763rd ERS spends 10,000th day in CENTCOM area of responsibility

Photo By Philip Speck | The first 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing crew to support operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on Aug. 9, 1990. (Photo courtesy of the 55th Wing)  

AL UDEID AIR BASE, QATAR

12.28.2017

Story by Master Sgt. Philip Speck 

379th Air Expeditionary Wing

After Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the unit continued to support theater and national-level consumers with real-time, on-scene intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities to U.S. and coalition forces. The unit stayed in the Middle East and supported Operation Southern Watch from Aug. 1992 to March 2003, and both Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom for the majority of the 2000s. In Aug. 2003, the RJs transitioned from Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, to here at Al Udeid. It was then that the 763rd ERS was born into the full squadron it is today.

“The reason the 763rd has been in CENTCOM for so long is because of the unparalleled capabilities our aircraft brings in helping fight and win our nation's wars,” said Lt. Col. Aaron Gray, commander of the 763rd ERS.

Currently, the 763rd ERS consists entirely of Airmen and aircraft from the 55th Wing from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb. This Christmas Eve, on the 10,000 day of being in the AOR, Col. Michael Manion, commander of the 55th Wing, flew over from the United States to visit his deployed unit here at AUAB.

“It is exciting to know that we are part of a long lineage of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance Airmen who have contributed to operations in this AOR over the past 10,000 days,” Gray said. “We are driven every day knowing that we have the high standard of so many who came before to live up to.”

Twenty seven years have passed since the 763rd began and the unit continues to support Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel in the AOR, standing ready for any future operations that may come to the theater.

• Date Taken: 12.28.2017
• Date Posted: 12.29.2017 09:23
• Story ID: 260426
• Location: AL UDEID AIR BASE, QA