Native of Willingboro, New Jersey Guard Airman, coordinates MWR support for expeditionary base

Photo By Master Sgt. Jenifer Calhoun | Airman 1st Class Andre Jackson is a services journeyman deployed to the 380th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. Airman Jackson is a New Jersey Air National Guard Airman and is deployed from the 108th Force Support Squadron, 108th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and his hometown is Burlington, N.J. Here he is pictured, June 2, at his deployed base. As a services craftsman with the 380th EFSS, Airman Jackson supports the morale, welfare, fitness and recreation of more than 1,900 deployed service members for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing.  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

06.09.2010

Story by Senior Airman Jenifer Calhoun 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Airman 1st Class Andre Jackson is a services journeyman deployed to the 380th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron at a non-disclosed base here.

Jackson is a New Jersey Air National Guard Airman and is deployed from the 108th Force Support Squadron, 108th Air Refueling Wing, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., and his hometown is Willingboro, N.J. As a services craftsman with the 380th EFSS, Airman Jackson supports the morale, welfare, fitness and recreation of more than 1,900 deployed service members for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing.

In the 380th EFSS, services support programs range a myriad of areas and Jackson has to be ready to support any one of them. According to his official Air Force job description, services Airmen like Jackson manage and direct services programs, operations and retail operations. They supervise and work in appropriated fund food service and lodging activities, recreation, fitness and sports programs, linen exchange operations, mortuary affairs programs, honor guard teams, and services readiness programs.

In managing services operations, Airmen like Jackson help improve work methods and procedures to ensure economic operation and customer satisfaction. They also resolve complaints, apply accounting principles to control resources, determine appropriated and non-appropriated fund budget requirements, and requisitions and accounts for subsistence, supplies and equipment needed to support services programs -- to name a few.

Furthermore, services Airmen like Jackson also identify facility requirements and conduct surveys to determine facility renovation, construction and modernization needs, the job description states. They also establish and supervise bare-base facilities that provide food, fitness, lodging, sports management, recreation, laundry, mortuary services and field exchange operations to deployed personnel.

In performing their deployed duties, the job description shows services Airmen like Jackson operate fixed, bare-base and portable food facilities and equipment. They plan, prepare and adjust menus and they determine resource availability, pricing and merchandise trends as well as carrying the ability to trains unit fitness monitors to conduct unit fitness evaluations.

In all the services functions, Jackson has to maintain mandatory job knowledge in areas such as accounting procedures, management principles, merchandising, marketing, automated information systems, food service facility operations, subsistence management, requisition and issue procedures, menu planning and lodging operations, the job description states.

Jackson is like many Guardsmen supporting the Air National Guard's federal mission. According to the National Guard Bureau, that mission is to maintain well-trained, well-equipped units available for prompt mobilization during war and provide assistance during national emergencies (such as natural disasters or civil disturbances). During peacetime, the combat-ready units and support units are assigned to most Air Force major commands to carry out missions compatible with training, mobilization readiness, humanitarian and contingency operations such as for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The Air National Guard provides almost half of the Air Force's tactical airlift support, combat communications functions, aeromedical evacuations and aerial refueling. In addition, the Air National Guard has total responsibility for air defense of the entire United States.

The 380th EFSS is a sub-unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, air battle management, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

• Date Taken: 06.09.2010
• Date Posted: 06.09.2010 00:47
• Story ID: 51089
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)