Rep. Bridenstine thanks deploying reservists

Col. David Robertson, the 513th Air Control Group commander, presents U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine with unit patches on July 11 from the 513th during a pre-deployment briefing for reservists at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. Bridenstine, a pilot with the Oklahoma Air National Guard, thanked the Airmen and their spouses for their sacrifice and spoke of the vital part the Air Force Reserve plays in today’s military. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Caleb Wanzer)

Rep. Bridenstine thanks deploying reserivsts

U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine speaks to reservists from the 513th Air Control Group deploying to Southwest Asia during a sendoff event on July 11 at Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. Bridenstine, a pilot with the Oklahoma Air National Guard, thanked the Airmen and their spouses for their sacrifice and spoke of the vital part the Air Force Reserve plays in today’s military. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Caleb Wanzer)

Rep. Bridenstine thanks deploying reserivsts

U.S. Representative visits 513th in salute to deploying reservists

Published July 23, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Caleb Wanzer
513th Air Control Group Public Affairs

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Rep. Jim Bridenstine visited Tinker Air Force Base Saturday to honor the more than 40 reservists from the 513th Air Control Group deploying in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

Bridenstine thanked the reservists and their spouses for their sacrifice and emphasized the importance of the Reserve's only Airborne Warning and Control System unit during a pre-deployment sendoff event a few days before they left for Southwest Asia.

"It means a lot to the men and women of the 513th for Rep. Bridenstine to take time out of his busy weekend and help us send off our reservists," said Col. David Robertson, the 513th Air Control Group commander. "As a former Navy reservist and a current air national guardsman, the representative gets what it means to be a Citizen Airman."

During his time in the Navy Reserve, Bridenstine served as a pilot on the E-2 Hawkeye, an aircraft with a similar mission to the E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft. He recently commissioned as a pilot with the Oklahoma Air National Guard at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.

Representatives from Sen. James Inhofe and Rep. Steve Russell's office also attended the event.

The 513th Air Control Group is the only Air Force Reserve unit to operate and maintain the E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system aircraft. It was activated in 1996 and has deployed in support of every major conflict in which the U.S. has been involved.