SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- Jenn Atanasov, Office of the Senator Tammy Duckworth metro east community outreach coordinator, recently visited the 932nd Airlift Wing at Scott AFB, Illinois on June 11, 2025.
Atanasov met with Col. Jeffrey Smith, 932nd AW commander and Col. Rick Chadwick, 932nd AW deputy commander.
Smith and Chadwick discussed recent wing readiness training events, upcoming wing milestones and Air Force Reserve capabilities.
Smith said the 932nd AW Reserve force consists of mostly part-time, traditional reservists with full-time civilian jobs but must maintain their readiness for upcoming deployments on the horizon.
These upcoming deployments mean a huge population of Wing personnel sacrifice time from family and their full-time employment to accomplish deployment-specific readiness training both in the classroom and in the field-simulated environments.
To simulate realistic training, the 932nd recently conducted an expanded Ready Airman Training (RAT) rodeo in conjunction with the June Unit Training Assembly (UTA) from June 5 to 8 (Thursday through Sunday), so Reservists can accomplish this key training.
Atanasov represents Senator Tammy Duckworth, a U.S. Senator from Illinois who was elected to the Senate in 2016 after serving two terms as a U.S. House of Representatives congresswoman from 2012 to 2016.
Smith also advocated hot topics affecting the AF Reserve such as recruiting and retention and increasing quality of life (QoL) measures and benefits. These (QoL) efforts and benefits aim to increase the number of quality AF Reserve candidates in the future and to retain Reserve personnel currently serving.
While recent readiness efforts were at the forefront of the discussion, 932nd leadership shifted topic conversation towards Fiscal Year 2026 milestones, notably aircraft modernization efforts.
National Guard and Reserve Equipment Appropriation (NGREA) modernization initiatives ensure strategic depth and readiness at levels necessary are put at the forefront to win in a near-peer conflict and ensure continuous equipment modernization efforts, as some Reserve units still operate legacy aircraft. These modernization efforts are key to survivability, interoperability, and lethality.
TRICARE Reserve Select for Air Reserve Technicians (ART) was another important FY 2026 topic.
Implementing these TRICARE changes now, rather than waiting until the projected implementation date of 2030, is crucial for enhancing readiness, quality of life, and recruiting and retention measures.
Granting 7,000 Air Reserve Technicians and federal civil service members access to TRICARE Reserve Select will provide healthcare parity, reduce frustration, and improve overall readiness by offering consistent care across statuses.
The discussions with Atanasov reinforced the importance of the Air Force Reserve’s current and future role in today’s new strategic environment to include restoring warrior ethos, rebuilding our military and re-establishing deterrence.
The commitment, professionalism, and personal connection with the Gateway Wing leadership team left a lasting impression on Atanasov, reinforcing the significance of the 932nd mission.