MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian has signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the 186th Air Refueling Wing of the Mississippi National Guard based at Key Field, marking the first agreement of its kind between the two organizations.
The MOU was officially signed on Friday, Dec. 13, by Col. Cindy Smith, Wing Commander of the 186th Air Refueling Wing, and Capt. Luke Davis, Commanding Officer of NAS Meridian.
The agreement will enhance training opportunities for the 186th ARW Civil Engineering Squadron, allowing National Guard personnel to access NAS Meridian’s facilities to fulfill training requirements in key technical disciplines, including electrical work, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), pipefitting, plumbing, and carpentry.
In return, NAS Meridian’s Public Works Department will benefit from additional resources to carry out facility maintenance projects on the installation, improving both infrastructure and operational readiness.
“The is a first between the Air Force and the Navy in Meridian. That we’re able to come together, save money, achieve training that we otherwise would of had to travel great distances to accomplish, and build relationships,” said Col. Cynthia Smith, Wing Commander of the 186th Air Refueling Wing at Key Field.
“The benefits are, they don’t have to spend their money, as much money, to send their folks out to the other parts of the country that are just putting them through reps on machinery, so, we’ll get them here. They can do the training that they need to get done here locally, then go do the rest of their drills at Key Field and have a more productive time when they’re here in Meridian. We, you know, part of our base plan that we’re doing these projects, and it helps us with some man power, and it’ll refine our crews here because they’ll be involved with the training and just get better on both sides,” said Captain Luke Davis, Commanding Officer at NAS Meridian.
“So, right here in Meridian, Mississippi, the two military bases, both Key Field, with the Air National Guard, and NAS Meridian, have come up with a plan to share resources and get after training and mission needs, and it’s something that needs to be replicated else where. It’s the first time that we’ve ever done this, and I think it’s a best practice that will be copied,” said Col. Smith.
