31st Combat Communications Squadron [31st CBCS] [Note: Combat Communications Squadrons[CBCS] are sometimes incorrectly referred to using the acronym CCS] An operational squadron in the 3rd Combat Communications Group, a direct reporting unit of Air Combat Command's 12th Air Force, the 31st CBCS provides combat-ready forces for worldwide deployment of communications, computer and weather systems to support wartime and contingency taskings. The tactical communications equipment deployed by the men and women of the 31st CBCS include telephone switching centers, message traffic centers, network systems control facilities, wideband radio systems, satellite terminals and weather systems. In addition to equipment, the 31st CBCS maintains the support assets, including vehicles, tents, power generators and environmental control units necessary to support 200 deployed personnel and equipment in an austere environment for extended periods of time. The men and women of the 31st CBCS and its predecessor organizations distinguished themselves in many of the military conflicts and operations other than war that the United States has been involved in since the 1950s. In the last 10 years, they have deployed across the world to provide communications support to numerous military activities including Operation Urgent Fury (Grenada), Operation Eagle Look (Southwest Asia), Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (Southwest Asia), Operation Southern Watch (Southwest Asia), Operation Desert Calm (Southwest Asia), Operation Desert Focus/Strike (Southwest Asia), Operation Provide Comfort/Northern Watch (Turkey), Operation Restore Hope (Somalia), Operation Uphold Democracy (Haiti), Operation Provide Promise/Deny Flight (Italy, Croatia) and Operation Joint Endeavor/Guard (Bosnia, Italy, Croatia). The 31st CBCS deployed to Haiti in September of 1994 as part of Joint Task Force 190 in support of Operation Uphold Democracy. The squadron was the backbone of the operation, sending 66 people and 11 systems to provide initial air traffic services and communications to employing forces. They established and maintained command and control voice, data and messaging circuits with superb reliability, and interfaced their tactical equipment with commercial satellite communications links enabling connectivity with National Command Authorities in the U.S. The 31st CBCS also provides communications and weather systems in support of major Department of Defense exercises. In 1997, the squadron was the lead Air Force communications element for Exercise Roving Sands, the largest exercise in the continental United States; and Exercise Bright Star, the largest multinational exercise in Southwest Asia. The squadron deployed 89 people and seven major systems to Egypt to provide all base-level communications support at Cairo West Air Base, the aerial port of debarkation for 7,000 exercise participants and the primary airfield for coalition air operations. In 1996, the squadron added the weather support flight, one of two units in the Air Force tasked to provide weather systems support to Army and Air Force units worldwide. The unit deploys in support of many efforts which are not directly combat related. In April 1995, the 31st CBCS was tasked to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency in extricating victims from the bombed Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The squadron provided manpower and life support equipment for around-the-clock recovery efforts. During the 1996 Quality Air Force Assessment conducted by the Air Combat Command Inspector General, the squadron received an "Outstanding" rating and attained the highest numerical score of any like communications squadron to date. The squadron's quality environment garnered one of two ACC nominations for the 1997 Presidential Quality Award.
31 CBCS - 31 CCS - 31 Combat Communications Squadron
34 CBCS - 34 CCS - 34 Combat Communications Squadron
34th Combat Communications Squadron [34th CBCS] [Note: Combat Communications Squadrons [CBCS] are sometimes incorrectly referred to using the acronym CCS] The 34th Combat Communications Squadron is the newest of the 3rd CCG's five mission squadrons, having officially activated on 8 Oct 93. Our equipment and personnel was obtained from other 3rd CCG mission squadrons and the deactivated 2nd Combat Communications Group at Patrick AFB, Florida. During its first year of activation, the 34th's focus and #1 priority was stand up and training of personnel for combat readiness. Since activation, the squadron has filled over 1,300 individual personnel and/or equipment taskings supporting worldwide contingencies and exercises. In its first-ever Operational Readiness Inspection, the 34th led the 3rd CCG to an overall "Excellent" rating. The squadron produced 19 superior performers and 8 superior performance teams. In addition, it provided the 3rd CCG's competition team captain and overall coordinator for the trophy winning Combat Challenge 1996. Combat Challenge is the USAF's premier tactical communications competition involving units from all over the world. In December 1995, the 34th deployed over 40 personnel and $10 million in air support communications equipment to Bosnia to spearhead United Nations peace keeping operations. Services provided by the 34th directly supported a task force with five short-tons of communications equipment, setting up a bare base suite of communications infrastructure for comprehensive command, control, and communications operations. The 34th continued to improve its combat readiness by participating, the following year, in six major local training deployments, to include two major evaluated exercises. Here the squadron excelled achieving four consecutive "Outstanding" ratings in circuit activation -a first in the history of the 3rd CCG proving its ability to meet its wartime mission based on ORI criteria. In keeping with the squadron motto, "Muscle of the Herd!", the 34th was the lead squadron for augmenting the Wing Initial Communications Package (WICP) when personnel from the 552nd Air Control Wing deployed as part of Exercise CROWN ROYAL 1995. The squadron provided line-of-sight microwave connectivity and voice capabilities. This was the first time the 3rd CCG had incorporated a WICP into its local training which now is standard practice. During the same time period, the 34th deployed a team of 26 personnel to South America in support of Nation -Building operatiaons in neighboring countries. While there, personnel from the 34th continued to provide complete communications services ensuring the success of NEW HORIZONS 1996. Finally, the 34th is at the forefront of testing the next generation of tactical communications equipment. As the lead squadron in this effort, it has been heavily involved in the operational testing and evaluation. In August 1995, the 34th deployed several personnel, along with other members from the group, to the Joint Warrior Interoperability Demonstration (JWID) 95 at Hanscom AFB, Mass., where it set up, operated and maintained a complete suite of communications equipment for several weeks. In April 1995, the 34th CBCS was tasked to support the Federal Emergency Management Agency in extricating victims from the bombed Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. The squadron provided manpower and life support equipment for around-the-clock recovery efforts. The mission of the 34th is to provide a team of professionals organized, trained, and equipped to support Air Force combat forces deployed in war or contingency operations; to use communications resources to provide temporary restoral of damaged, destroyed, or incapacitated fixed resources at other locations during both wartime and peacetime. It is organized to support Department of Defense requirements as well as certain tactical communications projects as identified by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The 34th CBCS is a combat-ready squadron organized, trained and equipped to deploy, operate and maintain 42 communications, computer, air traffic control and navigational aid systems to support air operations planning and execution unedr hostile, bare-base conditions.