Home of the 81st Training Wing, the 2nd Air Force, the 403rd Wing (AF Reserve), and the single largest employer on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Keesler AFB is a lead Joint Training Installation training Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and civilian federal agencies.
Lexington, KY (June 2023) – U.S. Patriot, a GALLS® company, and one of the largest military suppliers of uniforms, boots, and gear, hits the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Keesler Air Force Base on June 25, 2023. The U.S. Patriot team sets up outside the base’s exchange and offers food, drinks, promos, giveaways, and a chance to win the 2023 Jeep® Wrangler Willys 4×4. On Sunday, June 25, the USP team will set up the event at the base exchange located at 506 Larcher Blvd. Bldg. 2306. The event is open to all former and current military members and their families.
“The purpose of this tour is to meet our customers face-to-face, get to know our troops, and bring their voice directly into how we serve them better for their tactical gear needs.,” Mike Fadden, CEO of U.S. Patriot, said. “There is no better way to honor the bravery and sacrifice of the men and women who serve our country than to meet them in person, celebrate their stories and create a fun and memorable event they can enjoy with their families.”
The tour will be interactive, and the military service members will be encouraged to leave their unit’s memorabilia on the Jeep, making it one-of-its-kind by the end of the tour. At the conclusion of the tour, the Jeep will be given away through a sweepstake random drawing to one lucky winner. All active-duty military members, national guard members, reservists, military retirees, military veterans, and dependents of active-duty military members are eligible to enter the sweepstakes. No purchase is necessary.
Follow the U.S. Patriot Bravery Tour on its Facebook and Instagram.
For more information on U.S. Patriot Bravery Tour, visit www.uspatriot.com.
About U.S. Patriot:
For over 20 years, U.S. Patriot Tactical has been dedicated to serving American heroes at home and abroad. As the Nation’s largest military supplier, and now as part of the larger GALLS® family, we are committed to delivering the highest quality Apparel, Gear, and Footwear so you can focus on your mission. Whether you are a service member abroad, keeping us safe at home, or preparing to tackle life’s next adventure, the U.S. Patriot Team is prepared to deliver the service you deserve. With over 70 locations and lightning-fast international shipping through our online store, getting everything, you need to ensure mission success has never been easier.
About Keesler Air Force Base:
On June 12, 1941, the US War Department activated Army Air Corps Station No. 8, Aviation Mechanics School in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Army Air Corps Station No. 8 was named after 2nd Lt. Samuel Reeves Keesler, Jr. of Greenwood, Mississippi. Lt. Keesler died from wounds sustained during WWI while serving as an ariel observer assigned to the 24h Aero Squadron, US Army Air Service, in France. Keesler Army Airfield initially housed a technical training center and a basic training center during WWII. By mid-1942 Keesler focused on the training of mechanics for the B-24 Liberator heavy bombers. Keesler replaced military instructors with civilians, including many women.
By 1943, more than 7,000 African American Airmen were stationed at Keesler Field, including the Tuskegee Airmen. Many of the soldiers were trained in a variety of positions, including pre-aviation cadets, radio operators, aviation technicians, bombardiers, and aviation mechanics.
After WWII, the AAF moved the Radar School from Boca Raton, Florida, to Keesler, making Keesler the home of the two largest military technical schools in the US. Keesler Air Field was redesignated as an Air Force base in Jan. 1948 when the US Air Force became an independent branch of the armed forces.
In the late 1950s, Keesler opened a ground support training program for the SM-65 Atlas intercontinental ballistic missile. By the end of the decade, Keesler was responsible for all control tower operators, radio maintenance, and general radio operator courses under their technical training umbrella.
Courtesy Photo of 81st Medical Group Airmen participating in readiness exercise. (Courtesy photo)
During the sixties and seventies, Keesler lost many of its airborne training courses and the aircraft, but remained the largest electronics technology training school, becoming the biggest supplier of electronic technicians. In the later 20th century, Keesler became known for its airborne warning and control system and the BGM-109 ground-launched cruise missile. The Keesler air traffic control program also gained national attention when in August 1981, members of the Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization walked off the job. President Reagan fired the strikers and military air traffic controllers from Keesler stepped in to keep the airways running smoothly.
In 1994, aircraft and flight training returned to Keesler with the support of the C-12C/F Huron, and the C-21 A Learjet. The 445th Airlift Squadron was assigned to the 81st Training Group. At the turn of the 21st century, Keesler AFB and the 81TRW had become one of the largest technical training wings in the USAF, and in Air Education and Training Command (AETC).
