Lt. Col. Hillyer, Commander, 477th Fighter Group congratulates Staff Sgt. Joel Ainsworth on his enlistment in the Air Force Reserve. Staff Sgt. Ainsworth enlisted as Traditional Reservist to become the 477th FG's only Paralegal Assistant. Traditional Reservists are Citizen Airmen who serve one weekend a month, two weeks a year. Currently there are approximately 240 people assigned to the 477th Fighter Group. Recruiting efforts are on-going to achieve their goal to have 425 Citizen Airmen by 2012. The 477th Fighter Group is Air Force Reserve command's first F-22 Raptor unit and the first Reserve flying unit based in the Pacific theater of operations. The Group is a Classic Associate unit responsible for recruiting, training, developing and retaining Citizen Airmen to support Expeditionary Air Force mission requirements. (Air Force Photo/Maj. Cary McPartlin)

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Lt. Col. John Hillyer, Commander, 477th Fighter Group administers the Oath of Enlistment to new enlistees for the Air Force Reserve in front of the Air Force's premier fighter jet, the F-22 Raptor. The enlistees are from across the state of Alaska and will go to basic military training over the next year before becoming Traditional Reservists. Traditional Reservists are Citizen Airmen who serve one weekend a month, two weeks a year. Currently there are approximately 240 people assigned to the 477th FG. Recruiting efforts are on-going to achieve the group's goal to have 425 Citizen Airmen by 2012. Enlistees sworn in today will be trained to perform a variety of functions including paralegal, supply, chaplain's assistance, F-22 maintenance, and fuels. (Air Force Photo/Maj. Cary McPartlin)

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Lt. Col. John Hillyer, Commander, 477th Fighter Group, and Gonzalo Sanchez of Anchorage, Alaska, stand in front of the Air Force's premier fighter jet, the F-22 Raptor, to sign an enlistment contract signaling the beginning of Sanchez's commitment to the Air Force Reserve. After training, he will return to the 477th Fighter Group as a Low Observable Specialist working on the F-22. The 477th FG is Air Force Reserve command's first F-22 Raptor unit and the first Reserve flying unit based in the Pacific theater of operations. The group is a Classic Associate unit responsible for recruiting, training, developing and retaining Citizen Airmen to support Expeditionary Air Force mission requirements. (Air Force Photo/Maj. Cary McPartlin)

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The Elmendorf Air Force Base Honor Guard presents the colors at the Air Force Reserve enlistment ceremony held in front of the Air Force's premier fighter jet, the F-22 Raptor. The enlistees are from across the state of Alaska and will go to basic military training over the next year. The ceremony was the culmination of a very successful recruiting year for the 477th Fighter Group, the Air Force Reserve Command's first F-22 Raptor unit and the first Reserve flying unit based in the Pacific theater of operations. The Group is a Classic Associate unit responsible for recruiting, training, developing and retaining Citizen Airmen to support Expeditionary Air Force mission requirements. (Air Force Photo/Maj. Cary McPartlin)

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477th Fighter Group Enlists Most Airmen Ever in Unit History

Published Oct. 13, 2009
By Maj. Lisa reaver
477th Fighter Group

ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- Air Force Reserve Command's 477th Fighter Group hosted the largest enlistment ceremony in the unit's history today. Lt. Col. John Hillyer, Commander, 477th Fighter Group, Elmendorf Air Force Base administered the official Oath of Enlistment to seven new recruits in front of the Air Force's newest fighter, the F-22 Raptor.

The recruits are from across the state of Alaska and will go to basic training over the next year. Upon completing training they will return to Elmendorf Air Force Base as Traditional Reservists in the 477th FG. Traditional Reservists are Citizen-Airmen who serve one weekend a month and two weeks a year. They will work with the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor to exercise, train and fight with their active-duty counterparts.

"There's a lot of opportunity with the Air Force Reserve in Alaska. There are jobs in virtually every career field available for qualified applicants," said Tech. Sgt. Craig Dunbar, an Air Force Reserve Command recruiter.

The recruits sworn in to the Reserve today will be trained to perform a variety of functions including paralegal, supply, chaplain's assistance, F-22 maintenance, and fuels.

"This event is evidence of Alaskan's willingness to commit to their country," said Tech. Sgt. Dunbar, who recruited one of the enlistees that took the oath at the ceremony.

The ceremony was the culmination of a very successful recruiting year for the emerging unit. From October 2008 to September 2009, the 477th Fighter Group hired 83 Reservists. The recruiters for the group surpassed their overall Air Force Reserve Command's recruiting goal for the year, having filled 167% of their goal of 50.

Currently there are 238 people assigned to the unit. Recruiting efforts will continue to ramp up until fully manned in 2012, when the 477th FG will provide a combat ready force of approximately 425 Airmen.