Inside the 908th: Command and Control

  • Published
  • By Maj. John T. Stamm
  • 908th Airlift Wing

Does the idea of providing support to Homeland Security, National Defense, and Air Force operations sound exciting?  What about performing actions to ensure prompt response during Emergency Management operations?

If this interests you, then a part-time career as a 908th Airlift Wing Command and Control Specialist may be right up your alley.

C2 Specialists (Air Force Specialty Code 1C3X1) manage and perform activities within fixed ground, mobile and airborne command and control facilities such as installation and expeditionary command posts, operations centers, rescue coordination centers, and Combatant Command and Major Command command centers. They provide command, control, communications, and information support throughout the full spectrum of operations to include peacetime, emergency and disaster situations, crisis, contingencies and war, including immediate mobilization of resources and participation of agencies and organizations.

“We’re really the hub of all activities, especially during emergencies,” said Tech. Sgt. Chelsea A. Selby, 908th Airlift Wing noncommissioned officer in charge of reports and readiness at the Maxwell Command Post.  “We coordinate with just about every other agency on base, providing resources and information.”

C2 Specialists establish procedures for operational and defense readiness reporting to include developing procedures, maintaining databases and training personnel.  They also receive and disseminate time-critical information to and from the commander to internal and external agencies during daily operations, natural disasters, wartime and contingency operations to affect positive control of assigned forces and weapons systems. 

In an operational environment, 1C3X1’s manage aerospace resources and monitor mission status to include aircraft, aircrew support, transportation, maintenance support, fleet services, and passenger and cargo support, often relaying information to and from aircrews. 

Airmen in this specialty coordinate actions to ensure prompt response during emergency operations including immediate mobilization of resources and participation of agencies and organizations.  They receive, process, and disseminate emergency action messages via voice and record copy systems, relay instructions for diversion, recall, evacuation, recovery, and reconstitution of forces and coordinate and execute search and rescue activities.  They also monitor actions to preserve life, minimize damage, and restore operations following natural disasters, accidents, wartime attacks, and military operations other than war, supporting chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive conventional warning and reporting activities.

“We are the nucleus of information,” said Tech. Sgt. Nicholas A. Johnson, 908th Airlift Wing noncommissioned officer in charge of console operations at the Maxwell Command Post.  “Our job is to know what happens to our members on and off base.”

To be considered for entry into this specialty, minimum scores of 57 General and 55 Administrative on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test are required.  Also, potential members must have normal color vision and demonstrate the ability to speak English clearly and distinctly.

If you are interested in a part-time career with full-time benefits as a Reserve Citizen Airman with the 908th Airlift Wing, please contact our Recruiting staff at 334-953-6737.