Reserve officer to takes over Predator unit

Jace Radke

Friday, Dec. 17, 2004 | 9:48 a.m.

An Air Force reservist was scheduled today to be named commander of Nellis Air Force Base's Predator training squadron as the Air Force's plans to better utilize the National Guard and Reserve.

Lt. Col. John Breeden was the first reservist to graduate from flight training on the remote-piloted Predator aircraft in 2002. He becomes the first reservist to become a commanding officer of a permanent active-duty Air Force unit as he takes charge of the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron.

Breeden's promotion is scheduled to be followed by the activation of a fourth Predator unit at Nellis sometime next year. That unit will feature active-duty airmen as well as guard and reserve troops.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Wood, Air Force deputy chief of staff for plans and programs and former commander of the Air Warfare Center at Nellis, said the integration plan, known as future force, is a great deal for the Air Force and the country.

"The Guardsmen and the Reserves that we have at all levels are the cream and we want to bring them aboard so that they can work with our young airmen," Wood said earlier this month as he unveiled the future force plan.

In 2001 Breeden left the active-duty Air Force and joined the Reserves. He has since worked with the Predator program during the testing that allowed for the aircraft to be equipped with hellfire missiles.

In 2003 he was deployed to Iraq where he flew combat missions and served as operations director for the 46th Reconnaissance Squadron. Most recently Breeden was placed in command of 21 reservists attached to several Nellis squadrons including the base's three Predator squadrons and the Thunderbirds.

Along with the new integrated Predator unit to be based at the Indian Springs Auxiliary Airfield, about 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas, the future force initiative calls for two similar Predator units to be stationed at bases at yet to be determined locations in Texas and Arizona.

Maj. Gen. Giles Vanderhoof, commander of the Nevada National Guard, said he expects to begin assigning soldiers for the new integrated Predator unit at Nellis early next year. He expects to eventually have 200 to 300 guardsmen working with Predators at Nellis and Indian Springs.

Nellis' three existing Predator squadrons have been among the busiest units in the Air Force during the past two years. Pilots with Nellis' 15th and 17th Reconnaissance Squadrons are constantly remotely flying surveillance and attack missions over Afghanistan and Iraq, while the 11th continues to train Predator pilots.