d and 38th TRS were located at Neubiberg and Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base s near Munich , West Germany . Ongoing construction delays in France forced the wing ’ s transfer on 9 May 1953 to the newly completed Spangdahlem AB in West Germany where all the squadrons of the wing were united . The Republic RF - 84F Thunderflash began to arrive in the fall of 1955 , and the RF - 80As were returned to the United States for Air National Guard use . Martin RB - 57A Canberras replaced the World War II vintage RB - 26s in 1954 to perform night Reconnaissance missions . In 1956 , the 10th TRW began to transition to the RB - 66 and WB - 66 Destroyers , and the RF - 84Fs were transferred to the 66th TRW at Phalsbourg - Bourscheid Air Base , France . In 1959 , France placed new limits on the type of American forces stationed on its soil . Specifically , USAF nuclear - capable aircraft were to be removed from French bases . To accommodate the French restrictions , USAFE moved the 49th TFW from Etain - Rouvres Air Base to Spangdahlem and the 10th TRW was relocated to RAF Alconbury on 20 July 1959 . With its headquarters at RAF Alconbury , the 10 TRW operated its B - 66 “ Destroyers ” from RAFs Alconbury , Bruntingthorpe , and Chelveston . In addition , the 10th TRW frequently rotated its aircraft to Toul AB , France establishing a detachment there until France ' s withdrawal from NATO ' s integrated military in 1965 . Also in 1965 , the 10 TRW received a new airplane , the RF - 4C Phantom II . The wing ’ s mission changed slightly in 1976 . It inactivated two of its three RF - 4C squadrons . The 527th Tactical Fighter Training Aggressor Squadron , flying F - 5E “ Tiger IIs , ” activated at RAF Alconbury . 1 April 1976 , bringing a new mission to the wing . The squadron provided combat training to North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces by teaching and demonstrating soviet air tactics - under the title of Dissimilar Air Combat Tactics . The 527th flew the first “ Aggressor ” sortie from RAF Alconbury in May . 10th Tactical Fighter Wing . In the late 1980s , the 10 TRW experienced more dramatic changes . After 34 years with the same mission , the 10 TRW received a new one . This 1st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron inactivated in June 1987 and its RF - 4Cs left the base . On 20 August 1987 , the wing was designated as the 10th Tactical Fighter Wing . During 1988 , two squadrons of A - 10A Thunderbolt IIs , the 509th and 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron s , arrived from RAF Bentwaters / Woodbridge . As the A - 10s arrived , the 527th Aggressor Squadron moved to RAF Bentwaters . Both A - 10 flying squadrons , kept a strong close air support vigilance and remained ready to perform their mission in a contingency situation . The 511 TFS deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operations DESERT SHIELD / DESERT STORM from December 1990 to June 1991 . The wing ’ s A - 10s played an important part in the air phase of the Gulf War , attacking tanks , Scud missiles , and other ground positions . 10th Air Base Wing . The 10 TFW again went through dramatic changes in the early 1990s . The wing drew down its A - 10 mission , September 1991 – March 1992 . Without its aircraft , the 10 TFW continued to support the RAF Alconbury community . The wing was finally redesignated as the 10th Air Base Wing in March 1993 , and inactivated October 1994 . The 10th Air Base Wing was reactivated on 1 November 1994 as the support wing for the United States Air Force Academy , Colorado . Components . Groups Squadrons Awards and decorations . Air Force Outstanding Unit Award s :