621st CRW activates new support group

Published April 9, 2007
By Tech. Sgt. Dwayne Gordon
305th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

McGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. -- Team McGuire received a new partner this week, which falls under the 621st Contingency Response Wing. The 621st Contingency Operations Support Group was directed by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force to activate Monday. The activation occurred during a ceremony held at the 621st CRW Global Reach Deployment Center Warehouse at McGuire April 2.

Col. Francis Cox assumed command of the new 621st COSG. He joins the 621st CRW from Air Mobility Command where he was the Assistant Director of Plans and Programs.
The activation of the 621st COSG re-assigned the 21st Air Mobility Operations Squadron, 819th Global Support Squadron, 1st Combat Camera Squadron and the Air Mobility Liaison Officers under the new group. According to Capt. Jeffrey Krulick, 21st AMOS/DOS, "Realigning the units under the 621st COSG provides proper positioning to support the combatant commanders and warfighter."

The group will consolidate the units under one commander providing effective oversight and optimal span of control. Below is a brief description of each unit that is aligned under the new group.

The 21st AMOS is a total force squadron of active-duty, Air Force reserve and civilian personnel with 35 Air Force specialties. Its mission is to produce mobility operations for all combatant commanders across a full spectrum of possible contingencies. Two distinct skill sets define the 21st AMOS mission. First, as the core of the Air Mobility Division; AMOS members plan, task and execute intra-theater airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation operations. Second, the AMOS executes the DV Airborne Communication mission; ensuring national leaders maintain connectivity around the world, 24/7.

The 819th GSS provides combat-ready command and control, aerial port, and maintenance. It commands and executes all airlift support operations at deployed locations, DoD exercises and contingencies. The GSS provides load-planning training and conducts airfield surveys to support AMC worldwide mobility operations.

The 1st Combat Camera Squadron is the only active-duty Combat Camera unit in the Air Force. They are responsible for operating, training, and equipping forces to acquire, manage and distribute imagery to support DoD, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Unified Commands, Air Force and Air Mobility Command requirements. They deploy combat-ready forces worldwide, specializing in aerial documentation.

Air Mobility Liaison Officers advise and educate ground force commanders on the most effective use of airlift assets both in garrison and in the combat theatre. AMLOs are instrumental in their aligned unit's deployment, staging, combat maneuver, sustainment and redeployment planning and execution. Once deployed, AMLOs are the primary interface between the Land Component Commander and the Director of Mobility Forces, Air Mobility Division and USTRANSCOM to resolve inter-theater and intra-theater airlift issues. They have the expertise to survey drop zone objective areas and conduct drop zone operations for aerial cargo delivery. AMLOs can assess austere airfield/landing zone capabilities to support air mobility operations and act as Landing Zone Safety Officers.

"The activation of the 621st COSG is a big step forward for the CRW. It provides a wing and group structure for 3 squadrons that previously were stand-alone units. Now they have a dedicated O-6 Group Commander looking after their specific interests. Adding the AMOS and Combat Camera Squadron to the CRW significantly increases our Wing's combat capability," said Col Steve Bernard, 621st CRW commander.

The 621st CRW previously had three assigned Contingency Response Groups, a Global Support Squadron and Air Mobility Liaison Officers. It now has three CRG's and the new COSG. The CRW mission is to provide rapidly deployable, expeditionary multi-skilled combat teams to quickly open forward contingency airbases and extend global reach laydown support worldwide.

The 621st CRW is not alone in activating a COSG. The 615th CRW located at Travis AFB, Calif., is also directed, by the CSAF, to realign their units under a similar COSG that will fall under the 615th CRW. The 615th COSG is comprised of the 15th AMOS, 573rd GSS and the AMLOs west of the Mississippi.

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