AMC stands up first contingency response wing

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashley DiFalco
  • 305th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. (AFNS) --  Air Mobility Command stood up the Air Force’s first contingency response wing here March 1.

The wing, which replaced the 621st Air Mobility Operations Group, expands the group's current mission and embeds all necessary capabilities, such as security forces, finance, intelligence and civil engineering.

Now, instead of reaching out to various units across the Air Force for each function, the capabilities will be embedded in contingency response groups within the wing. The best part about the change will be that everyone in each group will be able to train together and focus on working together as a team, said Brig. Gen. Bobby J. Wilkes, 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force commander.

“The synergy of having trained specialists who know each other (before) deploying is key,” he said. "Our Airmen will be trained to 'open the base' and will know where everything fits. They will be focused on their region (before) deploying.”

The general said the need for change started with Operation Enduring Freedom. "The campaign in Afghanistan required a major airlift effort (because of) the country’s location. We learned many lessons on opening airfields. So, the chief of staff decided the Air Force needed to pay more attention to this part of the mission," he said.

The unit’s mission is just that -- open the air base.

“As soon as the base is seized, we insert our capabilities,” General Wilkes said. “The CRG has many capabilities to apply to opening an airfield, such as security forces, airfield assessment, medical support, command and control, aerial port and maintenance functions. CRGs are designed to pave the way for follow-on air (and space) expeditionary forces responsible for generating and sustaining the base’s mission. That’s when we hand it over to the AEF commander and move the (group) to the next location,” he said.

The command’s first CRG entered formal training at the Air Mobility Warfare Center at nearby Fort Dix in February. The four-week course focuses on team building and includes close-battle tactics and convoy operations, officials said. The course culminates with participation in a capstone exercise, such as Eagle Flag.

“We are looking at this change as a mission evolution,” said Lt. Col. Patrick Owens, 821st Air Mobility Squadron commander. “We are taking a significant capability and building upon it. With expanded capability and more structured training, we are better prepared to accomplish our mission with precision and speed.”

The Air Force and joint community will certainly see a more capable "open-the-base” force as a result of the new wing, officials said. (Courtesy of AMC News Service)