8/16/2006 - OTIS AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mass. (AFPN) -- As part of the Air Force Total Force Integration initiative, the Massachusetts Air National Guard will establish a distributed ground station unit here.
A DGS unit provides real-time intelligence processing, exploitation and dissemination for commanders. Experienced members of the Massachusetts Air National Guard's 102nd Fighter Wing will convert to the new mission.
"We're grateful for the support we've received from National Guard Bureau, Governor (Mitt) Romney and our congressional delegation in determining the location for the DGS," said Brig. Gen. Oliver J. Mason Jr., the adjutant general of the Massachusetts National Guard. "We have a long history at Otis, and I'm proud to announce this new chapter."
Though the new DGS unit was announced in May, the location of the unit had not been determined. Officials expect to establish the new unit sometime during fiscal 2008.
"The people at Otis are ready and able to take on new missions," said Brig. Gen. Michael D. Akey, the commander of the Massachusetts Air National Guard. "There are also facilities at Otis available for immediate renovation, and there is land available to support a new facility, if necessary. It just makes sense."
The Massachusetts Air National Guard, Air Force and National Guard Bureau continue to work out other details, including a transition and training schedule for 102nd Fighter Wing members assuming the new mission.
The decision to locate the DGS at Otis is the most recent step in a continuing process to develop future Air National Guard force structure in Massachusetts. The objective of this process is to provide force structure in Massachusetts that both supports Air Force missions and allows Governor Romney to meet homeland defense and security requirements.
