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Air Force Space Commander visits 195th Wing

  • Published
  • By Maj. Bryan Williams
  • 195th Wing executive officer
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The commander and command chief master sergeant of Air Force Space Command recently paid a visit to the 195th Wing here, while meeting with AFSPC units at Beale Air Force Base, California.

During the visit, Gen. John E. Hyten, AFSPC commander, and Chief Master Sgt. Patrick McMahon, AFSPC command chief master sergeant, met with the leadership of the 195th Wing, as part of a larger tour of AFSPC organizations on the West Coast.

Hyten impressed to wing leadership how important the current and future missions of the 148th Space Operations Squadron and the 216th Space Control Squadron are to Air Force Space Command. Both the 148th and the 216th are Geographically Separated Units of the 195th Wing, and are located at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

"We are a warfighting command now," said Hyten. "We are building warfighters to fight against the threats in air, space and cyberspace."

Gen. Hyten's visit brought the opportunity for 195th Wing leadership to have a candid discussion about future missions and receive valuable feedback from Air Force Space Command. Some of the other topics discussed during the meeting include the wing's role in total force combat communications and the need to modernize equipment.

Hyten also spoke about the how the 195th fits into new strategies being considered by the Air Force to recruit highly qualified civilians who have a wealth of experience in private sector technology jobs that they could bring with them into the military.

"Gen. Hyten's visit to the 195th Wing put an exclamation point on the activation of the newest Wing in the Air Force," said Col. Rick Hern, 195th Wing commander. "His extensive knowledge of the missions of our GSUs conducting space and combat communications missions clearly shows the 195th Wing's relevance in today's modern Air Force."

The 195th Wing is the newest wing in the Air National Guard, and the only ANG organization gained by Air Force Space Command. Its mission is to serve as a hub for all non-flying, non-kinetic global effects operations in the California ANG, and provide expeditionary communications and network warfare services in both a federal and state capacity.