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188th Civil Engineer Squadron deploys to Guantanamo Bay

  • Published
  • By Capt. Heath Allen
  • 188th Public Affairs Officer
Fort Smith, Ark. --  Approximately 50 members of the 188th Fighter Wing's Civil Engineer Squadron departed their home station in Fort Smith, Ark., July 24 to embark on a six-month deployment to Cuba where they will join the 474th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in support of Joint Task Force Guantanamo. 

The primary objective of JTF Guantanamo's 474th ECES is to handle construction issues at Camp Justice and the Expeditionary Legal Complex in support of military commissions at the naval station. 

"It's a very important job and we have the utmost confidence that the 188th will be a vital contributor in this effort," said Col. Tom Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander. "Our Civil Engineer Squadron is comprised of some of the best personnel in the National Guard. 

"They are highly trained and we know they will make their unit, their state and their country proud. We know these deployments require sacrifice from not only the Guardsmen but their families and we appreciate it. We wish all of them a safe return." 

The 188th joined with elements of the Maryland Air National Guard's 175th Air Wing, Illinois Air National Guard's 183rd Fighter Wing and the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing. The four units replaced service members from the 130th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard. 

"We had about a week with the previous unit for a handover," said Chief Master Sgt. Gene Vaughn, a member of the 188th. "They showed us what they did and the methods to get it done." 

The 188th CES will help comprise teams of engineers from the 474th ECES, which will maintain generators and electricity, furnish carpentry skills and provide pest control services, utilities maintenance, heavy equipment operation and liquid fuel support with assistance from administrative, work control and operations teams, which toil to coordinate all of the projects. 

The 474th ECES, which is also known as the Base Emergency Engineering Force (BEEF), also labors to complete projects on the naval station and JTF to help upgrade the conditions for the service members and detainees. 

Many Guardsmen from other states do not have regular access to the BEEF equipment. This deployment will allow younger service members to rehearse their skills and will provide more seasoned Guardsmen a chance to get acquainted with newer equipment. 

The 188th is fortunate to have the BEEF equipment and assets at its home station. 

"At the 188th, we are one of four regional training sites," said Vaughn. "We have all of the BEEF assets and equipment so we're ahead of the game. But we also have junior airmen in just about every shop so this gives them the opportunity to log valuable training." 

Army Staff Sgt. Blair Heusdens, JTF Guantanamo Public Affairs, contributed information for this article.

188th Civil Engineer Squadron deploys to Guantanamo Bay

  • Published
  • By Capt. Heath Allen
  • 188th Public Affairs Officer
Fort Smith, Ark. --  Approximately 50 members of the 188th Fighter Wing's Civil Engineer Squadron departed their home station in Fort Smith, Ark., July 24 to embark on a six-month deployment to Cuba where they will join the 474th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in support of Joint Task Force Guantanamo. 

The primary objective of JTF Guantanamo's 474th ECES is to handle construction issues at Camp Justice and the Expeditionary Legal Complex in support of military commissions at the naval station. 

"It's a very important job and we have the utmost confidence that the 188th will be a vital contributor in this effort," said Col. Tom Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander. "Our Civil Engineer Squadron is comprised of some of the best personnel in the National Guard. 

"They are highly trained and we know they will make their unit, their state and their country proud. We know these deployments require sacrifice from not only the Guardsmen but their families and we appreciate it. We wish all of them a safe return." 

The 188th joined with elements of the Maryland Air National Guard's 175th Air Wing, Illinois Air National Guard's 183rd Fighter Wing and the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing. The four units replaced service members from the 130th Airlift Wing of the West Virginia Air National Guard. 

"We had about a week with the previous unit for a handover," said Chief Master Sgt. Gene Vaughn, a member of the 188th. "They showed us what they did and the methods to get it done." 

The 188th CES will help comprise teams of engineers from the 474th ECES, which will maintain generators and electricity, furnish carpentry skills and provide pest control services, utilities maintenance, heavy equipment operation and liquid fuel support with assistance from administrative, work control and operations teams, which toil to coordinate all of the projects. 

The 474th ECES, which is also known as the Base Emergency Engineering Force (BEEF), also labors to complete projects on the naval station and JTF to help upgrade the conditions for the service members and detainees. 

Many Guardsmen from other states do not have regular access to the BEEF equipment. This deployment will allow younger service members to rehearse their skills and will provide more seasoned Guardsmen a chance to get acquainted with newer equipment. 

The 188th is fortunate to have the BEEF equipment and assets at its home station. 

"At the 188th, we are one of four regional training sites," said Vaughn. "We have all of the BEEF assets and equipment so we're ahead of the game. But we also have junior airmen in just about every shop so this gives them the opportunity to log valuable training." 

Army Staff Sgt. Blair Heusdens, JTF Guantanamo Public Affairs, contributed information for this article.