TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 552nd Logistics Support Squadron was activated in a ceremony held at the 552nd Air Control Wing’s Dock 2 April 26, 2024.
The unit was previously designated as the 552nd Maintenance Operations Flight and is now formally recognized as a Squadron, with the resources, manning, and funding that accompanies that designation.
After assuming command, Lt. Col. Timothy Kosmala, 552nd LSS commander thanked the men and women of his new squadron for their hard work and dedication but said there was still much work ahead.
“Make no mistake, we still have a lot of work to do, and the job does not get easier with less aircraft, less parts, and higher demand for command and control,” said Kosmala. “It is up to you to find more efficient and effective ways to get the job done. We must all work towards a common goal, trust the decisions of our leaders and rely on the bond that ties our relentless drive to protect our freedom and democracy from those that wish to take it.”
Col. Kelley Stevens, 552nd Maintenance Group commander, the ceremony’s presiding official, was also assigned to the 552 MXG when the squadron was inactivated several years ago.
“I was in this hangar on a sad day a little over 11 years ago when we rolled up the MOS [Maintenance Operations Squadron] flag and turned the unit into a flight,” said Stevens. “I am both ecstatic and honored to be the one to reactivate the squadron and appoint a deserving commander.”
She added, “Not much will change in the daily function and execution of the organization; for most, it will be largely transparent. What will be significant is how the organization is viewed outside of the wing and how it will be resourced, most importantly the continuity of command.”
The 552nd LSS originally activated in October 1943 as the 552nd Service Support Squadron, was disbanded after World War II and reactivated in 1992 as the 552nd LSS. After a redesignation in 2002 as the 552nd MOS, an Air Force reorganization led to the squadron’s inactivation in 2013.
The 552nd LSS enables rapid E-3 Sentry AWACS Employment to provide command and control capability worldwide. It is responsible for administration, E-3 aircraft plans, scheduling and analysis, engine management, wing logistics readiness to include supply management and individual protective equipment, MXG training program management, and the wing's vehicle fleet management and repair and enhancement programs.