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34th Combat Communications Squadron [34th CBCS]

[Note: Combat Communications Squadrons [CBCS] are sometimes incorrectly referred to using the acronym CCS]

The 34th Combat Communications Squadron is the newest of the 3rd CCG's five mission squadrons, having officially activated on 8 Oct 93. Our equipment and personnel was obtained from other 3rd CCG mission squadrons and the deactivated 2nd Combat Communications Group at Patrick AFB, Florida. During its first year of activation, the 34th's focus and #1 priority was stand up and training of personnel for combat readiness. Since activation, the squadron has filled over 1,300 individual personnel and/or equipment taskings supporting worldwide contingencies and exercises.

In its first-ever Operational Readiness Inspection, the 34th led the 3rd CCG to an overall "Excellent" rating. The squadron produced 19 superior performers and 8 superior performance teams. In addition, it provided the 3rd CCG's competition team captain and overall coordinator for the trophy winning Combat Challenge 1996. Combat Challenge is the USAF's premier tactical communications competition involving units from all over the world.

In December 1995, the 34th deployed over 40 personnel and $10 million in air support communications equipment to Bosnia to spearhead United Nations peace keeping operations. Services provided by the 34th directly supported a task force with five short-tons of communications equipment, setting up a bare base suite of communications infrastructure for comprehensive command, control, and communications operations. The 34th continued to improve its combat readiness by participating, the following year, in six major local training deployments, to include two major evaluated exercises. Here the squadron excelled achieving four consecutive "Outstanding" ratings in circuit activation-a first in the history of the 3rd CCG proving its ability to meet its wartime mission based on ORI criteria.

In keeping with the squadron motto, "Muscle of the Herd!", the 34th was the lead squadron for augmenting the Wing Initial Communications Package (WICP) when personnel from the 552nd Air Control Wing deployed as part of Exercise CROWN ROYAL 1995. The squadron provided line-of-sight microwave connectivity and voice capabilities. This was the first time the 3rd CCG had incorporated a WICP into its local training which now is standard practice. During the same time period, the 34th deployed a team of 26 personnel to South America in support of Nation-Building operatiaons in neighboring countries. While there, personnel from the 34th continued to provide complete communications services ensuring the success of NEW HORIZONS 1996.

Finally, the 34th is at the forefront of testing the next generation of tactical communications equipment. As the lead squadron in this effort, it has been heavily involved in the operational testing and evaluation. In August 1995, the 34th deployed several personnel, along with other members from the group, to the Joint Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (JWID) 95 at Hanscom AFB, Mass., where it set up, operated and maintained a complete suite of communications equipment for several weeks.

In April 1995, the 34th CBCS was tasked to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency in extricating victims from the bombed Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The squadron provided manpower and life support equipment for around-the-clock recovery efforts.

The mission of the 34th is to provide a team of professionals organized, trained, and equipped to support Air Force combat forces deployed in war or contingency operations; to use communications resources to provide temporary restoral of damaged, destroyed, or incapacitated fixed resources at other locations during both wartime and peacetime. It is organized to support Department of Defense requirements as well as certain tactical communications projects as identified by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The 34th CBCS is a combat-ready squadron organized, trained and equipped to deploy, operate and maintain 42 communications, computer, air traffic control and navigational aid systems to support air operations planning and execution unedr hostile, bare-base conditions.