The 97th Training Squadron manages the 97th Air Mobility Wing’s $2 billion contracted aircrew training program for 287 assigned instructors and 2,000 C-17, KC-135, and KC-46 students from the United States and 15 countries. The squadron operates six flights, including C-17 Aircrew Training System (ATS) quality assurance, KC-135 ATS quality assurance, KC-46 ATS quality assurance, and student administration. Additionally, military training leaders provide mentorship and airmanship training for 350 new airmen annually in the Air Force Phase program.
Although portions of the squadron’s training mission can be traced back to 1952, when the 1709th Technical Training Squadron was activated at West Palm Beach, Florida, the history of the 97th Training Squadron is relatively short.
The squadron was activated for the first time on Jan. 20, 1994, at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and inherited the mission of the inactivated 330th Flying Training Squadron. It also became responsible for the KC-135 Certified Flight Instructor Course following the stand-down of Strategic Air Command. In August 2002, the Basic Loadmaster Schoolhouse moved from Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, to Altus Air Force Base. Each year, the squadron trained 320 active-duty, Guard, and Reserve members through its three-level basic loadmaster qualifications until the schoolhouse relocated to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 2007.
During its first tenure at Altus Air Force Base, the men and women of the 97th Training Squadron preserved the prestige and quality training of the KC-135 Central Flight Instructor Course, which had been tried, tested, and proven for more than 30 years.
The unit received overall excellent ratings during the 1995, 1997, 2004, 2006, and 2008 Air Education and Training Command Quality Air Force Assessment and Operational Readiness Inspections. Additionally, the squadron received an outstanding rating in the instructor qualification and training category during the 1995 inspection and an outstanding rating for the Military Training Flight in the 2006 inspection.
The 97th Training Squadron earned three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards before its inactivation on Jan. 16, 1998.
The squadron was reactivated on Feb. 15, 2002, to concentrate on its current mission of student administration and quality assurance. The 97th Training Squadron provides quality assurance for the wing’s contracted aircrew training program, 34 syllabi, and 36 training devices worth $407 million, encompassed in 13 facilities worth $253 million. Additionally, the squadron is tasked with standardizing the efforts of 287 assigned instructors and 200 civilian contractors for up to 2,000 C-17, KC-135, and KC-46 students annually.
Since its reactivation, the squadron has won 10 additional Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards, the 2010 Air Education and Training Command Top Operations Squadron award, the Operations/Training Squadron award, and the 2015 Air Force International Military Student Office of the Year award.
(Updated as of February 2025)