USAF EC prepares to stand up new squadron

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Zachary Wilson
  • U. S. Air Force Expeditionary Center
JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The U. S. Air Force Expeditionary Center will add a new capability to an already wide and diverse mission set after the scheduled stand-up of a new squadron at 10 a.m. at the Grace Peterson Hall March 26.

The new unit, the 422nd Joint Tactics Squadron, will be created from the center's former Expeditionary Combat Support Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures Division. The squadron will fall under the Expeditionary Center's Expeditionary Operations School with its sister squadron, the 421st Combat Training Squadron, according to Col. Mark Ellis, Expeditionary Operations School commandant.

"The mission of the 422nd JTS is three fold," said Lt. Col. Ralph Muli, the chief of the current TTP division "First the JTS will apply emerging tactics resulting from ground combat lessons learned in the deployed environment. Second, the JTS will train Intelligence Airmen to accomplish their daily duties in a Mobility Air Forces squadron or in support of a Force Protection role. Third, the JTS will educate senior Air Force Leaders on their roles and responsibilities in the combat environment, as key members of the COMAFFOR's (Commander Air Force Forces) Senior Staff, or as Expeditionary Mission Support Group Commanders.

Brig. Gen. Rick Devereaux, Commander of the USAF Expeditionary Center, noted the 422nd JTS will play a key role for the Air Force's Expeditionary Combat Support (ECS) community. "We think of the 422nd JTS as the 'Google' or information exchange point for ECS, ensuring that lessons learned are translated into updated TTPs for deploying combat support forces."

The requirement to convert the TTP Division into the 422nd JTS came from lessons learned in the AOR and was further outlined when Gen. Norton Schwartz signed the Expeditionary Center charter last year, according to Expeditionary Center officials.

"When the CSAF signed the EC Charter, we were tasked to gather, re-fine, disseminate, and be the repository for Expeditionary Skills Lessons Learned and Tactics, Techniques and Procedures," Colonel Muli said. "There is a known and stated gap in Air Force tactics, techniques and procedures for Airmen executing a combat support mission. While some AF functional areas have their own process for developing TTPs, there was no single focal point for gathering and disseminating current and tactically relevant information to all ECS Airmen."

Colonel Muli added that the levels of cooperation and partnership both within the Air Force as well as within Air Mobility Command and sister services have been instrumental in the creation of the new squadron.

"I am proud to have been able to help establish this capability for the Air Force. It has taken a lot of hard work from many people here at the EC, as well as AMC and the Air Staff to get the JTS off the ground," he said. "The work is just beginning for the JTS and I can't wait to see where it goes from here"