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USAFE activates Air and Space Communications Group

US Air Forces in Europe News

Release Date: 5/23/2003

By Maj. Michelle Y. Unger USAFE News Service

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (USAFENS) -- Both a historical and futuristic event took place during the activation of the first U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air and Space Communications Group here, May 22.

The first ACOMG commander, Col. Michael Lewis, is set to lead an expert team of operational communication users and maintainers, falling under the USAFE Theater Air and Space Operations Center.

"Communicators will begin to plan and work together more under one roof while producing communication operational synergy for USAFE," said Lewis. "The group ties together people related functionally, who have previously been organizationally separated."

'Ops focused - mission ready' is the motto for the new group.

"To make sure the theater stays healthy as far as communications go, we have three squadrons within the group focusing on the operational or the war-fighting piece of communications," declared Lewis.

Two of the three squadrons were activated during the group activation ceremony. The 1st Combat Communications Squadron, commanded by Lt. Col. Michael Niezgoda, realigned to the USAFE ACOMG. The squadron is mission-centered on the deployment aspect of operational communications.

"Members often deploy to austere locations and set up 'bare-bone' tactical communications and the air traffic control capability needed at a base when you first stand it up," said Lewis.

Wartime and contingency tasking such as rapidly installing data voice, ground, radio and tactical satellite communication services guarantee the opportunity for the combat communicators to live up to their motto, 'first in-last out'.

Located at Kapaun Air Station, Germany, the 1st Communications Maintenance Squadron was activated and operates under Capt. Chad Raduege, commander. Heralding the maxim, 'proud past-strong future', squadron members are, "very valuable and very real-time folk", said Lewis.

"They are maintenance experts on different systems. If something is broken, they go out and fix it," he said. "They also perform engineering and installation work, often for long-term projects with the HQ USAFE/SC (directorate of communications and information), supporting the 'organize, train and equip' side of comm."

Lt. Col. Virginia Ashpole took the reigns as commander of the 1st Air and Space Communications Operations Squadron, also activated under the ACOMG. They are the experts in theater-wide communications for situational awareness and command and control of air and space, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, information operations, mobility and combat forces.

"This squadron monitors, troubleshoots and keeps running higher-level classification communication systems within USAFE; focuses on the Global Command and Control System; and are the contingency and war-time communication planners," added Lewis.

With an operation and maintenance budget of $3.44 million and oversight of more than $117 million worth of equipment, Lewis is a leader determined to accomplish the mission and encompass the needs of his people.

"This is the way we are -- this is the way of the Air Force. We are expeditionary," said Lewis. "I want to make sure that we have the right leaders, mentorship and people taking pride in what they do. As people make themselves better, they make the Air Force better. Then, I know we are going to accomplish the mission."