Cable Dawgs keeps Airmen talking

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Mozer O. Da Cunha
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. - --  Airmen from the 2nd Communications Squadron cable and antenna systems flight work daily to install and maintain Barksdale's communications highway.

By installing and maintaining fiber optics, copper and coaxial lines, cable and antennae systems specialists, also known as cable dawgs, ensure Airmen can communicate with each other in order to accomplish the mission.

"Basically we lay down the foundation for everyone to communicate," said Airman 1st Class John Murphy, 2nd CS cable and antenna systems maintainer. "Our main function is to keep everyone together and talking."

With communication being critical to Barksdale's nuclear deterrence mission, 2nd CS Airmen are constantly upgrading and maintaining the base's systems.

"We maintain all the copper and fiber optics systems on base, which consists of 90 thousand pair miles of cable," said Tech. Sgt.  Joshua Bedard 2nd CS NCO in-charge of cable and antennae systems. "Additionally, we are responsible for 35 antennae systems supporting air operations and global positioning system functions." 

The cable dawgs also continually install lines increasing Barksdale's communication capabilities.

"We are considered maintenance, but I have yet to be on a base where we only do maintenance," Bedard said. "We do major installs here also, we wired Air Force Global Strike Command headquarters from the ground up."

By managing communications capability, 2nd CS Airmen contribute to the mission by providing aircraft with the capability to accomplish the mission quickly and efficiently.

"We lay down the cables, if the cables are messed up, you won't have your computer, you won't have your phone, no means to communicate," Murphy said. "Without us, it would be quite a difficult task communicating to get the mission done in a timely fashion." "Our main thing is to keep everyone together, everyone talking."

Coupled with keeping Barksdale talking, comes the sense of pride associated with knowing they directly impact the mission.

"We are proud of what we do. We are cable dawgs and we are always in competition with each other," Bedard said. "That helps build the bond that gives us the determination and the motivation to do well and compete against others."

Whether it is our cable systems or our antennae systems, 2nd CS Airmen are constantly working to make sure Barksdale's communication needs are met.