Staying ahead of the pack

by Senior Airman Chase Medford
1st Air and Space Communications Operations Squadron


***image1***If anyone remembers watching “Saved by the Bell,” they would recognize the now considered huge “Zach Morris” phone; the old Motorola phone that you can only look cool using if you are wearing tight acid washed jeans and a pair of L.A. Gear shoes.

This phone was the epitome of mobile technology at that time and while it was the best then, technology has since made it a relic of the past.

Lt. Col. Eric DeLange, 1st Air and Space Communications Operations Squadron commander, keeps a phone like this on his desk as a reminder that what we have now may be the best, but we should always stay ahead of the pack by being ready for change and pushing for better.

Recently the 1st ACOS, which operates and maintains theater-wide intelligence and command and control systems, had the pleasure of welcoming 36 new personnel and three new sections into its ranks: NATO C2 Interoperability, Theater Battle Management Core Systems Unit-Level and the Intelligence Information, Command & Control, Equipment & Enhancements Contracting Officer’s Representative Office.

NATO C2 Interoperability is known throughout the Air Force as the U.S. Air Forces in Europe lead for NATO C2 interoperability issues. Their goal is to provide a way to exchange information between U.S. and NATO coalition air systems without human intervention, thereby reducing the chance for human error.

The ICE2 COR office represents the contracting officer located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Their mission is to provide day-to-day verification of the services provided by contractors in theater that specifically support C2 and intelligence functions, guaranteeing the government receives what it pays for. They also ensure the contractors have what they need to live and work within USAFE.

The TBMCS-UL section provides commanders at all levels the capability of viewing the current status of their assets in near real-time. In order to do this, TBMCS-UL system administrators monitor customer problems, develop technical solutions, test software changes and devise installation procedures to resolve any known issues.

“These are three diverse work centers with motivated Airmen that, when you look at it, really mesh well with the 1st ACOS mission of theater-level command, control and intelligence support. We are excited to have them join our team and the additional expertise they bring to the table,” said Colonel DeLange.

In turn, each of the new members had the pleasure of learning what is so special about an old Motorola cell phone, and what the squadron motto “Best Done Better” means to the 1st ACOS.