Ops Center Made for Two

A specially built, deployable command trailer recently smoothed the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing’s transition from JB Balad, Iraq, to a new—undisclosed—operating location in South West Asia. The Mississippi Air National Guard provided the self-powered mobile operations trailer, which came with working Internet, communications, and everything needed to administer operations—down to the coffee pot. The trailer was designed to allow two personnel to work comfortably in it. “It effectively provided us with instant airfield management capability and references. It also increased our ability to receive C-130s that were moving the early pieces of the base from Balad to here,” said Lt. Col. Paul Carlton, 332nd Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron operations director. A recently erected command tent has now replaced the need for the trailer at the new operating location. The pod was set to return to Mississippi aboard a C-17 to be available for its next mission. “It filled a critical gap in our airfield capabilities and performed admirably,” noted Carlton. (332nd AEW report by SrA Melanie Holochwost)