August 28, 2002, 12:12 EDT

Members of Virginia Air Guard to remain on active duty

SANDSTON, Va. - The Pentagon's decision to retain almost 15,000 members of the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard on active duty for an additional year hits close to home. Maj. Gen. Claude A. Williams, the adjutant general of Virginia, announced that approximately 75 airmen from the 192d Fighter Wing, Virginia Air National Guard, would remain on active duty for an additional year. The airmen were initially ordered to active duty for one year in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Col. Stephen Hicks, commander of the 192d Fighter Wing said they learned yesterday that the airmen, most of them security specialists, would remain on active duty for an additional year. Hicks did not comment on where the airmen would be stationed. He did indicate that the security specialist of his command had served throughout the United States and around the World during the past year. He said the airmen were responsible for providing security services at Air Force installations.