FOR RELEASE: May 29, 2026
CONTACT: Colorado National Guard Public Affairs, 720-250-1053, ng.co.coarng.list.militarysupport@army.mil or Colorado Air National Guard Public Affairs 720-847-9435 or 140wg.pa.org@us.af.mil
BUCKLEY SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. – The Colorado Air National Guard will welcome home deployed service members of the 140th Wing at Buckley Space Force Base, Aurora, Colorado, in early June 2026. Exact time and date are to be determined.
Airmen from the 140th Wing deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan, to conduct joint force operations alongside sister branches of the U.S. military and allied forces in the Indo-Pacific region.
"Our Airmen demonstrated exceptional grit and adaptability operating in the Indo-Pacific theater," said U.S. Air Force Col. Benjamin “Scrappy” Couchman, commander, 140th Wing. "By rapidly generating combat airpower and seamlessly integrating with our joint and allied partners, they proved that the Colorado Air National Guard is ready to deter aggression and defend a free and open Indo-Pacific anytime, anywhere."
During the deployment, the 140th Wing participated in critical training exercises simulating wartime environments. Their efforts focused on mass airlift operations, chemical warfare survival, and the consistent, rapid generation of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft into the Indo-Pacific airspace. The unit successfully adapted to logistical and environmental challenges, integrating with the U.S. Marine Corps to execute rapid refueling missions and embedding with the munitions team from the 18th Wing to service a variety of combat aircraft for the broader Pacific fleet.
Operating in a theater defined by strategic competition, these missions are critical to projecting credible combat power, strengthening interoperability, and reinforcing the U.S. commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.