March 1963 (B-47A/B/E, KC-97) 305th Bombardment Wing, 2 January 1951 – 1 June 1959 (B-29, B-50, B-47B/E) 4750th Air Defense Wing, 25 June 1959 – 25 June 1960 17th Tow Target Squadron, 11 June 1959 – 15 June 1960 (B-57E) 12th Tactical Fighter Wing, 25 April 1962 – 8 November 1965 (F-4C) 15th Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 July 1962 – 1 October 1970 (F-4C/D) 836th Air Division, 1 July 1962 – 30 June 1971 1st Tactical Fighter Wing, 1 October 1970 – 30 June 1975 (F-4E) 56th Tactical Fighter Wing, 30 June 1975 – 4 January 1994 (F-4D/E, F-16A/B/C/D) 6th Air Mobility Wing, 4 January 1994–present (KC-135R, EC-135Y, CT-43A, C-37A) 927th Air Refueling Wing (Associate), 1 April 2008 – present (KC-135R) Role and operations The 6th Air Refueling Wing (6 ARW) at MacDill AFB operates 24 KC-135R Stratotankers providing day-to-day mission support to more than 3,000 personnel in its immediate command, along with more than 50 mission partners comprising over 12,000 additional personnel, to include the United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), United States Marine Forces Central Command (USMARCENT), and United States Special Operations Command Central (USSOCCENT). The 6 ARW also has a collocated Air Force Reserve "Associate" wing at MacDill, the 927th Air Refueling Wing (927 ARW) of the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC). The 6 ARW and the 927 ARW operate and share the same assigned KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft. The 6 AMW's 3,000-person force organized into four groups, in addition to the wing commander's immediate staff. Approximately 15,000 people work at MacDill Air Force Base, with a significant number of military personnel and their families living on base in military housing, while remaining service-members and military families live off base in the Tampa Bay area. MacDill AFB is a significant contributor to Tampa's economy and the city is very supportive of the military community. In 2001 and 2003, the Tampa Bay area was awarded the Abilene Trophy, which annually honors the most supportive Air Force city in Air Mobility Command. The base has a large visitor lodging facility known as the MacDill Inn, a DECA commissary, an AAFES base exchange, and numerous Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) activities such as the Surf's Edge all ranks club, a base swimming pool, movie theater, marina, the Raccoon Creek Family Camp for recreational vehicles, the SeaScapes Beach House and the Bay Palms Golf Course. In December