Military

Marshall Army Airfield (MAAF)

Built in the 1920s, Marshall Army Airfield was host to many Air Corps flying units, including the famous "Pair-O-Dice" Squadron, now the 90th Fighter Squadron, Stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska.

The Army Air Corps has maintained a weather station at Marshall Army Airfield since World War II. At the inception of the Air Force in 1947, the Army weather personnel were transferred to the Air Force. Details of the era are very sketchy, but the earliest unit designation found for weather is from 1970. Weather people were under DET 8, 16 WS, 5 WW (Mobility Airlift Command).

DET 8, 16 WS accompanied the Big Red One (BRO) on REFORGER II in Germany, October of 1970. The Organic Weather Team again went to Germany for REFORGER III in October of 1971. In June of 1973 they supported REFORGER IV and again in September 1973 for REFORGER V. Weather people from Fort Riley supported all subsequent REFORGER exercises until 1992 when REFORGER exercises were terminated. In January of 1985, DET 8 supported Golden Saber XI at Fort Hood, TX.

Desert Shield/Desert Storm brought a new challenge for DET 8 personnel. A weather team was sent to the war and deployed with the modified 5-ton weather van. This design was later copied by other units.

In 1967 the first Radio Operator Maintainer and Driver (ROMAD) and an Air Liaison Officer (ALO) arrived at Fort Riley. They were originally housed at Camp Funston and the ALO had an office in the DOL building near the territorial capitol. The earliest unit designation for the ROMADs was OLA C, 702 TASS/USAF ALO (1975).

The Tactical Air Control Parties (TACP) at Fort Riley have supported numerous activities and also maintain an annual training requirement to attend the National Training Center with Fort Riley. They deployed to Desert Storm with the Army and survived the rigors of war.

In July of 1994 the Weather detachment and the TACPs were integrated into one squadron. This became the 10th Air Support Operations Squadron.

An initial site investigation at the Marshall Army Airfield Former Fire Training Area (FFTA) indicated that petroleum hydrocarbons and chlorinated solvents were present in the subsurface soil and groundwater. Additionally, contaminants similar to those detected at the FFTA were detected in the groundwater along the installation boundary and in off-post private wells located at or nearby the speedway approximately 1,000 feet north of the FFTA. The Army is proposing to construct a new well in the unpolluted aquifer at the speedway property. The new well would provide potable water for the speedway's patrons. The Army is currently studying long-term alternatives for the contaminated groundwater.