Photo By Senior Airman Kevin Dunkleberger | U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class James Mixson, 378th Expeditionary Communications...... read more read more
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U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY – Working among rows of servers, spools of cable, and in the relentless desert sun, Airmen from the 378th Expeditionary Communications Squadron are making the future of the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing possible – one connection at a time.
As the 378th AEW charts the course into what is being deemed “PSAB 2.0,” to create a more permanent, stable presence in the region as expeditionary forces transition from tents to hardened structures, the 378th ECS is laying both literal and digital groundwork for enduring success in mission execution and relationship building with partner nations.
Working in lockstep with the 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron as they erect hardened facilities to replace canvas tents, the 378th ECS’s Plans and Requirements section conducts site surveys to ensure the necessary communication infrastructure is in place for the next 378th ECS section.
After each site is up-to-code, the engineering and installation team runs miles of cable across the installation for the new premises. Depending on environmental demands, cable technicians, commonly referred to as Cable Dawgs, can be tasked to operate in confined underground spaces, to configure wiring to new work centers.
Finally, before structures are move-in ready, network infrastructure technicians power on access ports and cyber systems operations technicians ensure secure channels remain available to support strategic mission communication across the facilities.
“It’s ‘all hands on deck’ here at the ECS to ensure projects like PSAB 2.0 and the daily ops of our mission partners are accomplished without interruption,” said Capt. Michelle Penwell, 378th ECS Operations Flight commander. “Everyone assigned to the 378th AEW is overcoming challenges in this somewhat austere environment to continue seamless execution of the mission. Within the communications squadron, those challenges vary from physical limitations of where we can expand the network or logical limitations of what we can do as a downrange communications squadron. Despite these limitations our Airmen have been in problem solving mode to get the right access to the right people at the right time. The creativity of these Airmen and their resilience in the face of overwhelming odds is truly something to behold. We say here that if there’s no byte, there’s no fight, and that is ever apparent as we ensure operators can securely communicate in every aspect of their job.”
Add in the extra layer of challenges to provide secure channels for strategic communication and eliminate network security risks, and it is evident why the 378th ECS operates around the clock ensuring operational security at all times.
“The cyber systems operations section actively safeguards every computer system, analyzing vulnerability data and developing automated patching solutions to eliminate network security risks,” said Tech. Sgt. Arthurking Coloma, 378th ECS Cyber Systems Operations section chief. “The teamwork across all sections is essential to successfully provide secure, agile, and resilient command, control, communications, and cyberspace capabilities that the communications squadron is tasked with to enable airpower delivery.”
Along with the PSAB 2.0 initiative, the 378th ECS is tasked with additional areas of responsibility to serve the base populace with mission-critical communication channels.
The radio frequency transmission operations’ technicians conduct routine preventative maintenance inspections and necessary repairs on the installation’s Giant Voice System. This network of 3200-watt speakers, capable of continuous audio output and functioning even when power is lost, is used for crisis communication, emergency preparedness and planning to efficiently alert service members of critical information.
In a theater where seconds can matter, radio technicians in the 378th ECS work around-the-clock to ensure the Giant Voice System’s capabilities remain operational in the extreme temperatures and weather conditions, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Finally, as the outward-facing hub of the squadron, communications focal point technicians vet and manage all requests for service across the 378th AEW. The CFP receives hundreds of customer service-request tickets each week, ranging from printer connectivity issues, configuring access ports, or assistance with duty-specific communications equipment. If an issue requires more than a virtual remedy, the CFP coordinates with their client systems technicians counterparts, who are dispatched across the installation to fulfill work orders, ensuring full operational capability.
Working together as one team, the 378th ECS maintains the installation’s battle rhythm and guarantees every member stationed here is connected in a timely and effective manner to ensure the seamless integration of forces that help keep the region stable, all while propelling the installation into the future that is PSAB 2.0.
| Date Taken: | 05.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.17.2025 02:19 |
| Story ID: | 498165 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 10 |
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This work, Behind the Screens: 378th ECS Keeps Team Phoenix Connected, by SrA Kevin Dunkleberger, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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