The 21st Operations Support Squadron is assigned to Peterson-Schriever Garrison, operating location Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. The unit includes active duty U.S. and Canadian Air Force Airmen and Department of Defense civilians.
Mission
The 21st Operations Support Squadron is comprised of nine flights providing unrivaled and innovative operations support to 21 geographically separated units, including weather, maintenance, intelligence, airfield operations, weapon system training, and weapons and tactics to 21st Space Wing warning, surveillance and space control units while deploying trained and ready Airmen.
The Weather Flight provides critical, timely and accurate weather intelligence in support of the 21st Space Wing and the Cheyenne Mountain Directorate worldwide.
The Intelligence Flight provides timely operational intelligence for planning, executing and sustaining Space Control operations in support of the 21st Space Wing, as well as timely strategic and theater Missile Warning intelligence information to 21st Space Wing units and wing leadership.
The Current Operations Flight directly supports the garrison by collecting, organizing, developing and explaining information needed to achieve objectives, while continuously seeking to improve 21st Space Wing management tools and processes.
The Weapons and Tactics Flight maximizes combat capability, integration and effects to weapons systems and operators against identified and emerging threats. This flight also leads 21st Space Wing exercises and manages the Warfighter Education program.
The Airfield Operations Flight supports every aircraft arrival, departure and over flight at Peterson AFB. Additionally, they maintain flight records for USAF crews, maintain ramp infrastructure, manage the flightline driving program, and serve as the military liaison for the Colorado Springs Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Maintenance Flight supports maintenance issues for the 21st Space Wing's Missile Warning and Defense Sensors and Space Control Sensors. The Maintenance Division also provides maintenance data analysis support as well as quality assurance oversight for the Peterson AFB Transient Alert, Aerospace Ground Equipment, and Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory contracts.
History
The 21st Operations Support Squadron, one of the oldest squadrons in what was formally the 21st Space Wing (now Peterson-Schriever Garrison), is a combination of two squadrons, the 21st Airdrome Squadron and the 21st Operations Squadron. The 21st Airdrome Squadron was originally constituted on Jan. 25, 1943, and activated on Feb. 1, 1943 at Topeka Army Air Base, Kansas.
On April 1, 1944, it was disbanded. The 21st Operations Squadron, activated May 6, 1966, was part of the 21st Composite Wing at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. The primary mission was search and rescue using the H-21 helicopter. The 21st Operations Support Squadron also flew the C-47, C-54 and C-118 as part of the garrison's airlift mission until the squadron deactivated Jan. 1, 1970.
It was during this time the squadron patch was approved and the unit earned the AF Outstanding Unit Award for the period Jan. 1 - Dec. 31 1969. On Sept. 25, 1991, the two squadrons were reconstituted and consolidated into the 21st Operations Support Squadron at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. Deactivated one last time on Dec. 19, 1991, the 21st Operations Support Squadron moved to Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado and reactivated May 15, 1992, being assigned to the recently deactivated 21st Operations Group.
SPACE WARNING SQUADRONS
SPACE CONTROL SQUADRONS