Virgin Islands Air National Guard

U.S. Virgin Islands Air National Guard
Active	February 1980 - Present
Country	United States
Allegiance	U.S. Virgin Islands
Branch	Air National Guard
Role	USSOUTHCOM combat support
Part of	Air National Guard/226th CCG
Garrison/HQ	St Croix ANGS, United States Virgin Islands
Commanders
Civilian leadership	President Barack Obama (Commander-in-Chief) Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley Governor John de Jongh
State military leadership	Adjutant General Renaldo Rivera
Insignia
USAF Roundel

The Virgin Islands Air National Guard is the component of the United States Air National Guard operating within United States Virgin Islands.

Units

• 285th Combat Communications Squadron

The Virgin Islands Air National Guard was founded on the island of St. Croix in February 1980, as the 285th Combat Communications Flight, a subordinate unit of the 226th Combat Communications Group. The original authorized strength was one officer and 21 enlisted members. Original federal recognition came in May 1980 and is the official beginning of the Virgin Islands Air National Guard. The 285th grew quickly both in size and capability. Within 10 years of inception the unit had won the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award twice and was later awarded the award a third time. St Croix Air National Guard Station was opened in 1986 as the very first National Guard–owned facility in the Virgin Islands.

In 1989 when Hurricane Hugo devastated the island of St Croix the 285th facility became the heart of the recovery effort and the 285th provided the first official communications off the Island to the U.S.

Gallery

• 
  Virgin Islands ANG operations building
• 
  285th CBCS SATCOM antenna

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Gross, Charles J (1996), The Air National Guard and the American Military Tradition, United States Dept. of Defense, ISBN: 0160483026
• Virgin Islands Air National Guard
• [http://www.vi.ngb.army.mil/html/content/Air%20Guard/Default.htm 285th Combat Communications