Designations
19540520-19560715 Joint United States Military Group, Air Administration (Spain)
19560715-20140829 Sixteenth Air Force
20190930-present Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber)
Lineage
Established as Joint United States Military Group, Air Administration (Spain) and activated May 20, 1954. Redesignated as Sixteenth Air Force, July 15, 1956. Inactivated Aug. 29, 2014. Redesignated Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), Sept. 30, 2019. Activated Oct. 11, 2019.
Stations
Madrid, Spain, May 20, 1954
Torrejon Air Base, Spain, Feb. 1, 1958
Aviano AB, Italy, Aug. 10, 1992
Ramstein AB, Germany, Sept. 30, 2005
Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland, Texas, Oct. 11, 2019
Assignments
Headquarters United States Air Force, May 20, 1954
Strategic Air Command, July 1, 1957
United States Air Forces in Europe, April 15, 1966
Air Combat Command, Oct. 11, 2019
Emblem (Shield)
Approval: Approved April 4, 1958; modified to delete the light blue color of the of the seme’ (sash), Sept. 3, 2003.
Motto: None.
Blazon: Azure, a bend of the like seme’ of mullets and fimbriated Argent, overall the numeral “16” Or, all within a diminished bordure Yellow. Attached below the shield, a White scroll edged with a narrow Yellow border and inscribed with the designation “SIXTEENTH AIR FORCE” in Ultramarine Blue letters.
Cable Numbers of Colors:
FULL CABLE PMS SUBDUED CABLE
Ultramarine Blue 67118 Reflex Blue Flag Blue 67124
Air Force Yellow 67103 116 Black 67138
White 67101 Olive Drab 67133
In accordance with the guidance contained in supply letter cmal 01-2, the borders and letters will be black and the background of scroll will be olive drab on the subdued version.
Significance: Ultramarine blue and Air Force yellow are the Air Force colors. Blue alludes to the sky, the primary theater of Air Force operations. Yellow refers to the sun and the excellence required of Air Force personnel. The bend bordered in white indicates the adherence to the unit mission. The stars signify the high quality of the rank-and-file within the organization. The large numerals “16” show pride of performance.