186th Air Refueling Wing hosts American Legion Base Tour

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jessica Hulbert
  • 186 Air Refueling Wing

Meridian, Miss. - The 186th Air Refueling welcomed Patricia Harris, National Vice-Commander of the American Legion and several of its Mississippi Post members for a visit, Feb. 21. Key Field Air National Guard Base was the first stop of a state-wide tour of various military installations and American Legion Posts.  

“Be the One,” is the message Harris and her members will be carrying throughout the state. The Be the One initiative promotes mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The initiative’s goal is to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health support and encourage both veterans and non-veterans to provide peer support.

Charted by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is one of America’s largest wartime veterans service organizations with nearly 2 million members in more than 13,000 posts worldwide. Its primary purpose is advocacy for service members and veterans through sponsorship of various programs that serve as a benefit for members as well as their families.

The 186th Air Refueling Wing provides over 1,100 personnel and eight KC-135R aircraft to Air Mobility Command for worldwide operations. The Wing also supports domestic counter-drug and emergency response missions as well as overseas combatant commander requirements with an RC-26B aircraft.  Additional units at Key Field include the 238th Air Support Operations Squadron, the 248th Air Traffic Control Squadron, and the 186th Air Operations Group. If you or someone you know is interested in joining the MSANG or contact a recruiter at 601-484-9213 or 601-484-9828. You can also find us at https://www.186arw.ang.af.mil/