CHEYENNE, Wyo. — For Lt. Col. Jeremy Burton, a pilot and Wing Safety Officer with the 153rd Airlift Wing, Wyoming Air National Guard, the opportunity to help lead the unit into its next chapter is both a professional milestone and a personal full-circle moment.
Burton, a current C-130H pilot with nearly three decades of service in the Wyoming Air National Guard, has been selected as one of the first Airmen from the wing to attend training for the C-130J Super Hercules. He will spend approximately four months training at Little Rock Air Force Base, where he will learn to operate the newer aircraft as part of the wing’s transition from the C-130H to the C-130J model.
“As a child I always knew I wanted to be a pilot,” Burton said. “My eyes have always turned to the heavens, wondering about and dreaming of flying.”
Burton enlisted in the Wyoming Air National Guard in June 1996 as a communication navigation systems technician, choosing a career field that would give him a deeper understanding of the aircraft he hoped one day to fly. After multiple deployments, including support of the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System mission, he was selected for pilot training in 2004.
Now, as the wing prepares to receive its first C-130J aircraft in early 2028, Burton’s selection marks the beginning of a broader transition effort designed to ensure continued mission readiness and operational relevance.
Burton said the aircraft’s long history and reputation are not lost on him as he prepares for the transition.
“The C-130 is still one of the most successful U.S. Air Force aircraft even after 75-plus years, it fits well with the can-do spirit of the Wyoming team,” Burton said. “When the world calls on the Yellow Tails, they know we will do the job well and they can count on us.”
The transition to the C-130J represents a significant step forward for the 153rd Airlift Wing, according to Col. Brian Diehl, commander of the 153rd Airlift Wing.
“The C-130H is an outstanding workhorse and highly capable aircraft that has served Wyoming and our great nation well for more than 30 years,” Diehl said. “The C-130J will ensure the Airmen of the 153rd Airlift Wing have a modern platform to remain relevant well into the middle of this century.”
A key consideration throughout the transition is maintaining the wing’s critical MAFFS mission, which supports local, national and interagency wildfire response efforts. To ensure continuity, the wing is implementing a phased approach that includes early qualification of C-130J MAFFS crews while retaining C-130H MAFFS capabilities during the transition period.
“The 153rd is sending a cadre crew to transition to the C-130J in 2026,” Diehl said. “This crew will qualify on C-130J MAFFS equipment with our sister ANG unit in California in 2027, ensuring that when the first C-130J lands in Cheyenne it will be MAFFS ready.”
The wing will also continue operating C-130H MAFFS crews beyond a typical conversion timeline, working alongside partner units to maintain full mission capability.
“The 153rd will retain C-130H MAFFS crews that will fly with our sister ANG unit in Nevada while we are divesting the C-130H in Cheyenne,” Diehl said. “These crews will ensure that our MAFFS team is able to maintain eight systems available anytime, any place.”
That effort is supported through close coordination with partner units and organizations, including the 146th Airlift Wing, the 152nd Airlift Wing and the National Guard Bureau, which provide aircraft access, training opportunities and resourcing support.
“MAFFS is a team much bigger than a single wing,” Diehl said. “To accomplish this, we are assisted by the National Guard Bureau with training slots and funding, the 146th Airlift Wing with C-130J MAFFS training and seasoning, and the 152nd Airlift Wing with C-130H aircraft, maintenance and aircrew support.”
For Burton, the transition is more than a new aircraft—it’s the continuation of a journey that began with a childhood dream of flight.
“As a kid, I dreamed about flying and where it could take me,” Burton said. “Now, after nearly 30 years in the Wyoming Air National Guard, I have the chance to help lead us into the next chapter.