100th Force Support Squadron set to streamline processes, take care of customers

  • Published
  • By Karen Abeyasekere
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  An ongoing Air Force-wide merger of mission support and services squadrons has resulted in the stand-up of the 100th Force Support Squadron, which officially began today at RAF Mildenhall, with new commander, Lt. Col. Richard Wagner at the helm. 

Comprised from flights within the former 100th Mission Support Squadron and 100th Services Squadron, customer service will be maximized and processes streamlined. The 100th SVS was inactivated and the 100th MSS was redesignated as the 100th FSS. 

Functions previously within 100th SVS and 100 MSS now fall under the 100th FSS, which still reports directly to the 100th Mission Support Group. There will now be five flights under one squadron, instead of two squadrons with a total of 10 flights. 

"Today, two squadrons combined services to help realize the U.S. Air Force's ultimate goal in taking care of its primary resources - its people," said Colonel Wagner. "We will provide total 'combat support' - here or deployed, military, civilian, (nonappropriated funds) or (Ministry of Defence)." 

Capt. Hilburn Caulder, 100th MSS director of operations, agreed. 

"The aim of the 100th FSS is to bring people and services together," he said. "It's about taking care of people and the aspects that relate to them, including families, training and wellness, and bringing it all together as one focus. 

"With this specific merger, both 100th SVS- and 100th MSS-typical services should be transparent to our customers. Hopefully, our synergies will be realized through the reorganizational alignment of functional areas for an enhanced customer-servant relationship," said Captain Caulder. 

The five flights under the 100th FSS are force development, manpower and personnel, Airman and family services, sustainment services, and community services. The new structure combines similar functional areas that already work closely together. For example, the sustainment services flight contains the food operations, fitness and wellness, and lodging branches. 

The manpower and Personnel Flight is made up of the manpower and personnel, civilian personnel, and manpower and organization sections. 

"Multiple test bases throughout the Air Force - base with different missions - have been developed to find the right mix to use as a benchmark," Captain Caulder said, adding that RAF Mildenhall is the second base in U.S. Air Forces in Europe to gain the FSS.
The test bases in the states helped establish where specific responsibilities and processes should be placed within the organizational structure and how they should be set up. 

"Cradle to grave, T-ball to baseball, first duty station to retirement, (meals ready to eat) to dining facility, pre-school school to PHD - we are here to ensure every need is met! I challenge anyone to tell me that there is any better job in the U.S. Air Force ... FSS does it all," Colonel Wagner said.