OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- It takes a team of highly skilled Airmen to keep a base like Osan Air Base running in top shape, especially during times of heightened tensions and exercises – much like Beverly Midnight 16-01. But, in order for these Airmen to Defend, Deter and Sustain at 100 percent, our communication systems must also be ready to Fight Tonight.
The 51st Communications Squadron has the daunting task of keeping more than 8,000 Airmen connected on a daily basis. Add on the difficulty of being in an awkward chemical protection suit, or mission oriented protection posture (MOPP) gear, 12 to 14 hour shift work, and simulated attacks and you have a recipe for high stress.
However, to reduce that stress is a small team of Airmen in the emergency operations center here under the guise of the emergency support function two -- communications.
“We’ve got some really great Airmen with great attitudes here,” said Senior Master Sgt. Bridget Bruhn, 51st CS Network Operations Flight superintendent and ESF-2 day shift lead. “As close as we are to wartime on a daily basis just being in Korea, everything is normally a priority. So we help differentiate between what is an absolute priority and what can wait.”
Bruhn said they prioritize based on what affects a unit’s wartime effectiveness; what is needed versus what is wanted. She said coordination happens inside the EOC for top-priority items and she and her team deconflict request to remove the confusion or intimidation from requests that may seem more urgent than they are.
The EOC is a command and control support element, activated by an installation commander, that directs, monitors, and supports the installation’s actions before, during and after an incident. The EOC mirrors the Federal Emergency Management Agency in how it’s organized and named to facilitate joint operations that require both military and state/federal assistance.
The communications team in ESF-2 contributes to the EOC by being the central focal point for communications-related questions or requests from other members of the EOC -- from the installation commander to chaplains.
“I like receiving the information first and having the situational awareness about what is going on to help the unit with their request,” said Bruhn. “It’s awesome to see how our unit functions--truly functions, in a wartime environment.”
On Bruhn’s team is Staff Sgt. Michelle Hussey, a 51st CS client systems supervisor, and a team of six other Airmen who do most the “heavy lifting” or on-site fixes in the EOC.
“Our computer support technicians are hand-selected for their potential to excel in a high operations tempo, high-visibility environment,” said Hussey. “They directly interact with and support senior leaders in the crisis action team which is collocated with the EOC, so they need to be on the top of their game.”
Whether in the EOC or on-site responding to a request, communications Airmen enable the 51st Fighter Wing and its assets to continue its mission, ensure communication isn’t lost and ensure combat-ready Airmen are able to Fight Tonight.