130th Airlift Wing The 130th Airlift Wing ( 130 AW ) is a unit of the West Virginia Air National Guard , stationed at Charleston Air National Guard Base , Charleston , West Virginia . If activated to federal service , the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command . Overview . The 130th Airlift Wing provides tactical airlift in support of the United States Air Force and the State of West Virginia . Units . The 130th Airlift Wing consists of the following units History . On 1 July 1960 , the West Virginia Air National Guard 130th Troop Carrier Squadron was authorized to expand to a group level , and the 130th Air Commando Group was established by the National Guard Bureau . The 130th being re - designated as an Air Commando squadron and becoming the group ' s flying squadron . Other squadrons assigned into the group were the 130th Headquarters , 130th Material Squadron ( Maintenance ) , 130th Combat Support Squadron , and the 130th USAF Dispensary . Aircraft assigned to the new group were C - 119 Flying Boxcar s and U - 10D Super Courier combat observation aircraft . The mission of the 130th ACG was primarily Air Commando special operations missions . Continuing its mission and training with the Active duty 1st Air Commando Group in Northern Florida , in 1968 HQ USAF directed all Air Commando organizations be re - designated as " Special Operations " units to be more descriptive of their mission . Through the 60 ' s and into the 70 ' s the 130th participated in many international missions and received recognition for their performance . This included the 130th being awarded the Spaatz Trophy four times as the " Outstanding Flying Unit in the Country " and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award five times . In 1975 , the Flying Boxcars were retired , the 130th receiving the far more capable C - 130E Hercules transport , and being designated as a " Tactical Airlift " unit . The transition to the C - 130 moved the gaining organization from Tactical Air Command to Military Airlift Command , with the primary mission of the Group becoming tactical airlift , with the Special Operations mission becoming secondary with the end of the Vietnam War . A model upgrade to the C - 130H in 1986 was completed and in August and September 1990 , the 130th TAG commanded a " volunteer " package of 16 C - 130 ' s and support personnel from WV , TN , TX , MO and DE ANG units in support of Operation Desert Shield . October 1990 saw the Presidential Call of selected members from the 130th Tactical Airlift Squadron combining with the 181st Tactical Airlift Squadron , TX ANG to form the functional staff of the 1630th Tactical Airlift Squadron ( Provisional ) at Al Ain International Airport , Al Ain , United Arab Emirates . In December 1990 , the 130th Tactical Clinic and the 130th Mobile Aerial Port Squadron had selective members activated . They deployed to RAF Bicester , UK and Dover AFB , Delaware respectively , subsequent to Operation Desert Storm . All members were deactivated by June 1991 . The members of the group located in the United Arab Emirates received the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with valor . In April 1992 , some unit members and aircraft deployed to Rhein - Main AB , Germany in support of the Bosnian Airlift called " Operation Provide Promise " . The 130th has deployed several times since this date for " Provide Promise " , the latest being from 21 September 1998 to 29 October 1998 . In August 1993 , one aircraft and 2 crews were sent to Operation " Operation Support Hope " for 30 days in Rwanda , Africa . Organizationally , the 130th was expanded to a Wing status in 1995 . From January to March 1996 , the unit deployed 2 aircraft , 6 crews and maintenance support to Daharan , Saudi Arabia , in support of Operation Southern Watch . As of mid - 2000 , the 130th AW had recently sent several aircraft and support personnel to Panama for Coronet Oak . While there , wing personnel were heavily involved in Hurricane Mitch relief to Honduras and Nicaragua . BRAC 2005 . On May 13 , 2005 , the United States Department of Defense released its Base Realignment and Closure , 2005 ( BRAC ) report , and the 130th Airlift Wing was one of the units slated to be eventually decommissioned . Its complement of 8 C - 130H aircraft would be transferred to Pope Air Force Base , and its complement of expeditionary combat support ( ECS ) personnel to the 167th Airlift Wing . Upon learning of this , several former commanders of the 130th Airlift Wing along with members of the local Kanawha County Commission and the Yeager Airport Board of Directors and formed the Keep ' Em Flying grassroots organization to try to prevent the unit from being decommissioned . Following an outpouring of community support , money was raised for newspaper and radio ads and to hire analysts familiar with BRAC , all in an attempt to save the unit . Funds were contributed from Yeager Airport , the Kanawha County Commission and the local economic development organization , the Charleston Area Alliance . On June 13 , 2005 , members of the BRAC commission came to Charleston to evaluate the base and talk to General Tackett , Governor Joe Manchin , Senator Robert Byrd , Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito and Col . Bill Peters , Jr , former commander of the 130th and chair for Keep ' Em Flying . Following this visit , and taking in all the information that was presented to them during that time , the BRAC commission voted unanimously , 9 - 0 , to keep the unit intact .