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505th Command and Control Wing News

Former 505th CCW officer takes command of new combat unit in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Staff Reports
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan --  A former 505th Command and Control Wing officer took command of the 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group during an assumption of command ceremony at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, March 30.

Col. James Thomas took hold of the 504th EASOG guidon from Lt. Gen. Gary North, 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central commander, in front of unit Airmen, distinguished guests and Bagram servicemembers.

"I'm honored and humbled to serve as the commander of this distinguished unit," said the 23-year Air Force veteran who recently served as the 505th Command and Control Wing 's Detachment 1 commander for the Army Battle Command Training Program at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. "I've spent the last year and a half spreading the gospel about air-to-ground integration and now I get to put all the doctrine I've learned to work."
As the Det. 1 commander, Col. Thomas helped bring an Air Force perspective to the Army's most important mission rehearsal and warfighter training exercises, providing an accurate representation of air force capabilities and highlighting Air Force-Army integration opportunities to Corps and Division leaders. Given Colonel Thomas' experiences at Det. 1 and his previous assignment as commander of an Air Support Operations Squadron, he was the perfect choice to stand up the Air Support Operations Group in Afghanistan. 

"Here's an Airman who spent the past 18 months working directly with BCTP not knowing he was himself spinning up for his own in-the-box rotation," said Mr. Richard McKee, Det. 1 deputy commander.
Det. 1 works directly with the Army in one of BCTP's five units. BCTP is the Army's top training program for senior officers in command of units scheduled to deploy. The program conducts or supports realistic, relevant combined arms training for a diverse audience that may include Joint Task Force leadership down through the ranks to battalion commanders and their staffs, and any level of command in between.

As the first 504th EASOG commander, Colonel Thomas leads more than 125 air liaison officers, tactical air controller party and combat weather Airmen assigned to three squadrons - the 717th Air Support Operations Squadron, 817th ASOS and 917th Combat Weather Squadron - deployed throughout Afghanistan.

The colonel said he's looking forward to working briefly with the Army's 101st Airborne Division before it is replaced by the 82nd Airborne Division next month.

"This job is not just about taking care of Airmen," explained Colonel Thomas, "it's also about taking care of the Soldiers on the ground."

Shortly before Colonel Thomas assumed command of the unit, General North unveiled the distinguished unit's guidon for the first time since the 504th Tactical Air Support Group was inactivated in 1972.

"As the 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group begins its combat legacy, it's important for us all to understand the significance of the air support operations squadrons and combat weather squadrons in today's fight," said General North.

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Former 505th CCW officer takes command of new combat unit in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Staff Reports
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan --  A former 505th Command and Control Wing officer took command of the 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group during an assumption of command ceremony at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, March 30.

Col. James Thomas took hold of the 504th EASOG guidon from Lt. Gen. Gary North, 9th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Central commander, in front of unit Airmen, distinguished guests and Bagram servicemembers.

"I'm honored and humbled to serve as the commander of this distinguished unit," said the 23-year Air Force veteran who recently served as the 505th Command and Control Wing 's Detachment 1 commander for the Army Battle Command Training Program at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. "I've spent the last year and a half spreading the gospel about air-to-ground integration and now I get to put all the doctrine I've learned to work."
As the Det. 1 commander, Col. Thomas helped bring an Air Force perspective to the Army's most important mission rehearsal and warfighter training exercises, providing an accurate representation of air force capabilities and highlighting Air Force-Army integration opportunities to Corps and Division leaders. Given Colonel Thomas' experiences at Det. 1 and his previous assignment as commander of an Air Support Operations Squadron, he was the perfect choice to stand up the Air Support Operations Group in Afghanistan. 

"Here's an Airman who spent the past 18 months working directly with BCTP not knowing he was himself spinning up for his own in-the-box rotation," said Mr. Richard McKee, Det. 1 deputy commander.
Det. 1 works directly with the Army in one of BCTP's five units. BCTP is the Army's top training program for senior officers in command of units scheduled to deploy. The program conducts or supports realistic, relevant combined arms training for a diverse audience that may include Joint Task Force leadership down through the ranks to battalion commanders and their staffs, and any level of command in between.

As the first 504th EASOG commander, Colonel Thomas leads more than 125 air liaison officers, tactical air controller party and combat weather Airmen assigned to three squadrons - the 717th Air Support Operations Squadron, 817th ASOS and 917th Combat Weather Squadron - deployed throughout Afghanistan.

The colonel said he's looking forward to working briefly with the Army's 101st Airborne Division before it is replaced by the 82nd Airborne Division next month.

"This job is not just about taking care of Airmen," explained Colonel Thomas, "it's also about taking care of the Soldiers on the ground."

Shortly before Colonel Thomas assumed command of the unit, General North unveiled the distinguished unit's guidon for the first time since the 504th Tactical Air Support Group was inactivated in 1972.

"As the 504th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Group begins its combat legacy, it's important for us all to understand the significance of the air support operations squadrons and combat weather squadrons in today's fight," said General North.