Their aircraft fly above us daily, seemingly as common and ordinary as the very birds that soar among them. There is a natural tendency for us to take the flights of these Air Force planes for granted. All of this activity in the skies above Niagara County is second nature to us because we have always been, or so it would seem, home to the "air base". But, while these aircraft and all personnel on the ground represent an integral part of our national and global security, there is much more to the Niagara Falls Joint Air Reserve Station story and its relationship to Niagara County and Western New York.

This is a story of success. It's a story that continues to be written and developed every day. Fact: the Niagara Falls Joint Air Reserve Station is the number two employer in Niagara County, generating more than 3,000 military and civilian jobs. Fact: the Niagara Falls Joint Air Reserve Station generates fully 10% of Niagara County's overall net income. There is no need for this military facility to be a mystery. There is no need for it to remain a hidden treasure. There is no secret in the hard numbers that point up tremendous economic impact. And, there is nothing difficult to understand in the hard-working people behind those numbers as they strive every day to ensure that the Niagara Air Reserve Station functions at an award-wining level. A review of the history of these distinguished military units is a look back at the diplomatic crises, global conflicts and natural disasters that have shaped our world history. These events have challenged our nation, tested our national defense, and brought out the best in Niagara's servicemen and women.

The units of the Niagara Falls Joint Air Reserve Station have served with dedication while expertly performing their missions around the world. They have distinguished themselves and have made Niagara County proud to be home to this fine military installation.

The Niagara Falls Joint Air Reserve Station is located in Niagara County, New York, approximately six miles northeast of the City of Niagara Falls. It occupies almost 1,000 acres of land on the north side of Niagara Falls International Airport. The installation's host unit is the 914th Airlift Wing, a component of the Air Force Reserve. Several other units utilize the installation in a tenant capacity. By far the largest of these is the 107th Air Refueling Wing, a component of the New York Air National Guard. Although not officially within the Air Reserve Station, the 865th Combat Support Hospital, U.S. Army Reserve, is a key part of Western New York's picture of its armed forces. The 865th occupies approximately 100 acres on the southwest corner of the International Airport.