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621st CRW hosts 2009 Contingency Response Commanders' Conference

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Dustin Doyle
  • 621st Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. --  "First-In Mobility - Successes and Improving for the Future"

This will be the focus of discussion this week as more than 100 commanders and functional experts from contingency response units across the Air Force unite here today through Friday for the Contingency Response Commanders' Conference.

The CRCC brings together contingency response units from Air Mobility Command, Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and the Air Reserve Component to discuss operational best practices. It will include lessons-learned briefings, commander break-out sessions, presentations from AMC and 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center functional experts, and a teleconference with Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott, 18th Air Force commander, in which he will provide a senior leader perspective.

"This conference provides us with a great forum for open discussion about our units' strengths and weaknesses," said Col. Brian O'Connor, commander of the 621st Contingency Response Wing.

"Experience is the best teacher, and, in the end, I hope we all leave here with valuable lessons and tools that we can use to strengthen and streamline our operations," he said. 

Relatively new organizations, the Air Force designed contingency response units to quickly open airfields and establish, expand, sustain, and coordinate air mobility operations. While specific capabilities vary at each location, dedicated contingency response units extend the Air Force's ability to deploy both people and equipment around the globe for everything from wartime taskings to disaster relief.

"Whenever America needs to respond to contingency operations, our contingency response units are worth their weight in gold," said Maj. Gen. Mark Solo, commander of the 618th TACC at Scott AFB, Ill.

"Knowing we have teams of multi-talented Airmen and equipment standing ready 24/7 to be out-the-door within 12 hours of notification enables Air Mobility Command to rapidly establish air mobility operations anywhere on the planet on a timeline that was not possible in the past. Thanks to our contingency response units, rapid global reach is not just a concept, it's a reality."