End of an era: last Wing-On for ABMs at Tinker

Published March 9, 2012
552nd Training Squadron

TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- A time honored tradition in the Air Force has come to an end at Tinker Air Force Base. The last group of Air Battle Mangers to receive their wings at Tinker did so Thursday afternoon at the final ABM Pin-On ceremony. Col. John Rauch, commander of the 552nd Air Control Wing, was the guest speaker.

Until now, ABMs who chose AWACS had to come to Tinker to become rated officers, -- "to get their wings and to become qualified to do their jobs," said 1st Lt. Keith Broderick, an Air Weapons Officer with the 960th Airborne Air Control Squadron.

The 552nd ACW conducts Initial and Mission Qualification Training for all Air Force E-3 ABMs in ACCs largest flying training unit. The 19 lieutenants who received their wings on Thursday raised the number of ABMs trained at Tinker during the past 10 years to more than 950, according to Lieutenant Broderick, who recently finished his ABM training. Of those 950 ABMs, more than 70 were assigned to Pacific Air Force bases at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and Kadena Air Base, Japan.

The training new ABMs go through at Tinker AFB can take between six and 12 months to complete. Due to a change in training, ABMs now receive their wings upon completion of the eight-month Undergraduate ABM Training at Tyndall AFB, Fla.

E-3 ABMs are responsible for command and control and ensuring day-to-day air missions are executed in the battlespace. This includes managing air refueling, assigning assets to emerging targets, offensive counter air, and defensive counter-air missions. They track all of the assets in an area of operations to ensure safety of flight for all friendly aircraft. ABMs also plan, organize and task air combat operations. They also must be well versed in the capabilities of friendly and adversary air, ground, and sea-based systems.

The new training process opens up opportunities for the ABMs graduating from Tyndall. Previously, they were sent to either Tinker, Kadena or Elmendorf to get qualified in one of the Airborne Warning and Control System units supporting air-to-air operations; or to Robins AFB, Ga. to get qualified in a Joint Surveillance and Target Attacks Radar System unit supporting air-to-ground operations or to Geilenkirchen AB, Germany, to get qualified on the NATO AWACS.

Now, new Air Battle Managers also have the opportunity to go to Ground Control and Reporting Centers at Hill AFB, Utah, Eglin AFB, Fla., Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, and Spangdahlem AB, Germany.