Photo By Senior Airman Luis Gomez | Senior Airman Eric Lawson, 726th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron Radar,...... read more read more
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Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti — Weather forecasts are often taken for granted, but behind every accurate prediction is a network of specialized equipment and the Airmen responsible for keeping it operational. In a region where weather conditions can change rapidly and operations often occur in remote environments, maintaining reliable weather systems is a force protection priority.
At Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Radar, Airfield and Weather Systems Airmen assigned to the 726th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron's Weather Systems Support Cadre play a critical role in sustaining weather forecasting capabilities across the Combined Joint Task Force- Horn of Africa and the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility. Their work ensures forecasters have access to reliable atmospheric data that supports flight operations, mission planning and force protection throughout the region.
The WSSC team maintains a wide range of meteorological equipment, from Tactical Meteorological Observing Systems and rapidly deployable weather sensors to Portable Doppler Radar systems with the capability of monitoring weather conditions more than 50 nautical miles from an installation.
For RAWS Airmen, mission success begins with preventive maintenance. Whether inspecting sensors atop installation buildings, troubleshooting communication failures or repairing weather equipment in austere locations, their efforts ensure critical systems remain operational around the clock.
"Accessing our remote sites across the area of responsibility can be a challenge,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Eric Lawson, 726 EMSS RAWS technician. “But overcoming those hurdles to execute our mission and drive operational success makes the effort completely worthwhile."
The importance of these systems extends far beyond daily weather forecasts. Accurate meteorological data supports commanders making operational decisions across East Africa. It helps aircrews safely launch and recover aircraft, enables planners to anticipate environmental impacts on missions and provides installation leadership with information needed to mitigate weather-related risks to personnel and resources.
“Accurate weather forecasting dictates the pace of operations throughout the Horn of Africa, and we are incredibly grateful to the 726th RAWS technicians who make it possible,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Doug Jacobs, Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa air operations senior enlisted leader. “This sensing equipment acts as our eyes-forward, overcoming data-sparsity to build vital environmental intelligence. Without their dedicated, 24/7 support keeping our eyes on the atmosphere, we would have a critical blind spot affecting every asset. We owe a huge thank you to these technicians; their hard work truly is the foundation of everything we do here.”
The WSSC’s responsibilities span installations and operational locations throughout AFRICOM, requiring technicians to support equipment across vast distances and challenging environments. Their expertise ensures weather forecasters have the information necessary to provide timely and accurate assessments to mission partners across the theater.
While their work often happens behind the scenes, the impact of RAWS Airmen can be felt across the mission.
"In our line of work, being unnoticed is a mark of excellence,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Long Phan, 726 EMSS RAWS. “It signifies that our systems are stable and fully operational, providing reliable meteorological data needed to drive mission success.”
Every functioning weather sensor, calibrated observation system and operational radar contributes to a broader network of environmental awareness that helps safeguard personnel and resources. By ensuring weather systems remain reliable and accurate, WSSC enables commanders to make informed decisions and supports mission execution throughout the AFRICOM area of responsibility.
| Date Taken: | 06.14.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 06.16.2026 00:37 |
| Story ID: | 567785 |
| Location: | CAMP LEMONNIER, DJ |
| Web Views: | 8 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Behind the Systems: RAWS Weather Systems Support Center operations at, by SrA Luis Gomez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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