MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (USTCNS) --- Jan.1 rang in more than just another new year at MacDill Air Force Base;, it also rang in the transition from the 6th Air Refueling Wing to the 6th Air Mobility Wing.

The wing was redesignated to reflect its dual mission of air refueling and Commanders in Chief airlift support.

"The Year 2001 marks the dawn of a bright new chapter for our wing, the Air Force-approved standup of our new 310th Airlift Squadron and introduction of the C-37 aircraft into our fleet," said Brig. Gen. Chip Diehl, commander of the 6th AMW. "We are eager to expand the breadth of our CINC support mission and excited about receiving the C-37, a military version of the Gulfstream V aircraft."

The 310th AS will not only continue to support Army Gen. Tommy R. Franks, CINC U.S. Central Command, and Marine Corps Gen. Peter Pace, CINC U.S. Southern Command, but will expand airlift support to all other CINCs within the Continental United States, Diehl explained.

Lt. Col. Eden J. Murrie, former director of operations for the 91st Air Refueling Squadron, took command of the newly activated squadron Jan. 1.

"Taking command of the 310th is a distinct honor. Our team is eager to work the challenges of standing up a new unit. We will continue flying our EC-135 and CT-43 while we begin the tasks of training new crews to fly the C-37 and establish the logistics infrastructure. I am confident the wing and the 310th will not miss a beat in providing on-time support to CINCCENT and CINCSOUTH," Murrie said.

The new squadron will grow to around 105 members, many formerly assigned to the 91st ARS, Murrie explained. The first C-37 is expected to arrive early this summer with the remaining aircraft arriving over the ensuing year.

"Two squadrons will be more efficient. The previous focus of the 91st ARS was necessarily split. One mission dealt with refueling and one with CINC support, two radically different missions. Now the 310th will assume sole and primary responsibility for all of our CONUS CINCs," she said.

The 6th Air Base Wing first arrived at MacDill Air Force Base, Jan. 4, 1994, but MacDill wasn't the first base to host the 6th. Its roots began in 1921 as the 6th Group (Observation) and later as the 6th Group (Composite) in the Panama Canal Zone.

Over the next 79 years, its aircraft flew under the designations of 6th Bombardment Group, 6th Bombardment Wing, 6th Strategic Wing, 6th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, 6th Strategic Aerospace Wing, 6th Air Base Wing, 6th Air Refueling Wing and today the 6th Air Mobility Wing.

Aircraft flown by the 6th have included the B-17, B-29, B-36 and B-52 bombers. The 6th Bombardment Wing first flew KC-135 tankers in 1958, a mission still carried out by MacDill today.

"Again, the 6th AMW continues to shine. We greatly appreciate the enhanced mission entrusted to us by the Air Force and Air Mobility Command. We are truly honored to support our commanders-in-chiefs. We'll be there when they need us, without question, with first-class, on-time airlift support " Diehl said. (FROM MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE PUBLIC AFFAIRS).