OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Across the globe, there has been significant changes to daily life since the beginning of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic.
With new protocols in place, the Department of Defense has directed continual operations, and Team Offutt is doing their part to ensure the mission never stops by still generating flights, preparing for deployments and conducting training.
The mission statement of the 55th Wing is “to provide dominant intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electronic attack, and nuclear command and control to national leadership and warfighters, any time, any place.”
The 55th Wing Operations Center, 55th Intelligence Support Squadron’s Electronic Intelligence Processing and Analysis Cell, and Omaha Signals Analysis Lab are continuously producing intelligence reports for national and theater commander requirements.
“The reports we make range from quick ‘what happened where’ type reports, to very complex and detailed explanations of how our competitors do certain things,” said Lt. Col. Michael Roberts, 55th Operations Group. “One of the things we make sure we're doing absolutely right is getting the right person what they need the way they need it, whether that is electronic crosshairs showing up on a weapons system, a breaking news update to the White House, or a monthly update to analysts working long-term programs.”
Reporting instructions have changed throughout the course of the pandemic, with only mission-essential personnel reporting to the installation now to practice safe social distancing.
“We've only got a couple dozen people working in-place in the squadron who are routinely keeping the missions going,” said Roberts. “The Air Force has put a lot of money and effort into new teleworking tools, so personnel are now able to put in critical thought and creativity at home to see what they can do from outside secure areas to support the mission in a way they were not able to before.”
The personnel of the 55th OG are all part of a global presence of the RC-135 aircraft, both at home and in garrison.
“When our aircraft deploy, the forward base not only gets the aircraft and its crew members, but it also gets the support personnel deployed in place at Offutt who work around the clock to add combat power and national decision advantage to the already impressive operations the deployed team is doing,” said Roberts.
This is not the first time Team Offutt has faced a hardship that directly affected operations.
“We’ve been limited in how much we’re able to do since the flood last year, so in a way we were ahead of the curve in terms of thinking through how to continue the mission and do as much as we can even with limited space, personnel, and resources.”
With continuous changes due to last year’s flood and this year’s pandemic, Team Offutt has still maintained resiliency.
“Being directly connected to not just the mission, but also with our deployed brothers and sisters definitely gives us a real sense of camaraderie, and being the first to know the impacts of our missions really make a difference give us a real sense of accomplishment and pride.”