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Command Post: The Eyes and Ears of Eglin AFB

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Felicia Matlock
  • 33d Fighter Wing
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  This week, the Eglin AFB Command Post, assigned to the 33d Fighter Wing, participated in the Eglin AFB Hurricane Exercise to demonstrate the command and control functions in the event a hurricane was bearing down on Eglin. 

While the command post is an agency of which many have heard, some view it simply as a 24-hour information directory. To others, it's the booming, yet unintelligible giant voice in the sky, directing base members to get in their Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear for yet another exercise. 

However, the command post plays a role in almost every aspect of a base's day-to-day mission, as well as during times of emergency or disaster. In addition, it supports a variety of missions during deployment, such as flight following, commander support, and monitoring theater ballistic missile defense systems. 

A command post, in general, is the focal point of a base's operations. It acts as the eyes and ears of the base, functioning as a 24-hour information and coordination facility for the base commanders and their assets. 

"Eglin provides a unique challenge for a command post," said Lt. Col. Pete Reho, Eglin AFB Command Post Chief. "We have a multitude of different wings and tenant units here at Eglin and this command post is responsible for supporting all of their diverse missions." 

The command post's day to day responsibilities include accounting for commander location and availability, tracking of wing and transient aircraft and acting as a coordination agency for various weather notifications. 

When a serious incident arises, such as an in-flight emergency, Force Protection Condition update or natural disaster, the controllers gather information directly from responding agencies such as security forces or the fire department. Controllers provide up-to-date information to the appropriate commanders as it becomes available. This enables leadership to better assess the significance of the situation and its impact on the base's overall mission. 

The command post also relays the directions and orders of the commanders to all the applicable agencies on base. 

"It takes a mature Airman to handle the pressure of briefing colonels and generals," Colonel Reho said. "They must have a keen grasp of the issue at hand and be able to answer leadership questions on the spot, not to mention the timeliness, accuracy and brevity." 

In many cases, the command post is responsible for reporting not only to base leadership, but also to higher headquarters, in order to provide them with immediate and accurate information on their assets. 

In order to support its numerous obligations, the command post responsibilities are divided into several sections. One important function of the command post is Status of Resource Training System, which is an accountability reporting system that higher headquarters use to see what resources a base has at its disposal to fulfill its designated mission taskings. 

"Our job is to train every wing commander and command post personnel to accurately assess their unit's wartime capability in terms of personnel, equipment, and training," said Tech. Sgt. Pilar Roberts, NCOIC of SORTS and reports. "We ensure the wing commanders have the resources to train all of their squadron commanders in Air Force and MAJCOM reportable incidents." 

Another significant responsibility of command post personnel is providing the shift controllers with the necessary equipment and resources to perform their duties, such as the giant voice, land mobile radios and classified computer capability. 

"The most important aspect of my job is ensuring continuous operations of positive command and control," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Kucharczak, NCOIC of console operations. 

Training and certification is also a necessary requirement for all command post controllers. 

"Controllers must be familiar with Eglin's unique command post operations, differentiating between commander and MAJCOM requirements," said Staff Sgt. Jennie Sanchez, NCOIC of training. "They have to be knowledgeable of Air Combat Command and Air Force Material Command emergency actions procedures and ensure that they remain proficient in their duties." 

This becomes especially important when considering the fact that base leadership conducts planning, direction and coordination of their assets through these controllers. Because of this, the command post is a direct reflection of the commanders and of the base. 

For Colonel Reho, running the command post is a challenging and fulfilling position. 

"The best thing about being the OIC for the command post is directly working with our leaders of tomorrow," he said. "Eglin's command post controllers are energetic, mature and have a sincere drive to defend this nation, no matter what the tasking."