While the 137th was released from active duty on 15 May 1991, the majority of unit members chose to remain in active status until 1 August 1991 in response to the Military Airlift Command's need for continuing airlift support of Operation Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort (Kurdish relief).
Several KC-135R tankers deployed to Southwest Asia to support Operation Southern Watch, January–March 1996 and to Turkey for Operation Provide Comfort, April–June 1996.
In addition, it controlled the Operation Provide Comfort airlift missions to the Kurds following the Persian Gulf War, the Operation Provide Hope airlift in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union, and participated in Operation Restore Hope, the humanitarian airlift of food and supplies into Somalia.
1992-1993 saw many humanitarian operations supported by the 60th AMW, including Operation Provide Comfort in Iraq, Operation Provide Hope in the former Soviet Union, Operation Provide Promise in Bosnia, and Operation Provide Relief and Operation Restore Hope in Somalia.
While Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm were run by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), Operation Provide Comfort came under the authority of the U.S. European Command (EUCOM), headquartered in Vaihingen, Germany.
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On-ground humanitarian aid was provided by the 353rd Civil Affairs Command, Bronx, New York, and by subordinate units 432nd Civil Affairs Battalion, Green Bay, Wisconsin, and 431st Civil Affairs BN, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Operation Overlord | Operation Enduring Freedom | Operation Barbarossa | Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe | Operation Market Garden | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development | Operation Torch | Louis Comfort Tiffany | Operation Vistula | operation | Operation Provide Comfort | Operation Anaconda | Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters | Operation Weserübung | Operation Shingle | Operation Ivy | Operation Highjump | Operation Blue Star | Operation Anthropoid | Southern Comfort | Operation Paperclip | Operation Downfall | Operation Deny Flight | Operation Thunderbolt | Operation Southern Watch | Operation Michael | Operation Entebbe | Operation Condor | Operation Yoav | Operation Varsity |
Inactivated at George AFB after the war, and reactivated at Nellis Air Force Base on 1 February 1993, the 561st soon deployed to Incirlik Air Base in support of Operation Provide Comfort and returned to Southwest Asia at Dhahran Air Force Base in Saudi Arabia, supporting Operation Southern Watch and Operation Vigilant Warrior.
He has served in two multinational military deployments: as chief of the Civilian Observer Unit of the Multinational Force and Observers in Egypt's Sinai Desert, and as political advisor to the U.S. and Turkish commanding generals of Operation Provide Comfort, based in Turkey and operating in Iraq.
During this deployment, the Tophatters also participated in several highly successful exercises with Egypt, Morocco and Turkey, while continuing to support operations off the coast of the former Yugoslavia and Operation Provide Comfort in Iraq.
From October 1992 to April 1993, the Bulls deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and were key participants in Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq and Operation Provide Promise in the airspace near the former Yugoslavia.