86th CEG Airmen build Ramstein up

Photo By Senior Airman Larissa Greatwood | The 86th Airlift Wing commander, Brig. Gen. Richard Moore, tours the 786th Civil Engineer Squadron water plant Sept. 2, 2016, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The water plant maintains fresh water for all units on base to include on-base housing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Larissa Greatwood)  

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, GERMANY

09.27.2016

Story by Airman 1st Class Larissa Greatwood 

86th Airlift Wing

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany— There’s a lot that goes into getting an airframe off the ground. It all begins with a good backbone of infrastructure—Airmen need roads, electricity, water, fuel, and emergency services to accomplish the mission.

The 86th Civil Engineer Group plays a key role in ensuring other units’ missions run smoothly.

“We have two squadrons in the (86th) CEG, the 86th (Civil Engineer Squadron), and the 786th CES, because the installation is so large,” said Col. Brian Hartless, 86th CEG commander. “We have roughly 1,200 engineers which includes both military and civilians. As engineers, we do our job so others can fulfill their mission. At the core, we are a mission supporting organization. Whether it’s liquid fuel, electricity and water, or emergency services, our capabilities help everyone else.”

John Ahern, 786th CES deputy commander, said the 86th CEG is unique in how they affect everyone and every part of the mission.

“If you live on base, the CEG provides you with your house or dorm room,” he said. “We provide the water and electricity for that shower in the morning and first cup of coffee. If you live off base, we provide the roads you hit from the gate approaches, where you meet our (mission support group) brethren, on into the base to your CEG-provided work center. And, if any of it fails to work, we fix it. In a disaster or attack, the CEG provides firefighters to put out fires, emergency managers to guide responses, and the (explosive ordinance disposal) technicians to make explosive hazards safe. When the emergency is abated, the CEG provides the expertise to restore the foundational base capabilities to restore mission operations.”

Ahern said the 86th CEG’s mission is to make sure other units have the infrastructure, facility and utility support to operate.

“Our day-to-day workforce and supplies are postured and trained to provide emergency recovery if facilities are damaged or otherwise rendered unusable,” said Ahern. “As a foundational capability, we need to make sure that we are solid in peace, disaster, or war.”

Through this diverse group of Airmen, Hartless said they work hard to ensure their mission is as successful as possible.

“I sleep very well at night knowing the men and women of the civil engineer group are able to execute the mission very well,” he said. “They are true professionals and show great leadership at all levels of the organization. When you have great leadership, you have a team that is motivated and excited. They work hard and take care of each other. The greater mission of the installation is never in doubt or in question when it comes to our capabilities because of these Airmen.”

Generating and employing air mobility is part of the mission of the 86th Airlift Wing; the 86th CEG provides the manning and resources to secure the ground, along with many other capabilities, enabling more Airmen to achieve the mission.

• Date Taken: 09.27.2016
• Date Posted: 10.26.2016 01:58
• Story ID: 210701
• Location: RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, DE