The Bridge, The Chain, The Heart: Command Post Insight

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Pedro Tenorio
  • 36th Wing
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  

To our brave Command Post brothers and sisters who send out all those AtHOC messages, test the giant voice and tell us when there is lightning within five … we salute you … of course also for being the information highway/communication heart of the base … but mostly for the AtHOCS!

All jokes aside, Command Post is almost always at the top of the list for AFB’s unsung heroes. Today, we hope to remedy some of that by highlighting our great team here on Andersen as they recently granted us exclusive access to see the life of an emergency action controller.

“Essentially, we are upchanneling and downchanneling information 24/7,” said Staff Sgt. Tyrone Hilton, 36th Command Post emergency actions controller. “Anything from an injury, damage to property, up to FPCON (force protection conditions) changes, or National Security changes that affect our base. We get that and funnel it down to where it needs to go. It's a never ending information flow through our office.”

As the “eyes and ears” of the base, they don’t just know everything, they NEED to know everything. Senior Airman Andrew Vance, 36th Command Post EAC, said that everything on base is connected in some way … most of that time though it is through Command Post. As a vital link in the chain, if they were ever to go down, that bridge connecting all of us falls apart.

“I think if Command Post was shut down for any reason a lot of the communication around base would just stop because we are the middle man, either between HQ and the Wing Commander or even between agencies on base,” said Airman 1st Class Alyssa Wilkerson, 36th Command Post EAC. “There are certain systems that we use to inform certain people, a lot of other agencies don’t have access to those systems. The base would be fine, but there would be a lot of confusion.”

Confusion is the key word here and just to clear any confusion you the reader may be having. The Command Post doesn’t just connect one agency to another, they get information from one agency and then distribute it accordingly, whether it be to one “need-to-know” person, or a whole slew of people.

“For example, when aircrafts come in we have to contact maintainers, 734th AMS, their MOC, their ATOC, transit alert or TA, transportation, USDA,” said Wilkerson. “Those are all the agencies we have to notify for that one flight. If we have 20 flights a day you’re calling them nonstop.”

This scenario and many others happen over 24 hours every day. Emergency actions, messages from other PACAF bases, flightline weather warnings and more, is a lot of info to keep track of and then those messages have an even bigger list of people to send to.

The secret to the efficiency of this loop of inflow and outflow, is the composition of the Command Post team. We learned that at the forefront of the Command Post operation is the Senior Controller who is in charge of the shifts (day and night), who leads a team of Junior Controllers and is expected to be on console for their whole 12 hours. These controllers are what you imagine when thinking of the command and control center. In the back office they have noncommissioned officers in charge of operations, systems, quality assurance and training.

These NCOs also have to work on shift at certain times in the month so they can keep their certifications.

Speaking of certifications, each controller must get certified by the Wing Commander within 60 days of arriving at station. They also must learn around 20+ programs or systems on both their unclassified and secret computers. 

Suffice to say, there are a lot of individuals who don't fully understand the challenges Command Post goes through. 

Wilkerson said, they aren’t in public a lot due to the nature of the job, people often don't know any Command Post Airmen besides through the phone. Out of sight, out of mind, is really an issue that could plague a Command Post Airman. Luckily though they do have each other for support as being locked in a room with someone, 9 times out of 10, builds a strong bond.

“Just wait till you’re on a 12 hour night shift and you go ‘wow you’re alright,’” said Wilkerson. “ I heard some horror stories of other command posts where just one person can ruin it for everybody, but I think here at Andersen the camaraderie between us is pretty good.”

Ending on that positive note, all while we (in other career fields), start getting ready to head home, or go out for team building lunch, or go to the awesome Force Support function, somewhere ... in an undisclosed location, Command Post are watching, listening and making sure everything is running smoothly in the background. Although not searching for recognition, these dedicated Airmen definitely deserve it.