434th Air Refueling Wing Organizations 434th ARW Wing Staff The 434th ARW Wing Staff provides supervisory guidance to the various organizations at Grissom ARB. It includes such offices as the command section, command post, comptroller, public affairs, safety, social actions, historian, chaplain, recruiting and judge advocate. 434th Operations Group The 434th Operations Group is the channel through which the commander commits his KC-135 Stratotanker forces. The operations group commander is delegated the authority to supervise and direct the refueling squadrons assigned to the wing and is directly responsible for all KC-135 operational matters within the wing. Through the refueling squadron commanders, he supervises activities of the KC-135 Stratotanker combat-ready aircrews. This includes all operational and training functions and related day-to-day activities. 434th Operations Support Squadron Eleven different areas make-up the 434th Operations Support Squadron whose main mission is to support the 434th Operations Group and the Wing's combat-ready KC-135 Stratotanker aircrews. Such activities as life support, mission development, operations training, tactics, flight management, operations plans and intelligence fall under the umbrella of the operations support squadron. 72nd Air Refueling Squadron The 72nd Air Refueling Squadron is one of two flying units assigned to the 434th ARW. The mission of the 72nd ARS is to train and provide KC-135 Stratotanker aircrew members (pilots, copilots, and boom operators) in support of the Air Mobility Command and the aerial refueling mission. In a typical year, the squadron and its personnel will travel to numerous global destinations to carry out the KC-135 mission. 74th Air Refueling Squadron Like their counterparts in the 72nd Air Refueling Squadron, the members of the 74th ARS operate throughout the United States and around the world in carrying out the aerial refueling mission. The 74th ARS is the second KC-135 squadron assigned to the 434th ARW and consists of highly qualified, combat ready aircrews. 434th Maintenance Group The 434th Maintenance Group commander and his staff are responsible for aircraft maintenance oversight and a variety of on and off aircraft maintenance and support activities. Group responsibilities include avionics, fabrication, systems, jet propulsion, inspection, logistics management, maintenance control, maintenance supply, plans and scheduling, resource management, and ground support equipment. 434th Maintenance Operations Squadron The 434th Maintenance Operations Squadron provides trained personnel in different functional areas to carry out program management in training, budget, facility, plans, deployments, analysis, aircraft scheduling, computer management, maintenance supply, and maintenance control activities. 434th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Getting aircraft ready to fly is the main mission of the aircraft maintenance squadron. Consisting of highly trained personnel, the squadron performs the daily launch and recovery of aircraft, provides organizational level maintenance, and renders support for cross-country and global missions as needed. 434th Mission Support Group The support group has a variety of squadrons which provide vital support to the 434th Wing and its KC-135 aircraft. The group is the parent organization for such diverse units as the security police flight, communications squadron, logistics readiness flight, aerial port flight, contracting flight, and the civil engineer squadron. 434th Force Support Squadron The Force Support Squadron is an amalgamation of three distinct units (Mission Support Flight, Civilian Personnel and Services Flight) whose common code is "taking care of our people." This merging blends military and civilian personnel functions, along with services, into one coordinated unit to support the 434th ARW's home station and deployment requirements. 434th Security Forces Squadron The Security Forces Squadron provides peace and wartime force protection to installation and deployed personnel and weapon systems against hostile forces and sabotage. This squadron is trained and equipped for deployment worldwide to bare base operations with minimum notice. 434th Civil Engineer Squadron Providing a civil engineering force capable of deploying anywhere in the world at a moments notice is all a part of the civil engineering squadron's mission. The ability to provide support at other air force bases or "bare bones" deployment sites is what makes its mission unique. Throughout the years, the squadron has deployed to numerous locations throughout the world to work on various construction projects which have benefited both the Air Force and civilian communities. 434th Communications Squadron The mission of the 434th Communications Squadron is to provide communications capabilities for the 434th Air Refueling Wing at home station and in deployed locations. The squadron is composed of government civilians and contractors, and military reservists. These individuals provide communications support through the installation, maintenance and operations of ground-based HF/UHF/VHF radios, land mobile radios (LMRs), telephone switching networks, network control center operations, small computer maintenance, secure ground and flight communications, and Air Traffic Control and Landing Systems (ATCALS). The squadron is also responsible for providing emergency operations support through the Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC), which ensures communications is bridged between first responders and other local, state, and federal agencies during emergency situations. The squadron also provides communications planning and technical support for all base projects, as well as equipment and cost expertise for all base communications purchases. The squadron provides Knowledge Operations Management and Information Management support through the base mailroom, and with the base records management and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) subject matter expert. 434th Aerospace Medicine Squadron The mission of the medical squadron is to provide the medical, aeromedical and environmental health support to insure all members of the wing are qualified for worldwide duty. It also conducts an aggressive medical training program with emphasis on health care delivery, medical readiness and support operations. 434th Operational Contracting Flight The Operational Contracting Flight is responsible for managing the acquisition process for the 434th Air Refueling Wing, to include the planning and execution of all facets of the local purchase program. The Contracting Flight provides first-line logistical support by acquiring supplies and services not provided, nor available, through other means. It has the tasking of being the primary interface between the government and civilian contractors to ensure the numerous Congressional Acts, Public Laws, and Federal Regulations are followed, while still maintaining the integrity of the Government and the Federal Acquisition Regulation. 49th Aerial Port Flight The Aerial Port Flight process air cargo, loads and unloads aircraft, performs joint inspection of cargo and equipment presented for air transportation, supervises mobility load teams, executes engine running on-loads/off-loads, and plans cargo loads for air transportation. The functions of the Aerial Port are supported through the Air Freight Cargo and Ramp Services, and the Air Terminal Operations and Special Handing Sections. 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron The 434th Logistics Readiness Squadron provides essential logistical management and support to the 434th Air Refueling Wing. The squadron consists of Readiness, Distribution and Transportation Management, Management and Systems, and Fuels Management. The squadron manages the wing's deployment capability, aerospace expeditionary force management, war reserve material and support agreements. Stores, issues and requisitions supplies, equipment and fuel products for ground and flying activities. Maintains, operates and manages the vehicle fleet and aircraft spares inventory. (Current as of June 2013)