4th SPCS gets new home, commander

Published July 16, 2014
By Steve Brady
21st Space Wing Public Affairs Office

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The 4th Space Control Squadron, one of the 21st Space Wing's many geographically separate units, stood up operations at Peterson AFB July 11.

The GSU, once located at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., will be collocated with the 76th SPCS on the Peterson East Space Control compound.

The move also included a change of command ceremony at building 2027.

The move affects about 90 positions and is being made to consolidate the 4th and 76th SPCS missions under one roof, where parallel missions can benefit from shared infrastructure and resources. The 90 active duty and civilian personnel assigned to those positions are expected to be in place by the end of the year.

"Relocating the 4th Space Control Squadron from Holloman to Peterson will benefit the space control mission area in multiple ways," said Lt. Col. Scott Brodeur, outgoing 4th SPCS commander. "We will certainly save money on TDYs and travel interacting with the 21st Operations Group and our sister squadron, but most importantly, we are maximizing our space control resources and expertise together in one location. This relocation creates efficiencies in manpower, improves and advances our space control training and evaluation programs, and allows us to focus on our expeditionary space superiority mission in support of combatant commanders."

The 4th SPCS provides combat space superiority effects to the commander, Joint Functional Component Command - Space and theater combatant commanders. The squadron also deploys globally to conduct mobile and transportable space superiority operations as directed by the commander of Air Force Space Command.

"Commanding the 4th Space Control Squadron 'Pirates' is the absolute highlight of my career," Brodeur said. "The men and women of the squadron are consummate space professionals who exude the Air Force core values of integrity, service before self, and excellence in all they do. Over the last two years they supported the 21st Operations Group with six combat deployments to U.S. Central Command in 2013. Completing the final phase of relocating the squadron to Colorado Springs is another phenomenal accomplishment to add to an impressive list of unit accolades."

In addition to a new home, the squadron got a new commander July 11, when Lt. Col. Eric Lingle took the reins from Brodeur. Lingle was formerly the 21st Operations Support Squadron's operations officer and responsible for the consolidation of Space Control Mission Qualification Training and Evaluation programs under the 21st OG at Peterson AFB.

"I am honored to join the men and women of the 4th Space Control Squadron," Lingle said. "They are a truly amazing group of Airmen that represent the very finest warfighters and family support networks our Air Force and our nation has to offer."

4th Space Control change of command