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Past, present 3rd Herd members celebrate history

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  • 3rd Combat Communications Group
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Oldest, Biggest, Best. These are the words that describe the 3rd Combat
Communications Group, or 3rd Herd.

Assigned to Tinker AFB in 1949, the group has been re-designated and re-aligned many times, and through it all, has outlasted many command restructurings.

Past and present group members came together May 30-31 to celebrate the group's heritage and reflect on past experiences. Hosted by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Oklahoma City Chapter and the 3rd Herd Top 3, the two-day celebration brought together current members of the 3rd Herd, alumni, base and community leaders to honor the distinguished heritage of the 3rd Herd one last time.
The weekend started off with a golf event with retired generals and chiefs taking the top score for the event.

Multiple sports and game competitions lasted throughout the day as older alumni forged new bonds with younger crowds over scrimmages of softball and cornhole.

Later that day guests enjoyed the deployed communications mission brief, with specific details on the responsibilities of the sections at a downrange site. Most people reminisced about past experiences, how things have changed over the years, and recalled memories of operations they were involved in.

The first night ended with an icebreaker event at the Tinker Club, which held a for-fun casino night. It was an entertaining event with multiple stories shared about traditions.
The second day started bright and early with a standard promotion ceremony and stampede run around the housing area. It is a tradition for the 3rd Herd to perform a formation run at the end of every month.

The heritage park dedication was promoted as the marquee event for all. Numerous off-base personnel from local government offices, as well as sponsors of the heritage event, were on hand for the dedication. The park is located in front of the 34th Combat Communications Squadron in the 3rd Herd compoind.

Retired Maj. Gen. John Maluda was slated to be the speaker at the park dedication, but "called an audible" and "handed the ball off" to retired Brig. Gen. Gregory Brundidge.
"I recall two operations from the not too distant past that dramatically changed how Americans viewed our place on the global stage," General Brundidge said. "Within a few short weeks of 9/11 we in the Herd found ourselves having repeated zero-dark thirty episodes as we deployed team after team of combat comm professionals to (several) locations in Afghanistan and Southwest Asia to be part of Operation Enduring Freedom. And then, just over a year later, we were called on again for Operation Iraqi Freedom. What I remember most is that in spite of the dangers of wartime deployment, every Airman, young and old, showed up at zero-dark thirty, ready and willing to serve, and to perform their duty with excellence, whatever the cost."

In a truly moving fashion, he wrapped up his speech with a focus on the park."You won't see big displays of equipment, but instead displays focused on people who made it work, and their Integrity, Service before Self, and Excellence in all they did," he said. "This park will serve as a place of honor for all 3rd Herders to come and reflect on, and to remember their service, their pride, their excellence and their accomplishments."

After the ribbon was cut, the day's events continued with an alumni luncheon panel. The panel allowed retired Brig. Gen. Randy Witt, retired Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force No. 15 Rodney McKinley and Col. David Babyak to reflect on what changes they made while stationed at the Herd and answer questions from the crowd.

As the luncheon wound down, most of the crowd stuck around to share stories. While the luncheon was a more informal panel over a broad spectrum of topics, the evening dinner allowed the former commanders to take charge and deliver probably their last address on the Herd and its heritage.

However, as the social hour was winding down and attendees were heading to the ballroom, Oklahoma weather, in its own way paying tribute to the 3rd Herd, decided to take a turn for the worse, and forced everyone to shelter-in-place at the Tinker Club. The club lost all power and the occupied rooms were only lit with cell phones and two flashlights.

Without missing a beat and wanting to keep the mood positive, General Maluda encouraged others to speak and put the focus back on the Herd.

Retired Maj. Gen. Dale Meyerrose was the keynote speaker for the dinner. He told interesting stories from when he was a commander (July 1992-June 1994), and how he would not be in the place he is today without mentors. He spoke about heritage and the camaraderie of the unit and recalled how the 3rd Herd has survived the inactivation of multiple commands, both Tactical Air Command and Strategic Air Command, lasting longer than 50 years. Most of all, he spoke about change, what influenced the decision to inactivate, what change means for the Air Force and what it means to the unit.

Then Col. Joseph Scherrer, 689th Combat Communications Wing commander, took the stage and began with an emotional talk about history and heraldry of the 3rd Herd and the inactivation of the 689th Combat Comm Wing. He recognized the leaders of the heritage teams and coined them for their outstanding work.

After the storm passed, the Tinker Club provided an outstanding hot meal, a feat considering there was no power on base at the time, and the attendees enjoyed the meal by candlelight.

The evening, and weekend as a whole, morphed into an unforgettable event for those involved. Many more bonds between the alumni and upcoming alumni were forged, memories and stories were told and the long, distinguished history of the 3rd Herd was celebrated for the last time while in active status. For next year's 3rd Herd alumni reunion, the group will have dispersed throughout the Air Force and only alumni will be left. This two-day celebration set in the historical stone the legendary service of the 3rd Herd, and it will be remembered by all for many years to come.

The 3rd Combat Communications Group has been directed inactivate on Sept. 30. The 3rd Herd Alumni hold their reunion every May in Midwest City.