340th FLYING TRAINING GROUP
The 340th Flying Training Group is located at Randolph AFB and supports Air Education and Training Command's Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT), Joint Primary Pilot Training (JPPT), Pilot Instructor Training (PIT), Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (IFF), Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training (ENJJPT), and The United States Air Force Academy's Airmanship P
rograms. The 340th is the largest flying group in the Air Force, consisting of 425 instructor pilots assigned to six squadrons at Vance AFB, Randolph AFB, Columbus AFB, Laughlin AFB, Sheppard AFB, and USAFA. Our instructors are vital to one of the most rewarding missions in military flying -- training and mentoring the next generation of Air Force officers and pilots. Instructors fly a variety of aircraft, including the T-1A Jayhawk, T-6A Texan II, T-38 Talon, T-41A Mescalero, T-51A, T-53, TG-15/TG-16 gliders, and UV-18B Twin Otter. There are openings with the 340th for traditional Reserve and active Guard and Reserve instructor pilots and jumpmasters. The unit was designated the 340th Bombardment Group (Medium). The group flew B-25s, engaging chiefly in support and interdiction missions. The 340th participated in the reduction of Pantelleria and Lampedusa in June 1943, the bombing of German evacuation beaches near Messina in July, the establishment of the Salerno beachhead in September, the drive for Rome during January to June 1944, the invasion of Southern France in August, and attacks on the Brenner Pass and other German lines of communication in Northern Italy from September 1944 to April 1945. Shortly thereafter, the B-25s and aircrew were back in the US. and the unit deactivated in November 1945. The unit was reactivated and continued performing medium bombardment training in the Air Force Reserve from October 1947 to August 1949 at Tulsa Municipal Airport, Okla. The 340th Bombardment Group was again reactivated in May 1968 at Carswell AFB, TX. In June 1977, it was redesignated as the 340th Air Refueling Group (Heavy) and moved in July 1977 to Altus AFB, OK. It was redesignated the 340th Air Refueling Wing (Heavy) in October 1984 and reassigned to Fifteenth Air Force, Strategic Air Command in June 1988 with subsequent redesignation as the 340th Air Refueling Wing on 1 September 1991. It was reassigned to Air Mobility Command on 1 June 1992, and inactivated on 1 October 1992. The 340th is now reactivated at Randolph AFB, Texas, as the 340th Flying Training Group, organized to provide associate instructor pilots for the AETC SUPT mission. The Group consists of a headquarters element at Randolph AFB and six associate Reserve flying training squadrons: the 5th FTS at Vance AFB, OK, the 39th FTS at Randolph, AFB, TX, the 43rd FTS at Columbus AFB, MS, the 70th Flight Training Squadron at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., the 96th FTS at Laughlin AFB, Texas, and the 97th FTS at Sheppard AFB, Texas. The 340th has a number of decorations including eleven campaign streamers, two distinguished unit citations, and four outstanding unit awards.
