News

McChord's 627th Air Base Group realigns under center

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Zachary Wilson
  • U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center
JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. (AFNS) --  U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center officials assumed command of five Air Mobility Command organizations during a ceremony Jan 6 at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. 

The 627th Air Base Group from McChord Field, an active-duty unit, is included in this restructure.

The AMC restructuring allows 18th Air Force officials to focus almost exclusively on worldwide mobility flying operations and gives the expeditionary center added responsibility for focusing on evolving AMC mission sets. These include expeditionary combat support training and installation support missions unique to three joint bases within the command, as well as at two AMC bases where missions are evolving as a result of previous base realignment and closure decisions, officials said.

The ceremony, officiated by Lt. Gen. Robert Allardice, the 18th Air Force commander, marked the re-alignment by reading official organizational change orders, with the commanders and command chiefs of the affected units in attendance.

Making the transition from 18th Air Force are the 87th Air Base Wing here, the 628th ABW at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., the 627th Air Base Group at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., the 43rd Airlift Wing at Pope Air Force Base, N.C, and the 319th Air Refueling Wing at Grand Forks AFB, N.D.

Brig. Gen. Bill Bender, the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander, noted the realignment would go largely unnoticed by the majority of those Airmen impacted, adding the expeditionary center will gain 13 additional manpower authorizations as a result of the center's expanded responsibilities.

"As the commander of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, I am proud and honored the center is being given this unique opportunity to contribute to the growing mission of Air Mobility Command," he said. "We are serving in a special period of our nation and Air Force's history -- a time when we must be prepared to accomplish both today's assigned missions and those we may be assigned in the future, so I'm thrilled to welcome all of our new Airmen, civilians and family members into this organization."

Prior to the realignment, 18th Air Force was the largest numbered Air Force in the Air Force with 19 direct reporting units, more than 53,000 personnel, and a geographic area spanning the globe, officials said.

As Air Mobility Command's mission continues to expand and programmatic decisions already in place drive the demand for expeditionary combat support, building partnerships and base opening capabilities, the command's organization structure also continues to evolve," General Allardice said. "This realignment intends to better position AMC to successfully carry out its current mission and meet future challenges."

As demands continue to increase for expeditionary Airmen, General Bender said the demand for the center's expeditionary and mobility core training competencies is also growing.

"Here at the center, we continue to develop courses and increase our capacity to meet the growing demands of combatant commanders engaged in the conflicts we're facing today," General Bender said. "Training and readiness remains the (expeditionary center's) primary focus here at Joint Base (McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst)."

The U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center is the Air Force's center of excellence for mobility and expeditionary combat support training, including ground combat operations and contingency response training, among more than 72 in-residence courses offered at the center, officials said. Key to the realignment, according to AMC leaders, is that the center will continue to provide the same high quality training to Airmen and sister service students as in the past.