The 50th Civil Engineer Squadron is a component of the 50th Mission Support Group, located at Schriever Space Force Base, Colorado.
Mission
The squadron maintains $1.2 billion in real property, ensuring suitable infrastructure and uninterrupted utilities in support of more than 190 Department of Defense satellites worth over $71 billion. The squadron provides fire and environmental protection; project planning and construction management; contingency planning and disaster response; operations, maintenance and repair; housing referral; and support services for vital national navigation, weather, communications and surveillance satellite missions assigned to Schriever SFB and 12 worldwide sites.
History
The 50th CES was activated as the 50th Installations Squadron Jan. 1, 1953, and assigned to the 50th Air Base Group. Stationed at Clovis AFB, New Mexico, the squadron, with other units of the 50th Fighter-Bomber Wing, immediately began preparing for movement to Hahn Air Base, Germany in response to a Soviet buildup of air combat forces in Eastern Europe. The units of the 50th FW remained at Clovis AFB for only a few months, departing for Germany in late July 1953.
Upon arriving at Hahn AB, 50th CES took over management of continuing construction activities associated with the bed down of the 50th FW. While the French had completed some facilities, the 50th's engineers oversaw construction of the base's control tower, fire station, warehouses, roads, mess halls and dormitories, as well as operations and headquarters facilities.
For the next 38 years, the men and women of 50th CES supported Hahn AB and the 50th Tactical Fighter Wing with necessary facilities, infrastructure maintenance and repair, fire protection and a host of other activities. Additionally, the squadron provided the wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and NATO with combat-ready forces needed to perform rapid runway repair and other Prime Base Engineer Emergency Force services. In its 38-year history at Hahn AB, the unit earned seven Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards and participated in countless exercises, evaluations and deployments, including Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Inactivated with the 50th TFW Sept. 30, 1991, 50th CES did not remain inactive for very long. When Headquarters U.S. Air Force ordered the activation of the 50th TFW as the 50th Space Wing, the order also brought back the wing's support units, including 50th CES. Air Force Space Command activated 50th CES on Jan. 30, 1992. The unit absorbed the mission, personnel and funds of the inactivated 1002nd CES of the 2nd SW.
Prior to the 1002nd CES, its personnel belonged to the Civil Engineering Division of the 1002nd Support Squadron at Schriever SFB (formerly Falcon Air Force Station). The members of 50th CES assumed the role of providing the Air Force's newest installation with many of the services they had provided in Germany. In addition, 50th CES assumed oversight of functions supporting the 50th SW's Geographically Separated Units and remote operating locations around the world. The unit's personnel continue to support Department of Defense and U.S.A.F. contingency operations worldwide and maintain facilities, infrastructure and fire protection
for the 50th SW. "Engineer the High Ground," the squadron's motto, illustrates its dedication to its mission.
The personnel assigned to 50th CES continue the fine tradition of outstanding performance established by the men and women who helped activate the unit with the prestigious Robert H. Curtin Award as the "Best Civil Engineer Squadron in the Command" in 1995 and 1996. In 1998, Schriever AFB competed in the Biennial Facilities Excellence Recognition Competition, Large Installation, and won the Maj. Gen. Padden Award. The squadron also received an "excellent" rating in the Operational Readiness Inspections in 2001, 2008 and 2010. Finally, 50th CES earned the Air Force Space Command’s Outstanding Civil Engineer Unit of the Year, Small Unit Category, for 2018 and 2019.
(Current as of July 2020)