Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is the third-largest employer in the region. Davis-Monthan became a military base in 1925 and is a key Air Combat Command installation. The 355th Wing is the host unit at the base and provides medical, logistical, and operational support to all the units. The associate units are represented by almost all major air commands, the Air Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard.
The wing's missions are to train A-10 and OA-10 pilots and to provide A-10 and OA-10 close support and forward air control to ground forces worldwide. The wing is also charged with providing command, control, and communications countermeasures in support of tactical forces with its EC-130H aircraft and, employing the EC-130E aircraft, providing airborne command, control, and communications capabilities for managing tactical air operations in war and other contingencies worldwide.
The AFB has a significant impact on the local Tucson economy. In Fiscal Year 2010, Davis-Monthan AFB circulated approximately $1.0 billion ($1.5 billion including retiree data) into the local community, employed 2,474 civilians, and created approximately 4,150 jobs in the Old Pueblo. (Source: Davis-Monthan 2011 Economic Impact Analysis).
Fort Huachuca is the home of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and the U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM)/9th Army Signal Command. Located in Cochise County, in southeast Arizona, about 15 miles north of the border with Mexico, Fort Huachuca was annexed in 1971 by the city of Sierra Vista and was declared a national landmark in 1976.
Fort Huachuca is also the headquarters of Army Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) and the Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) and the Electronic Proving Ground (EPG).
Libby Army Airfield is located on post and shares the runway with Sierra Vista Municipal Airport; it is on the list of alternate landing locations for the space shuttle, though it has never been used as such.
162nd Fighter Wing, Air National Guard is the largest ANG fighter wing in the country and sits on 92 acres next to the Tucson International Airport. It shares use of the runway, security and fire control with the airport. The wing has three flying squadrons consisting of more than 70 F-16 aircraft. The wing also employs approximately 1,100 full-time members, and 600 drill status Guardsmen who report for duty one weekend per month and an additional two weeks per year.
The 162nd FW has been training pilots since 1969. Previously, the unit was a fighter interceptor unit responsible for the defense of the airspace in the southwestern United States under the former Air Defense Command. The unit has resumed this mission after Sept. 11, 2001 under the North American Air Defense Command and Northern Command.
US Border Patrol
The International border area of Arizona was originally patrolled by mounted guards from 1904 until July 1, 1924. On July 1, 1924, Walter F. Miller, the first Chief Patrol Inspector of the sector, organized what was then called the Nogales Sector. The sector was made up of 9 former mounted guards and 26 officers who were selected from a Civil Service Register for railway postal clerks. Equipment for the sector consisted of three government owned vehicles, several rental vehicles, and sufficient horses to provide transportation for the remaining officers. The officers were distributed among 11 stations as follows: Nogales 13; Naco 4; Douglas 4; Patagonia 2; Sasabe 2; Tucson 2; Ajo 2; Amado 2; Hereford 2; Parker Canyon 2; and Tubac 2.
On July 1, 1926, the sector headquarters was moved to Tucson, Arizona and the name was changed to Tucson Sector. At this same time, the manpower at Tucson station increased from two patrol inspectors to four and a new station with two patrol inspectors was opened in Casa Grande, Arizona.
Today, Tucson Sector is the busiest sector in the country in both illegal alien apprehensions and marijuana seizures on the Southwest Border covering 262 miles of linear border from the Yuma county line to the Arizona/New Mexico state line. It is made up of eight stations that are broken down into three corridors. These eight stations are located in Ajo, Casa Grande, Tucson, Nogales, Wilcox, Sonoita, Naco, and Douglas. Tucson Sector currently has just over 2,900 agents working the eight stations in Tucson Sector.
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