50th Network Operations Group
Encyclopedia
50th Space Wing
The 50th Space Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force under the major command of Air Force Space Command . It was activated on 30 January 1992, replacing the 2d Space Wing, which was deactivated on the same date.-Overview:...
at Schriever Air Force Base
Schriever Air Force Base
Schriever Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located approximately 10 miles east of Peterson AFB near Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States.-Overview:...
, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. 50th NOG is the single focal point for operating and maintaining the $8.2 billion Air Force Satellite Control Network
Air Force Satellite Control Network
The Air Force Satellite Control Network provides support for the operation, control, and maintenance of a variety of United States Department of Defense and some non-DoD satellites. This involves continual execution of the tasks involved in Tracking, Telemetry, and Command...
and all 50 SW communications and computer systems (C-CS). Specific mission responsibilities are accomplished through the group's four squadrons, six detachments, and the Program Management Office.
The 50 NOG originated as a communications squadron in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
in 1965.
Subordinate units
- Program Management Office
- 21st Space Operations Squadron21st Space Operations SquadronThe 21st Space Operations Squadron is a satellite control unit of the 50th Network Operations Group of the United States Air Force located at Onizuka Air Force Station, California...
at Vandenberg Air Force BaseVandenberg Air Force BaseVandenberg Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base, located approximately northwest of Lompoc, California. It is under the jurisdiction of the 30th Space Wing, Air Force Space Command .... - 22d Space Operations Squadron22d Space Operations SquadronThe 22d Space Operations Squadron is a United States Air Force unit of the 50th Network Operations Group, itself a part of the 50th Space Wing, and is located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado...
- 23d Space Operations Squadron at New Boston Air Force StationNew Boston Air Force StationNew Boston Air Force Station is a United States Air Force facility located in Hillsborough County in south central New Hampshire.It occupies more than 2,800 acres in three towns: New Boston, Amherst, and Mont Vernon. It was established in 1942 as a practice area for bombers and fighter planes from...
- 50th Space Communications Squadron50th Space Communications SquadronThe 50th Space Communications Squadron is a squadron of the United States Air Force located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado...
Lineage
- Designated 1879th Communications Squadron and organized, 1 Nov 65
- Redesignated 1879th Information Systems Squadron, 1 Jul 85; 1879th Communications Squadron, 1 Nov 86; 1879th Communications Group, 1 Oct 89
- Inactivated 30 Jan 92 (along with the 2d Space Wing2d Space WingThe 2d Space Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force. It activated on 8 July 1985 as the host wing at Falcon Air Force Station . The wing took operational control of the Air Force Satellite Control Network in October 1987...
; mission taken by 50th Satellite Communications Squadron assigned to reactivated 50 OG) - Redesignated 50th Communications Group, 26 Nov 97
- Activated 1 Dec 97
- Inactivated 1 Oct 02 (squadrons transferred to reactivated 50th Maintenance Group [formerly 50th Logistics Group])
- Activated 1 Jun 03 (squadrons transferred back from inactivated 50th Maintenance Group)
- Redesignated 50th Network Operations Group, 10 Mar 04
Assignments
- 1964th Communications Group, 1 Nov 65
- Northern Communications Area, 1 Sep 71
- Airlift Communications Division, 1 Jun 81
- Tactical Communications (later, Tactical Information Systems) Division, 1 Oct 82
- Space Communications (later, Space Information Systems, Space Communications) Division, 1 Oct 84
- 2d Space Wing2d Space WingThe 2d Space Wing was a wing of the United States Air Force. It activated on 8 July 1985 as the host wing at Falcon Air Force Station . The wing took operational control of the Air Force Satellite Control Network in October 1987...
, 1 Oct 90 – 30 Jan 92 - 50th Space Wing50th Space WingThe 50th Space Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force under the major command of Air Force Space Command . It was activated on 30 January 1992, replacing the 2d Space Wing, which was deactivated on the same date.-Overview:...
, 1 Dec 97 – 1 Oct 02; 1 Jun 03 – present
Stations
- Nha Trang Airport (later Nha Trang Air BaseNha Trang Air BaseNha Trang Air Base is a Vietnam People's Air Force military airfield in Vietnam. It is located northwest of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province....
), South VietnamSouth VietnamSouth Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, 1 Nov 65 – 1 Sep 71 - Richards-Gebaur Air Force BaseRichards-Gebaur Air Force BaseRichards-Gebaur Air Force Base is a closed United States Air Force base. It is located south of Kansas City, Missouri. It was closed in 1994....
, Missouri, 1 Sep 71 - Falcon Air Force Station (later AFB), Colorado, 1 Oct 84 – 30 Jan 92
- Falcon (later Schriever) AFB, Colorado, 1 Dec 97 – 1 Oct 02; 1 Jun 03 – present
Campaign Streamers
Vietnam:- Vietnam Defensive 1965–1966
- Vietnam Air 1966
- Vietnam Air Offensive 1966–1967
- Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II 1967–1968
- Vietnam Air/Ground 1968
- Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III 1968
- Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV 1968–1969
- Tet 69/Counteroffensive 1969
- Vietnam Summer/Fall 1969
- Vietnam Winter/Spring 1969–1970
- Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1970
- Southwest Monsoon 1970
- Commando HuntOperation Commando HuntOperation Commando Hunt was a covert U.S. Seventh Air Force and U.S. Navy Task Force 77 aerial interdiction campaign that took place during the Vietnam War. The operation began on 11 November 1968 and ended on 29 March 1972...
V 1970–1971 - Commando Hunt VI 1971
Decorations
- Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation: 21 Jun 1968 – 30 Jun 1969
- Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 Apr 66 – 1 Sep 71; 1 Jan – 30 Aug 68
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” DeviceValor deviceThe Valor device is an award of the United States military which is a bronze attachment to certain medals to indicate that it was received for valor...
: 1 Jul 65 – 30 Jun 66; 1 Jul 66 – 30 Jun 67; 1 Jul 67 – 30 Jun 68; 1 Jul 68 – 30 Jun 69; 1 Jul 69 – 30 Jun 70; 1 Jul 70 – 30 Jun 71; 1 Jul 71 – 1 Aug 71 - Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 Sep 71 – 15 Apr 72; 1 Jan 76 – 31 Dec 76; 1 Sep 90 – 31 Aug 91; 1 Oct 98 – 30 Sep 00; 1 Oct 00 – 1 Oct 01; 1 Oct 01 – 1 Oct 02; 2 Oct 02 – 1 Oct 03
Other awards
- Major General Harold M. McClelland Award
- 2007 (50th Space Wing level)
- 2008 (AFSPC level))
- 2009 (14th Air Force level)
Commanders
- Lt Col Robert W. Alexander, 1 Oct 1985 – 18 Jul 1988
- Col William A. Sample, 19 Jul 1988 – 1 Aug 1990
- Lt Col Roman Synychak, 2 Aug 1990 – 30 Jan 1992
- Col Gregory S. Hollister, 1 Dec 1997 – 24 Mar 1998
- Col Paul F. Capasso, 25 Mar 1998 – 13 Apr 2000
- Col David B. Warner, 14 Apr 2000 – 27 Jun 2002
- Col Earl D. Matthews, 28 Jun 2002 – 13 Jun 2004
- Col David C. Uhrich, 14 Jun 2004 – 10 July 2006
- Col Robert Skinner, 10 July 2006 – 13 July 2008
- Col Mitchel Butikofer, 14 July 2008 – 14 May 2010
- Col Michael Finn II, 14 May 2010–present