45th Airlift Squadron deactivates July 14 Published April 14, 2011 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- The 45th Airlift Squadron, a tenant unit at Keesler, will deactivate July 14. The 45th AS is a geographically separated unit assigned to the 314th Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., which is owned by 19th Air Force. "We continue to teach new C-21 pilot instructors until June 24, when our last students graduate," said Lt. Col. Scott Nishwitz, 45th AS commander. "We have three aircraft that will be flown to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., shortly after the last instructor class graduates. "I've already sent three of my 12 instructor pilots to assist with the school-house stand-up at Scott AFB, Ill.," he continued. "I still have two instructors slated to head to Scott later this summer." The rest of the squadron's active-duty personnel will make permanent changes of station to other assignments throughout the Air Force after the unit is deactivated. "Our maintenance contract with DynCorp will be cancelled after the aircraft have been decommissioned," the colonel added.