Nineteenth Air Force

A streamlined 19th Air Force, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, was scheduled to be re-activated on 1 October 2014. The reactivation followed a review of mission oversight and execution, directed by Rand, which showed a need for realigning responsibilities to reinforce proper command relationships and training oversight.

Plans called for the 19th Air Force to include 19 training locations, 10 regular Air Force wings supported by six Guard and Reserve wings, approximately 32,000 personnel and more than 1,350 aircraft of 29 different models. No new positions or authorizations, including the commander's, were to be created as a result of the new NAF. The infrastructure and manpower of 19th Air Force were to be drawn from previously existing resources while the major general command position would shift from AETC's directorate of intelligence, operations and nuclear integration.

Nineteenth Air Force inactivated on 12 July 2012 after more than 19 years of managing flying training for all of Air Education and Training command. The stand down of 19th AF was a part of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley's 2011 call for the inactivation of three numbered air forces and the consolidation of their duties to other units.

Nineteenth Air Force, with headquarters at Randolph AFB, Texas, conducted AETC's flying training. As of mid-2000, the 19th Air Force was composed of more than 35,000 assigned personnel and 1,600 aircraft in 19 units throughout the United States.

Air Force pilot candidates begin with introductory flight training (IFT). In IFT, civilian instructors provide 50 hours of flight instruction to pilot candidates who must complete requirements for a private pilot license.

Pilot candidates then attend either Euro-NATO joint jet pilot training (ENJJPT) or joint specialized undergraduate pilot training (JSUPT).

ENJJPT is located at Sheppard AFB, TX. The entire course lasts about 54 weeks. Students learn with, and are taught by, U.S. Air Force officers and officers from various air forces of our European allies. Student pilots first fly the T-37 mastering contact, instrument, low-level and formation flying. Next, they strap on the supersonic T-38 and continue building the skills necessary to become a fighter pilot.

JSUPT students accomplish primary training in the T-37 Tweet at one of three Air Force bases - Columbus AFB, MS, Laughlin AFB, TX, or Vance AFB, OK; or in the T-34C Turbomentor at Naval Air Station Whiting Field, FL. Joint training is conducted at Vance AFB, OK, and NAS Whiting Field for students from the Air Force and Navy.

During the primary phase of JSUPT, students learn basic flight skills common to all military pilots.

Students will soon use the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System during the primary training phase. The aircraft portion of JPATS is the T-6 Texan II, which is being phased in as the primary trainer replacing the Air Force's T-37 and the Navy's T-34C.

After the primary phase of JSUPT, student pilots elect one of several advanced training tracks based on their class standing.

Prospective airlift and tanker pilots are assigned to the airlift/tanker track and train in the T-1 Jayhawk at Columbus AFB, MS, Laughlin AFB, TX, or Vance AFB, OK. Student pilots headed for bomber or fighter assignments are assigned to the bomber/fighter track and train in the T-38 Talon at Columbus, Laughlin or Vance. Students assigned to the multi-engine turboprop track fly the T-44 turboprop trainers at NAS Corpus Christi, TX, and will eventually fly the C-130 Hercules.

Those students selected to fly helicopters are assigned to the helicopter track and fly the UH-1 Huey at Fort Rucker, AL.

Nineteenth Air Force also provides follow-on training for most Air Force pilots in their assigned aircraft. Pilots assigned to fighter aircraft complete the introduction to fighter fundamentals course at Randolph AFB or Sheppard AFB, TX, or Moody AFB, GA, flying the AT-38B, and then move on to train in either the F-15 Eagle at Tyndall AFB, FL, or the F-16 Fighting Falcon at Luke AFB, AZ. Altus AFB, OK, hosts training for pilots assigned to C-5 Galaxy, C-141 Starlifter, KC-135 Stratotanker or C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Aircrews assigned to fly the C-130 train at Little Rock AFB, AR, and pilots assigned to fly MC-130 Combat Talon, HC-130 aircraft, UH-1N, MH-53 Pave Low or HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters receive their training at Kirtland AFB, NM. Keesler AFB, MS, provides training for pilots assigned to the C-21, and the Army at Fort Rucker, AL, provides training in the C-12 Super King Air. In addition to pilot training, Nineteenth Air Force provides joint specialized undergraduate navigator training. JSUNT is conducted at Randolph AFB and NAS Pensacola, FL, and provides training for Air Force, Navy and Marine student navigators. Students at Randolph complete training in the T-43A and move to follow-on assignments in transport and tanker aircraft such as the C-130 and KC-135.

Students at NAS Pensacola, FL, complete primary and intermediate training in the T-34C and T-1 aircraft, and then enter the one of two tracks in the next phase. Students in the strike track will serve as navigators in the B-52 Stratofortress or as weapon systems officers in the B-1B Lancer. Navigators assigned to the B-1B attend a special training program at Randolph. Students in the strike/fighter track will receive follow-on assignments in the F-15E Strike Eagle as weapon systems officers and attend special training in the IFF course.

AETC also provides enlisted aircrew training for a wide variety of aircrew specialties including flight engineers, air-to-air refueling boom operators, loadmasters, aerial gunners, airborne communications specialists and weapons directors. Flight engineers and boom operators train at Altus AFB, OK, loadmasters train at Sheppard AFB, TXs, helicopter flight engineers and aerial gunners train at Kirtland AFB, NM, airborne communications specialists train at Keesler AFB, MS, and weapons directors train at Tyndall AFB, FL.

Formed after World War II, during its years of active service, Nineteenth Air Force served Tactical Air Command. It was established as Nineteenth Air Force on 1 July 1955 and activated on 8 July 1955 at Foster AFB, TX, assigned to Tactical Air Command.

It moved to Seymour Johnson AFB, NC, on 1 September 1958 before inactivated on 2 July 1973.

Assigned to Air Education and Training Command on 8 June 1993, it reactivated at Randolph AFB, TX, on 1 July 1993.