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New squadron activated, process, procedures streamlined

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nathan Gallahan
  • 407th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
ALI BASE, Iraq --  The 407th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron activated July 1 merging customer-service focused career fields deployed here under a single unit.

The merger, which combined the former 407th Expeditionary Services Squadron and offices such as the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations office, "is really about maximizing efficiencies and processes, and improving customer service," said Maj. Richard McKee, 407th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron commander, who is also the 27th Special Operations Services Squadron commander at Cannon AFB, N.M.

"This is the right thing to do because we're all customer service oriented - our mission is people," said Master Sgt. Cheryl Brister, 407th EFSS PERSCO team chief, deployed from Barksdale AFB, La.

Although Major McKee said that the merger here will be transparent to base personnel, the rest of the Air force is experiencing a greater change that some deployed Airmen may find different once they return home. Mission support squadrons and services squadrons are merging.

The new Air Force squadrons will have five flights: force development, manpower and personnel, Airmen and family services, sustainment services and community services; but due to the size of the 407th EFSS, only two sub-units were created, the Community and Sustainment Services Flight and the Manpower, Personnel and Education Services Flight.

"With a smaller number of personnel here than that at home station, the transition is much simpler; however, taking two core Air Force functions and molding them into one is always a challenge," the commander said.

"This is going to be a big adjustment, but it's nothing services can't handle - we've been through this before when they merged [morale, welfare and recreation,]" said Tech. Sgt. Amy Bengry, non-commissioned officer in charge of lodging, who is also deployed from Cannon AFB, N.M.

Now that the functions here have merged, the commander said this is an "opportunity for EFSS personnel to broaden their horizons and learn more about a sister support function. We play a vital role in the Air Force's mission. Here at Ali Base, just like at our home stations, we enable mission readiness and effectiveness by regenerating the force, both mentally and physically."