The Honorable Tilman J. Fertitta, U.S. Ambassador to Italy and San Marino, and Col. Beau Diers, 31st Fighter Wing commander, shake hands on the tarmac at Aviano Air Base, Italy, October 22, 2025. The 31st Fighter Wing is home to two F-16 fighter squadrons, two rescue squadrons, and an air control
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing takes off to participate in Exercise Poggio Dart at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Dec. 1, 2025. PODA25 provided a crucial opportunity to implement the Agile Combat Employment concept, a priority for Allied Air Command, demonstrated
U.S. Air Force Maj. Andre “Guns” Golson, a 31st Operations Support Squadron F-16 fighter pilot at Aviano Air Base, Italy, doesn’t just fly the jet, he elevates the fight. His innovation and leadership as the wing chief of weapons and tactics earned him the Lt. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault Award, which
The Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa Warfare Center brought together participants from the U.S. Army, Air Force, and—for the first time—the Marine Corps, to execute SPARTAN SHIELD 25-2, a virtual exercise centered on a simulated ground-to-air attack scenario emphasizing the joint kill chain.
As Fiscal Year 2025 concluded, the 31st Comptroller and Contracting Squadrons worked diligently to ensure the 31st Fighter Wing had the resources it needed to carry out its mission and “Return With Honor.”The end-of-year closeout, which takes place annually on September 30, marks a critical period
From left, U.S. Air Force Col. Beau Diers, 31st Fighter Wing commander, U.S. Air Force Airman Basic Trinity Custenborder, 31st Logistics Readiness Squadron inbound specialist, and Chief Master Sgt. Tiffany Griego, 31st FW command chief, pose for a photo during the Air Force birthday celebration at
U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) commander and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Holland, USEUCOM command senior enlisted leader, met with Airmen, Guardians and Allies at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Nov.
On Oct. 9, 1955, the arrival of the 420th Air Refueling Squadron, Fighter-Bomber, at Royal Air Force Sculthorpe marked a turning point in U.S. Air Forces in Europe history. For the first time, USAFE possessed its own organic air refueling capability, one that extended the reach of fighter and bomber
U.S. B-52H Stratofortress bomber aircraft departed Spain, Nov. 24, returning to Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and concluding Bomber Task Force Europe 26-1, a two-week deployment exercising the U.S. Air Force’s ability to project power globally. During the deployment, the B-52 aircrews