In 1955, after years of lobbying, planning and praying by local officials, the Little Rock Air Force Base became operational, the opening stanza of a slice of Arkansas history that continues to play out over the skies of the Natural State.
According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, the base has been home to a variety of Air Force groups over the past seven decades, including the 43rd Bomb Wing, equipped with B-58 aircraft; the 70th Air Refueling Squadron, equipped with KC-97 tankers; and the 314th Tactical Airlift Wing. That changing residency meant command has also shifted periodically, including Tactical Airlift Command, Military Airlift Command, Air Mobility Command and Air Combat Command.
Today, the 19th Airlift Wing serves as the designated host unit, which gives it overall command of the base with all other units being designated tenant units. In April 1997, the 314th Airlift Wing transferred to the Air Education and Training Command with a focus on training all C-130 aircraft crew members from all branches of the U.S. Armed Services, the U.S. Coast Guard and students from dozens of allied nations.
The wing consists of a maintenance group, medical group, mission support group and operations group. Also stationed at the base are the 189th Airlift Wing of the Arkansas Air National Guard and the 913th Airlift Group of the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
C-130 tactical military transport aircraft are the resident superstar attractions at LRAFB. Nicknamed “Hercules” — “Herk” for short, thus LRAFB’s moniker “Home of Herk Nation” — the hulking planes are a marvel of power, capacity and maneuverability. Nimble beyond its profile, the aircraft’s versatile design allows it to serve in troop and medevac missions as ably as it does cargo transport, making it the main tactical airlifter for many military forces worldwide.
The base trains pilots and other flight personnel on the C-130J, an iteration of the plane that climbs faster and higher, flies farther at a higher cruise speed, and takes off and lands in a shorter distance than earlier models. The first active-duty C-130J aircraft arrived at LRAFB in March 2004, the Encyclopedia of Arkansas states.
Most Arkansas residents of any tenure have at least heard of the 6,412-acre base, and most people in central Arkansas have grown accustomed to the sight of C-130s in the sky during training, ceremonial and mission-specific flights. Yet for all that, a relatively small slice of the state’s civilian population understands all that goes on at the base, a self-contained community within the city of Jacksonville. Nor do most fully appreciate the number and scope of critical jobs of the men and women who serve there daily, helping to support the United States’ various military and emergency operations both around the world and here at home.
For example, the base’s economic impact statement for fiscal year 2025 noted an economic impact of $1.43 billion, including the employment of nearly 7,000 military personnel and about 1,200 civilians. The base’s strategic importance is also legendary; as world conditions have changed over the years, the mission of the LRAFB has consistently changed with it. At no time in its history has the base operated at reduced capacity, underscoring its role as the preeminent facility of its kind in the U.S Armed Forces arsenal and the world.
Earlier this year, Arkansas Money & Politics was invited by LRAFB command to gain an all-access look at the base and tell its story. Access of this type is largely unprecedented, and AMP was singularly honored to accept the invitation. We could think of no better way to mark the occasion of America’s 250th birthday than by highlighting the nation’s best and bravest in our midst.
What follows is a small slice of what we saw, heard and experienced while interacting with the outstanding patriots, past and present, who have called Herk Nation home, leaving family and friends behind to serve the interests of the United States of America on a moment’s notice.
All of us at Arkansas Money & Politics are humbled by what we were afforded in this project, and we especially thank Col. Bret Echard, commander 19th Airlift Wing, for his hospitality and indulgence during this process. We also wish to thank the exemplary support of the 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs team for their assistance in producing this very special section.
Finally, we salute the base personnel who sat for interviews and shared their stories with us, stories of service and love of country that we are immeasurably proud to pass along to our readers. May they help bring wider understanding and appreciation for the price freedom demands to a citizenry who gratefully enjoys the fruits of liberty so dearly bought.
May God bless the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and the great nation that inspires them to such selfless service.
• Col. Bret Echard Continues Long Line at Home of Herk Nation
• USAF SNAPSHOT: Col. Amanda Sheets
• USAF SNAPSHOT: Col. Joseph “Jay” Geaney
• Match Made in Military Heaven: Jacksonville, LRAFB
• USAF SNAPSHOT: Col. Marty Smith
• USAF SNAPSHOT: Col. Terence Green
• Chief Master Sgt. Josh Behrendt, Little Rock Air Force Base
• Senior Airman Wyatt Holmen, Little Rock Air Force Base
• Amenities, Attention to Detail Turn LRAFB Into a ‘City Within a City’
• Volunteerism Keeps Retirees Active in Base Community
• Capt. Julia Joo, Little Rock Air Force Base
• Margarita Overton, Little Rock Air Force Base
• U.S. Air Force Honor Guard Embraces the Small Details
• LRAFB’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit is an Elite Job with Elite Demands
• Lt. Col. Quang Tran, Little Rock Air Force Base
