167th Airlift Wing The 167th Airlift Wing ( 167th AW ) is a unit of the West Virginia Air National Guard , stationed at Shepherd Field Air National Guard Base , Martinsburg , West Virginia . If activated to federal service , the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . Overview . The 167th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard is an airlift unit that flies the C - 5 Galaxy aircraft . The wing has served the state and nation since the end of World War II by providing outstanding capability across a variety of missions , beginning in its earliest days when its 167th Fighter Squadron flew the F - 51 Mustang and F - 86 Sabre fighters . The unit has deployed to the four corners of the Earth in support of the Global War on Terrorism and continues to support this effort . The 167th ' s focus today , and in the future , is summed up in the unit ' s motto : " Mountaineer Pride Worldwide . " The unit has been active in numerous exercises such as Sentry Storm , Volant Oak , Rodeos , and various overseas deployments ; for example , 1981 , and again in 1988 , all aircraft deployed to Europe a first for any unit . In 1990 , members of the Aeromedical Evacuation Flight , Mobile Aerial Port Squadron , Tactical Airlift Squadron and Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron , along with support personnel from other areas were the first called to volunteer to take part in Operation Desert Shield . They did so , with many leaving on only a few hours ' notice . Units . The 167th Airlift Wing is composed of the following units : History . The 167th Tactical Airlift Group , was established on 1 July 1972 when authorization was granted to expand the 167th Tactical Airlift Squadron to group level . The 167th TAG was operationally gained by Tactical Airlift Command and flew C - 130A Hercules transports . Late in 1977 , the unit received " B " model C - 130s . The 1986 , the number of aircraft assigned increased , and in 1989 , the " B " model was replaced with the " E " model . Initially , the base at the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport had only one hangar , a motor pool , and a supply building . Many major additions have since been made to the base , including a fire hall , base operations building , nose dock , civil engineering building , corrosion control / fuel cell facility , engine shop , aerospace ground equipment shop , barracks , clinic , avionics shop and aerial port building . On Sunday , 8 July 1984 , the 167th Tactical Airlift Group reached 100 , 000 hours of safe flying , only the fifth Air Guard unit to achieve this goal . In 1987 , the unit received an Operational Readiness Inspection ( ORI ) from the Military Airlift Command . The unit received eight Outstanding , twelve Excellent and one Satisfactory rating among the various components of the unit . Other awards during this period include the fourth Air Force Outstanding Unit Award received in 1988 and the Distinguished Unit Flying Award from the National Guard Association in 1989 . The conversion in July 1989 to the newer C - 130E broadened our capabilities with the ability to airdrop during adverse weather and transport an additional 20 , 000 pounds of cargo . In 1990 , the unit came to the aid of communities , pro - viding relief efforts for victims of Hurricane Hugo and the California earthquake . Supplies were also flown to Puerto Rico , which had been devastated by the hurricane . Also in 1990 , members of the Aeromedical Evacuation Flight , Mobile Aerial Port Squadron , Tactical Airlift Squadron and Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron , along with support personnel from other areas were the first called to volunteer to take part in Operation Desert Shield . They did so , with many leaving on only a few hours ' notice . Reorganization and realignment put the 167th in the Air Combat Command during this time frame . Another first for the 167th was the receipt of a new C - 130H - 3 on 21 December 1994 . Greeted by Santa Claus upon its arrival , the aircraft is the first new plane received by the unit in its history . Previous conversions had been to newer models , but not just off the assembly line . In 1995 , the unit began conversion training for the C - 130H - 3 in the first quarter and transferred most of the " E " models to Peoria , Illinois . The Civil Engineers deployed to Panama and the Medical Squadron deployed to Honduras . Most of the sections took part in a deployment to Alpena , Michigan in September where chemical exercises and other special training took place . The unit celebrated its 40th anniversary on 10 June 1995 with an open house and dance . The 167th Airlift Group was redesignated the 167th Airlift Wing on 1 October 1995 . Then on 16 April 1997 , the 167th Airlift Wing was assigned under the Air Mobility Command ( AMC ) , with no change in mission or assignment . The Wing participated in an Operational Readiness Evaluation and Inspection in 1998 at the Combat Readiness Training Center , Savannah , Georgia . At the conclusion of the ORI , the 167th received its first ever overall Outstanding rating . Since the 11 Sept . 2001 , terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington , D . C . , the unit has had members deployed to the four corners of the world in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM . Unit members have received six Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts in support of these operations . In March 2002 , West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd announced that the unit would transition to the C - 5 Galaxy aircraft . On 4 December 2006 the first C - 5 aircraft assigned to the unit landed at Shepherd Field . Ten more aircraft were assigned to the 167th Airlift Wing throughout the following two years . There are currently eleven C - 5a aircraft assigned to the 167th Airlift Wing . On 28 March 2007 the unit launched its first C - 5 mission from Shepherd Air Field . After a brief stop at Dover Air Force Base , the aircraft continued on to Camp Lemonier , Djibouti , Africa , delivering two CH - 53E Super Stallion helicopters ( used for humanitarian assistance , personnel and equipment movement , and noncombatant casualty evacuations ) and more than 60 marines supporting Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa . The wing is scheduled to begin retirement of its C - 5 aircraft during fiscal year 2015 and receive eight C - 17 " Globemaster III " transport aircraft .