By Staff Sgt. Savannah L. Waters, 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs / Published October 14, 2020
Members of the 606th Air Control Squadron board a plane for a deployment from Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 10, 2020. The 606th ACS is comprised of U.S. Airmen from more than two dozen different Air Force specialty codes. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Caleb House)
Airmen from the 606th Air Control Squadron wait for a plane to take off at Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 10, 2020. The 606th ACS is comprised of Airmen from more than two dozen different Air Force specialty codes. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Caleb House)
U.S. Airmen with the 606th Air Control Squadron listen to Lt. Col. Brian Robertson, 606th ACS commander, as he says farewell prior to their deployment from Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 10, 2020. The 606th ACS is the only Control and Reporting Center based outside of the continental United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Caleb House)
A U.S. Airman with the 606th Air Control Squadron uses his phone while waiting to leave for a deployment from Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 10, 2020. The 606th ACS deployed to six locations in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Caleb House)
Members of the 606th Air Control Squadron depart for a deployment from Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 10, 2020. The 606th ACS is the only Control and Reporting Center based outside of the continental United States. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Caleb House)
A U.S. Airman from the 606th Air Control Squadron reads a book while waiting to leave for a deployment from Aviano Air Base, Italy, Oct. 10, 2020. The 606th ACS deployed to six locations in Southwest Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Caleb House)
The 606th Air Control Squadron deployed Airmen and assets from 13 different Air Force Specialty Codes to six locations throughout Southwest Asia, Oct. 12, 2020.
The team will provide equipment support and command and control of aircraft across three different mission sets to support joint air operations throughout the U.S. Air Forces Central Command area of responsibility.
In preparation for the deployment, the 31st FW took measures to hinder the transmission of COVID-19 while adhering to host nation and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requirements.
“[Deploying] certainly was different due to COVID,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Joseph Faraone, 606th ACS director of operations. “While we always follow Air Force and host nation rules on the wearing of masks and sanitizing, we were hyper-vigilant during our preparations.”
Due to the risk associated with traveling, the team worked with partners, both at Aviano and U.S. Army Garrison Italy, and executed an approved in-garrison syllabus for required Fieldcraft Hostile training, which is normally completed stateside.
“While we are always in a state of readiness, we have been preparing for the past few months for this specific mission set,” said Faraone. “Our support team and maintainers are critical to our success, and have been taking care of specific deployment requirements.”
For a few of the Airmen this will be their first deployment, but not for Senior Master Sgt. Nathaniel Kubus, 606th ACS operations superintendent.
“This is my seventh deployment in 16 years,” he said. “It’s just the nature of the 1C5X1 career field. Technology these days has made it so much easier to keep in touch but [it] still doesn’t make saying goodbye [to my family] any easier…it’s part of what the Air Force pays us to do.”
Saying goodbye to family can be the hardest part of a deployment for some, but Airmen understand the importance of the job they’ve been tasked to do, Kubus said.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the team we are bringing downrange,” he said. “Thirty percent of the operators we are bringing with us haven’t even been home for a full year and they are heading back out to do the mission. It’s really impressive to see the team come together as one for the same goal.”
Kubus applauded the weapons and tactics flight, led by U.S. Air Force Capt. Jonathan Barnett, 606th ACS weapons and tactics flight chief, who put together a four-week AFCENT spin-up and certification plan that refreshed those with experience and trained those without for what to expect. He also recognized equipment maintainers and mission support personnel for making their jobs possible.
“This is such a great opportunity,” Faraone said. “The professionalism our Airmen execute the tactical mission with sends a strategic message about the abilities and quality of Airmen we develop. I couldn’t be more proud our Airmen and all the work they have put in over the past few months to prepare for this mission.”