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Needham assumes command of 288th Operations Support Squadron

  • Published
  • By Maj Heath Allen
  • 188th Wing
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  Maj. Paul Needham has spent the majority of his career as an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance professional and has supported contingency operations around the world.

Needham will put that ISR pedigree to good use as the inaugural commander of the newly activated 288th Operations Support Squadron. Needham assumed command of the 288th OSS during the newly redesignated 188th Wing's Conversion Day ceremony held at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, June 7, 2014.

"I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead some of the finest Airmen I have encountered in my 22-year career," Needham said. "I look forward to challenges that will be faced and the successes that will be earned by the Airmen of the 288th Operations Support Squadron. I will encourage the Airmen of the 288th OSS to strive to be the finest intelligence operators in the Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force."

Needham will be laboring to build squadron cohesion from scratch. Many of his Airmen will be retraining from a maintenance background. Some members of his squadron were transferred from the 123rd Intelligence Squadron, which moved under the 188th Wing's flag as part of the wing's mission conversion from fighters to ISR and remotely piloted aircraft mission sets.

The 288th OSS is composed of 52 dedicated Airmen and is one of three squadrons that comprises Distributed Common Ground Station - Arkansas, a combat unit operating and maintaining an Air National Guard component of the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System. The 288th falls under the 188th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (ISRG) of the 188th Wing. The 288th will provide support to the daily operations of the 188th ISR Group, including training, plans, mission management, and weapons and tactics functions for the AN/GSQ-272 "SENTINEL" weapon system.

Needham expressed excitement concerning the ISR center of excellence concept the 188th will be striving to achieve with the Distributed Common Ground Station, targeting and remotely piloted aircraft pieces to the mission all on the same base on the same operations floor conducting real-time combat ops from Fort Smith, Arkansas.

"Together we will develop new tactics, techniques and procedures on a combined DCGS and RPA operations floor," Needham said. "We will also work to strengthen existing intelligence training programs and manage the DCGS weapons system and missions assigned to DGS-AR. Together we will work to provide first class actionable intelligence to warfighters, planners, and senior leaders."

Needham began his career in the Arkansas ANG as an enlisted member in January 1994 after serving a two-year tour in the U.S. Army. He began his intelligence career as a photographic interpretation analyst, eventually progressing to a flight superintendent.

He was commissioned as an officer in 2004 before earning his intelligence officer's badge in 2005. In 2006, he served as a flight commander to the director of operations at the 123rd Intelligence Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.

In 2007, he progressed to assistant director of operations at the 123rd before serving in the role of detachment commander in 2008 when he commanded personnel and conducted DGS operations in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. In 2009, Needham became the director of operations for the 123rd leading the effort to procure a first of its kind domestic emergency response trailer which provides real time images to first responders in the event of a domestic disaster.

He has been mobilized six times, three of which were deployments to other locations around the world. Needham has been qualified in the SENTINEL weapon system since 2002, having accrued more than 4,500 hours of mission time both as an enlisted crew member and mission operations commander. He also possesses both an instructor qualification and intelligence evaluator certification on the SENTINEL weapon system.

"Maj. Needham is a seasoned intelligence officer and an outstanding choice to stand up a brand new squadron," said Col. Mark Anderson, 188th Wing commander. "His leadership and extensive experience in a number of operations will be invaluable to our wing as we strive to become an ISR center of excellence."


Needham assumes command of 288th Operations Support Squadron

  • Published
  • By Maj Heath Allen
  • 188th Wing
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  Maj. Paul Needham has spent the majority of his career as an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance professional and has supported contingency operations around the world.

Needham will put that ISR pedigree to good use as the inaugural commander of the newly activated 288th Operations Support Squadron. Needham assumed command of the 288th OSS during the newly redesignated 188th Wing's Conversion Day ceremony held at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, Fort Smith, Arkansas, June 7, 2014.

"I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to lead some of the finest Airmen I have encountered in my 22-year career," Needham said. "I look forward to challenges that will be faced and the successes that will be earned by the Airmen of the 288th Operations Support Squadron. I will encourage the Airmen of the 288th OSS to strive to be the finest intelligence operators in the Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force."

Needham will be laboring to build squadron cohesion from scratch. Many of his Airmen will be retraining from a maintenance background. Some members of his squadron were transferred from the 123rd Intelligence Squadron, which moved under the 188th Wing's flag as part of the wing's mission conversion from fighters to ISR and remotely piloted aircraft mission sets.

The 288th OSS is composed of 52 dedicated Airmen and is one of three squadrons that comprises Distributed Common Ground Station - Arkansas, a combat unit operating and maintaining an Air National Guard component of the Air Force Distributed Common Ground System. The 288th falls under the 188th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group (ISRG) of the 188th Wing. The 288th will provide support to the daily operations of the 188th ISR Group, including training, plans, mission management, and weapons and tactics functions for the AN/GSQ-272 "SENTINEL" weapon system.

Needham expressed excitement concerning the ISR center of excellence concept the 188th will be striving to achieve with the Distributed Common Ground Station, targeting and remotely piloted aircraft pieces to the mission all on the same base on the same operations floor conducting real-time combat ops from Fort Smith, Arkansas.

"Together we will develop new tactics, techniques and procedures on a combined DCGS and RPA operations floor," Needham said. "We will also work to strengthen existing intelligence training programs and manage the DCGS weapons system and missions assigned to DGS-AR. Together we will work to provide first class actionable intelligence to warfighters, planners, and senior leaders."

Needham began his career in the Arkansas ANG as an enlisted member in January 1994 after serving a two-year tour in the U.S. Army. He began his intelligence career as a photographic interpretation analyst, eventually progressing to a flight superintendent.

He was commissioned as an officer in 2004 before earning his intelligence officer's badge in 2005. In 2006, he served as a flight commander to the director of operations at the 123rd Intelligence Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.

In 2007, he progressed to assistant director of operations at the 123rd before serving in the role of detachment commander in 2008 when he commanded personnel and conducted DGS operations in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. In 2009, Needham became the director of operations for the 123rd leading the effort to procure a first of its kind domestic emergency response trailer which provides real time images to first responders in the event of a domestic disaster.

He has been mobilized six times, three of which were deployments to other locations around the world. Needham has been qualified in the SENTINEL weapon system since 2002, having accrued more than 4,500 hours of mission time both as an enlisted crew member and mission operations commander. He also possesses both an instructor qualification and intelligence evaluator certification on the SENTINEL weapon system.

"Maj. Needham is a seasoned intelligence officer and an outstanding choice to stand up a brand new squadron," said Col. Mark Anderson, 188th Wing commander. "His leadership and extensive experience in a number of operations will be invaluable to our wing as we strive to become an ISR center of excellence."