New wing structure set for Pacific AF theater

[unhappycamper]

New wing structure set for Pacific AF theater
By Seamus O’Connor - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jun 2, 2008 7:12:56 EDT

Imagine commanding an operations group in which the squadrons you command aren’t even operating on the same calendar day.

That’s the challenge faced by Col. Andrew Redmond, commander of the 715th Air Mobility Operations Group at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. The group manages en route operations throughout the Pacific Command theater, which encompasses 2,000 airmen at 15 installations, spanning 8,000 miles from Australia to Alaska.

“That’s a pretty daunting challenge for one person to do that,” said Col. Richard McClain, vice commander of the 615th Contingency Response Wing. “Not only that, but that one person, in order to make some critical decisions, has to report back to the United States, to the 15th .”

That’s why McClain soon will be serving as commander of a new wing, the 515th Air Mobility Operations Wing, based at Hickam. That unit will oversee the 715th AMOG’s operations, as well as a new sister group, the 515th AMOG, to be established at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

The new wing structure will split the PacAF area of responsibility in half. The 715th AMOG will oversee mobility squadrons at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam; Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska; and Hickam. The new 515th, when it stands up June 27, will oversee squadrons at Yokota; Kadena Air Base, Japan; and Osan Air Base, South Korea. The 515th will be commanded by Col. Mark Baker. All the units will be part of Air Mobility Command.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/06/airforce_pacaf_newwing_060108w/