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Mission Statement: Group Headquarters provides
planning, engineering, command level coordination, and process approval to
train, advise, and direct combat ready units of citizen soldiers providing
tactical communications and air traffic services for total force integration.
Secondly, to provide a ready militia for protecting life and property;
preserving peace, order, and public safety; plus serve actively within our local
communities.
Federal Mission:
The mission of the Headquarters 253rd Combat Communications Group is to train
people and be ready to deploy anywhere in the world on very short notice and
provide quality communications and air traffic control services in support of
Air Force requirements and other contingencies.
Upon mobilization, Air Combat Command (ACC) will assume operational command of
the 253CCG and direct deployment of the Group Headquarters and its assigned
subordinate units.
State Mission:
The 253 Combat Communications Group's State mission is to provide forces to the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts for use during local or statewide disasters of
emergencies for protecting life and property, and to preserve peace, order, and
public safety
Basic Facts:
HQ 253CCG is located at Otis ANGB, Cape Cod,
Massachusetts. The unit relocated from Wellesley, MA to Otis ANGB in 1996 due to
mission and equipment changes. The Group Headquarters mission is to provide
training supervision to six subordinate units located in four states and the
District of Columbia. Upon mobilization, the 253CCG assumes a broader mission.
This mission is to command and administer assigned units, ensuring their
readiness to deploy worldwide and provide communications systems and terminal
air traffic control services in support of tactical air forces and USAF
contingency operations.
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In simplified terms, the 253CCG and its assigned units serve as the "AT&T",
"FAA" and the "local internet provider" of the Air Force. Our units provide a
full range of communications services and air traffic control services to
deployed flying units, normally for Wing or Squadron level flying units for Air
Combat Command and Air Mobility Command. From hand held satellite transceivers
to multichannel, 20 foot dish satellite terminals, from portable high frequency
radios to radios powerful enough to talk halfway around the world, the
communications units managed by the 253CCG can meet all the needs of a flying
unit commander for communication services, both classified and non-classified.
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The air traffic control units and flights within the Group can provide the full
range of air traffic control service with their mobile air traffic control
tower, Tactical Air Control and Navigation (TACAN), and approach control radar.
With all their equipment being highly mobile, the units of the 253CCG are
capable of deploying and conducting sustained operations anywhere in the world.
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Desert Shield/Storm began on August 7, 1991 after the invasion of Kuwait. Within
ten days, the 267CBCS working through the coordination efforts of the 253CCG
Group Readiness Center, was involved in deploying equipment to support the Air
Force and coalition forces in the Gulf. Volunteers from the 267CBCS solicited by
the 253CCG Readiness Center joined other Group members to deploy and support
Desert Shield. The Group Readiness Center worked 24 hour shifts to meet the
myriad of equipment and personnel demands for Desert Shield support. The
countless hours of training and foresight of the Group Headquarters to stress
the digital communications paid off as the units were able to meet critical
communications requirements of the Air Force.
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In recent years, the Group Headquarters spearheaded the employment of newly
acquired digital communications equipment (Theater Deployable Communications)
designed to provide the customer (the flying commander) with high quality and
more reliable communications. Through extensive operational training programs,
all units have been working towards using the new equipment and technology.
These have been major undertakings that required the focused attention and
dedication of all the men and women assigned to the 253CCG.
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In June 1999, a Presidential Selective Reserve Call-up (PSRC) transpired. A
total of 42 members of both the 253CCG and 267CBCS were placed on active duty to
support the "Kosovo/Allied Force" contingency. The 253CCG activated 20 members
to support various locations for the duration of this operation. Additionally
the 267CBCS had 22 personnel activated at Otis and provided "Just In Time
Training" to personnel on the new TDC equipment. The students that attended were
from the Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Active Duty Air Force units
nationwide.
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In 2001, the 267CBCS, collocated with the 253CCG, played a vital role in the
first employment of the Theater Deployable Communications Equipment during
Operation Enduring Freedom. From September 2001 to July 2003 HQ 253CCG mobilized
over 20 personnel. They augmented the Headquarters Air Combat Command staff in
filling USAF/ANG communications requirements to meet worldwide contingencies.
Text and images courtesy of the 102nd
IW Website
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