The United States Air Force's 1st Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron is a combat support unit located at Mihail Kogălniceanu, Romania as of 2024.[2] It was previously located at Wiesbaden, Germany between 2001 and 2011.
1st Air Support Operations Squadron
 | |
|---|---|
 Tactical Air Control Party airman from the 1st Air Support Operations Squadron secures a position during Exercise Allied Strike at Grafenwöhr, Germany | |
| Active | 1996–2011; 2023(?)–present |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Role | Air Support Operations |
| Part of | United States Air Forces Europe |
| Garrison/HQ | Mihail Kogălniceanu, Romania |
| Nickname(s) | Reapers |
| Engagements | Iraq War |
| Decorations | Air Force Outstanding Unit Award[1] |
| Insignia | |
| 1st Air Support Operations Squadron emblem (approved 28 November 2000)[1] |  |
Mission
editThe squadron provided tactical command and control of airpower assets to the Joint Forces Air Component Commander and Joint Forces Land Component Commander for combat operations.
History
editThe squadron was constituted on 1 September 1996 and activated at Bad Kreuznach, Germany on 30 September 1996. On 31 July 2001, it was relocated to Wiesbaden Army Air Field where it remained active until 2011.[1] In March 2011, when the 1st Armored Division was relocated back to the United States, the squadron was inactivated and the remaining mission was taken over by the 4th Air Support Operations Group.
In a response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the 1st Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron (1st EASOS) was established circa 2023[3] from members across the Tactical Air Control Party. The role of the squadron is to participate in allied and partner nation exercises and ensure air-ground coordination during expeditionary deployments to deter enemy aggression.[4][unreliable source?] As of 2024, the 1st EASOS is deployed to the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania.[2]
Lineage and assignments
edit| Date | Designation | Assignment | Station | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 1996 | 1 Air Support Operations Squadron | inactive | [1] | |
| 30 September 1996 | 4th Air Support Operations Group | Bad Kreuznach, Germany | [1] | |
| 31 July 2001 | Wiesbaden Army Air Field | [1] | ||
| 1 October 2011 | inactive | [1] | ||
Awards and campaigns
edit
| Award streamer | Award | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 30 September 1996-30 June 1997 | 1st Air Support Operations Squadron[1] |
| |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 1998-30 September 2000 | 1st Air Support Operations Squadron[1] |
| |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 October 2002-30 September 2004 | 1st Air Support Operations Squadron[1] |
| |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 2006-31 December 2007 | 1st Air Support Operations Squadron[1] |
| |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 2008-30 June 2009 | 1st Air Support Operations Squadron[1] |
| |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 16 July 2009-31 December 2010 | 1st Air Support Operations Squadron[1] |
| |
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award | 1 January 2011-31 December 2011 | 1st Air Support Operations Squadron[1] |
References
editNotes
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Dollman, TSG David (15 May 2017). "Factsheet 1 Air Support Operations Squadron (USAFE)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
- ^ a b Xie, Ashley (30 April 2024). "TACPs at MKAB Honor the Fallen". army.mil.
- ^ Burton, Lou (21 June 2023). "435th AGOW Airmen blend resiliency with giving back". DVIDS.
- ^ "Mihail Kogalniceanu 1st EASOS". squadronposters.com. 29 October 2023.
Bibliography
edit
This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency