38th Contracting Squadron is inactivated and reassigned

  • Published
  • By Kimberly Woodruff 72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The 38th Contracting Squadron of Joint Base San Antonio, Lackland Air Force Base, TX and its operating location at Tinker Air Force Base held an inactivation ceremony on June 30 at Tinker AFB.

 

On Aug. 3, 2020, 38 CONS was reassigned to the Acquisition Management Integration Center without resource movement. The final realignment into AMIC’s Detachment 2 became effective June 3, 2021.

 

During the ceremony, the squadron celebrated its new future as part of the AMIC’s Det. 2, and its continued contracting support to the 16th Air Force whose Information Warfare mission provides security across the enterprise.

 

Timothy Applegate, Acquisition Management and Integration Center director spoke during the ceremony and said that upon the standup of 16th Air Force, the commander approved the realignment of the cyber contracting mission from 688th Cyberspace Wing to the AMIC.

 

“Today’s action streamlines and standardizes support to the mission partner by eliminating differing processes and priorities between contracting support offices and takes full advantage of AMIC’s multi-functional, mission-focused organizational structure throughout the entire cradle to grave services contracting lifecycle,” said Applegate.

 

Adding, “Today we celebrate the culmination of the 38 CONS cyber contracting mission and the assumption of that mission by AMIC. Because of the solid foundation laid by the men and women of the 38 CONS — the Great Horned Owls, 16th Air Force’s cyber acquisitions are in great shape. We look forward to our continued partnership with AMIC and the successful execution of the 16 AF information warfare mission.”

 

Veronica Solis, chief of contracting, AMIC Det. 2 said this realignment of personnel and mission support culminates a year and a half long process where contracting support provided to 16th Air Force is now all under one organization.

 

“We honor the legacy of 38 CONS and the Great Horned Owls,” said Solis. “AMIC Det 2 looks forward to our renewed partnership serving the 16th Air Force information warfare mission.”

 

Pamela McGowen relinquished leadership as the last Director at the 38th CONS inactivation ceremony where they encased the squadron’s guidon for the last time.

“The past of the 38th Contracting squadron is steeped in the long history, the legacy, of communication and infrastructure contracting support,” said McGowen. “This complex enterprise paved the way for cyberspace and with it, the information warfare mission. As the mission changes and grows, the organizations supporting it must do the same. The stand-up of the 16th Air Force, and our realignment with AMIC are part of that historical passage. Merging and leveraging the diversity and experience of our people across the enterprise to support this incredible mission, the unit becomes stronger and we grow stronger – as individuals, as a team, and as a family. I am fortunate to lead such an amazing group of people through this transition, and within an organization that recognizes both the importance of mission and contributions of its people.”

 

The 38th Contracting Squadron has a distinguished history linked with its parent units’ origins in 1940’s to 1980’s. In 1987, The U.S. Air Force designated the communications command, with the Engineering Installation Division. EID’s growing mission included communication requirement procurement. The contracting office was integral to mission support.

As time passed, the contracting office supported the Air Force communication mission world-wide, changing names many times with successive reorganizations. But, the contracting professionals continued to support world-wide missions.

That support will continue though the squadron stands down. Information warfare mission partners within ACC, including 16th Air Force, its 67th and 688th Cyberspace Wings, and subordinate units.