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Senior Airman Mitchell Rose (front), 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron supply technician, and Staff Sgt. Paul Young perform inventory. The 86th LRS provides fuel, deployment necessities and equipment for all inbound and outbound aircraft and military members. LRS Airmen ensure the flightline has 24-hour support.
As one of only two logistics readiness groups in the Air Force, the 86th Logistics Readiness Group houses the largest transportation, supply, logistics plans and war reserve materiel accounts in U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa.
The 86th LRG supports the training, planning, supply and transportation of three wings, 26 geographically separated units and the largest Department of Defense community outside of the U.S.
“The reason the Air Force decided to set up a logistics readiness group here is because the logistics functions are so vast,” said Col. Lawrence Hicks, 86th LRG commander.
The 86th LRG comprises the 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron, the 86th Logistics Readiness Squadron, the 86th Munitions Squadron and the 86th Material Maintenance Squadron. They provide support functions, including munitions, vehicle operations and maintenance; cargo processing, personal property and passenger movements; force reception; supply support; property accountability functions; and fuels support.
“The 86th VRS maintains over 1,800 vehicles, which is the largest vehicle fleet in the Air Force,” Hicks said. “They support each and every unit on this base and across the (KMC). That includes everything from maintenance out on the flightline to security forces doing their patrols and everybody in between.”
The 86th Material Maintenance Squadron also stores and maintains 85 percent of the war reserve materiel for USAFE-AFAFRICA.
Hicks said he views logistics as the foundation of combat operations.
“You can look back over history and see that logistics has proven to be the lifeblood of wartime operations,” Hicks said. “If you don’t have great logistics, then your mission is going to have trouble succeeding.
“Basically, if you don’t have fuel, transportation, supply parts, munitions or war reserve materiel, you can’t operate for very long,” he continued, “especially at the tip of the spear, so to speak.”
From helping sustain day-to-day operations for a vast area of responsibility to maintaining materials and equipment to support contingency operations downrange, the 86th LRG’s mission can be a difficult one at times. However, Hicks said he enjoys the challenge and counts on his Airmen to accomplish it.
“My favorite part is working and interacting with our Airmen every day,” Hicks said. “That’s why I’m still in the Air Force — to work with great people. We’ve got some of the greatest Airmen and logisticians in the Air Force right here. They do such a fantastic job, they are motivated about what they do, and that motivates me.”
