Green Flag unit returns to operational status

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Christopher Sullivan
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Based here as a tenant unit from Air Combat Command, the 548th Combat Training Squadron held a ceremony Oct 25 to commemorate the unit's change to operational status and transition to a facility formerly owned by the 47th Fighter Squadron.

The ceremony was held at 5:48 p.m. and was centered on the symbolic transference of the A-10 Warthog mission of the 47th FS to the joint combat training mission of the 548th CTS. This is not the first time the 548th CTS, which provides realistic combat training in a multi-service setting, has seen its history intertwined with that of the 47th FS.

"The 47th [Fighter Squadron's] aircraft are credited as having the first two official kills of World War II, and the 548th Night Fighter Squadron is credited with having the last official kill of the war," said Lt. Col. Brett A. Waring, Det 1, 548th CTS commander. "We're proud to once again carry the torch lit by the 47th."

It can be said that flexibility is the key to air power, and this elite unit understands that concept all too well. The 548th NFS was re-designated as the 548th Special Operations Training Squadron in 1969 and the 548th CTS in 1994. They have now faced a new status change that comes, not with a new name and mission, but a change in location.

Since their re-designation in 1994, 548th CTS has called Hangar 13 their home. However, they lost operational status in order to move from historic Hangar 13 to the iconic facility of the 47th FS Termites.

"The 2nd Logistics Readiness Squadron needed a location closer to the flightline; We had a large hangar, in prime real estate," said Waring. "It was luck of the draw, timing more than anything. The 47th was closing down, and this facility became available."

A change from operational to non-operational status could be considered a negative transition to some, but to the men and women of the 548th CTS, this move has only yielded positive results.

"There is a lot more space," said Staff Sgt. Daniel Ramseur, 548th CTS munitions liaison. "There is a larger vault for our intel guys and more workspace in general. I know it helps everyone accomplish the mission."

The new facility enhances the squadron's overall capability to provide tough, realistic joint training in a contested environment. The Quesada room, a mass briefing roomed named after Lt. Gen. Elwood R. Quesada, the "father" of close air support, holds twice the number of the unit's previous briefing room.

The larger vault and workspace allow for six state-of-the-art briefing rooms, an 18-seat war room, an integrated combat system training pod shop, realistic intelligence representative workstations, hangar space for multiple aircraft, and many more improvements to include the "wheelhouse" - a common area designed to bring operators, maintainers and mission support personnel together and improve unit cohesion.

"We are able to provide units a much more robust training environment than before," said Waring. "It will look, smell, sound, and feel exactly as it would downrange."

Working closely with the U.S. Army Joint Readiness Training Center, the 548th CTS has provided controlled multi-service air support, forward air control aircraft and tactical air control assets in realistic combat exercises for almost 20 years. Although they will be providing limited capability for a short time, 548th CTS personnel have accomplished much in a short window and expect to be fully capable of supporting full mission requirements by next year.

"Everybody rolled up their sleeves and went out," said Waring. "It was nothing short of impressive...what these guys did and continue to do every day."