U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY -- As the sun sets and temperatures cool, U.S. Airmen assigned to the 378th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Pavements and Equipment Flight, “Dirtboyz,” begin a series of revitalization projects across the installation, to enhance long-term mission sustainment and further foster enduring operational capabilities across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, May 31, 2025.
The 378th ECES ensures the U.S. Air Force has the necessary capabilities to maintain dominance across complex warfighting environments, through construction of mission-critical structures, offloading and transporting cargo and equipment, securing areas and constructing quality of life improvements.
By investing in semi-permanent facilities, the U.S. Air Force ensures the persistent availability of key capabilities, reinforces interoperability with Joint and Coalition forces, and demonstrates a forward presence designed for strategic depth and deterrence in a dynamic and contested region.
“We are a vital part of the entire base by maintaining roads, concrete and facilities that allow other careers and services to be able to do their jobs successfully,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Shawn Howard, 378th ECES P&E craftsman. “We maintain and provide support to allow not only the U.S. Air Force, but also our Joint and Coalition partners to remain mission-ready.”
The 378th ECES is spearheading the modernization of infrastructure and defense capabilities within strategic sectors across the installation to provide a more agile, resilient battlespace to support the longevity of the U.S. Air Force’s presence within the CENTCOM AOR.
“We train regularly to support repairs at a moment’s notice,” U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alexander Sallee. “We are expected to regularly support the installation’s footprint through laying the groundwork for projects that might extend past our rotation of forces. Any construction, improvement or repair involving a horizontal surface likely has the ‘Dirtboyz’ footprint on it.”
This “enduring mindset” is solidified as 378th ECES continues to build the foundation for long-term mission success across the installation. Airfield operations are directly tied to rapid-deployment of defensive assets, while construction of hardened facilities provides support to forces stationed across the installation.
Hardened infrastructure withstands harsh environmental conditions, minimizes the need for repeated repairs and offers better protection for personnel and critical equipment. This shift not only improves daily mission execution and readiness but also decreases reliance on short-term contingency solutions, paving the way for sustained operations.
“The ‘Dirtboyz’ are the backbone to agencies across the base," said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Shawn Medeiros, 378th ECES P&E section chief. “Our job is more than heavy equipment operations. From airfield to road repairs, we provide any type of horizontal construction that directly contributes to the success of the installation and overall U.S. Air Force mission.”
The transformation of temporary assets into permanent infrastructure underscores the Air Force’s enduring posture in the CENTCOM AOR, made possible through the technical and strategic efforts of 378th ECES.