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425th Air Base Squadron

There are currently two major and two minor American military units assigned to Izmir. The 425th Air Base Squadron, The United States Army Element and the 840th US Army Transportation Battalion. The 425th Air Base Squadron provides the bulk of support personnel in Izmir. The 425th is responsible for numerous things to include all base support facilities (Housing, Transportation, etc), the Medical Clinic, the chapels and the schools. Turkey is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Headquarters for the Joint Command Southeast (NATO) is located in Izmir.

The 425th Air Base Squadron is composed of four flights: Support Flight, Logistics Flight, Security Police Flight and Medical Flight. The ABS operates from within the community rather than on a base. The squadron does everything normally accomplished by a wing with the exception of operations. Its primary mission is to support all U.S. and NATO units in Izmir. Additionally, the squadron manages U.S. support to Cigli Air Base, a nearby Turkish air force base. The ABS is headquartered in an eight-story office building three blocks from Izmir Bay. Other functions, including the commissary, base exchange and chapel, are housed in approximately 30 leased buildings located throughout the city.

The 425th Air Base Squadron was activated in Izmir as the 7266th Support Squadron November 1955, to support Allied Land Forces Southeastern Europe and Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force. Prior to this, support for these NATO headquarters came from the U.S. Sixth Fleet. On July 1, 1959, most of the 7266th moved to Cigli Air BAse, 13 miles north of Izmir, and July 5, 1962, it merged with U.S. Air Forces in Europe's 7231st Combat Support Group. On April 1, 1966, the 7231st CSG became the 41st Tactical Group. U.S. facilities at Cigli Air Base were turned over to the Turkish Air Force July 1, 1970. At that time the 41st TG was inactivated and the 41st Combat Support Squadron at Cigli was renamed the 7241st Support Squadron and moved to downtown Izmir. In 1970, the unit was briefly moved from Headquarters Turkey and U.S. Logistics Group (TUSLOG) and assigned first to the 39th Tactical Group at Incirlik AB and then later to 16th Air Force at Aviano AB, Italy, before returning to Headquarters TUSLOG again in December 1971. On January 1, 1973, the 7241st was changed to an air base squadron until August 1980 when it was redesignated an air base group. On June 15, 1993, the unit was changed back to an air base squadron and renamed the 741st Air Base Squadron. The most recent change came November 1, 1994, when the squadron was renamed the 425th Air Base Squadron.