Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38 (MWCS-38) is a United States Marine Corps

United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...

 communications squadron. The squadron provides expeditionary communications for the aviation combat element

Aviation combat element

In the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element is the air arm of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force . It provides rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft, support equipment, pilots, maintenance personnel, as well as command and control assets to the...

 of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. They are based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar , formerly Naval Air Station Miramar is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force...

, California and fall under the command of Marine Air Control Group 38

Marine Air Control Group 38

Marine Air Control Group 38 is a United States Marine Corps aviation command and control unit based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar that is currently composed of 5 squadrons and 1 battalion that provide the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wings tactical headquarters, positive and procedural control to...

 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

The 3d Marine Aircraft Wing is the major west coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and provides the aviation combat element for I Marine Expeditionary Force...

.

Mission

Provide expeditionary communications for the aviation combat element (ACE) of a Marine Expeditionary Force

Marine Expeditionary Force

A Marine Expeditionary Force or MEF is the largest type of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force...

 (MEF), including the phased deployment element of tasked-organized elements thereof.

Tasks

• Provide for the effective command of subordinate elements.
• Assist in the systems planning and engineering of ACE communications; and install, operate, and maintain expeditionary communications for command and control of the MEF ACE.
• Provide operational System Control Centers, as required, to coordinate communication functions internally and externally to the ACE.
• Provide calibration and repair facility for all ground common Test Measurement Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) in the Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW).
• Provide maintenance support for Ground Common Communications Equipment in the MAW.
• Provide the digital backbone communications support for the ACE Command Element (CE), forward operating bases, and Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS) agencies for up to two airfields per detachment.
• Provide tactical, automated switching, and telephone services for the ACE CE, and Tactical Air Command Center (TACC).
• Provide electronic message distribution for the ACE CE, primary MACCS agencies, and tenant units.
• Provide external, single-channel radio and radio retransmission communications support for ACE operations, as required.
• Provide deployed Wide Area Network, and deployed Local Area Network server support for the ACE CE, and primary MACCS agencies.
• Provide the Support Cryptographic Site (SCS), for all Ground Common and MACCS assigned Communication Security Equipment within the ACE.
• Plan and coordinate individual and unit training, as required to qualify subordinate detachments for tactical deployment and combat operations.

History

Marine Wing Communications Squadron 3 was activated on 1 September 1967 as part of Marine Wing Headquarters Group 3. The Squadron was redesignated to its current name on 1 July 1971. From August 1990 until March 1991 the squadron participated in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Elements of the squadron participated in Operation Restore Hope in Somalia from December 1992 through March 1993.
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See also

• United States Marine Corps Aviation
  United States Marine Corps Aviation
  United States Marine Corps Aviation is the air component of the United States Marine Corps. Marine aviation has a very different mission and operation than its ground counterpart, and thus, has many of its own histories, traditions, terms, and procedures....
  
  
• Organization of the United States Marine Corps
  Organization of the United States Marine Corps
  The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy . The most senior Marine officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for...
  
  
• List of United States Marine Corps aviation support units