Offutt AFB, Neb. -- The 15th Operational Weather Squadron at Scott is now re-aligned under the 1st Weather Group headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.
“The organizational change will be seamless to the warfighter and to all military units requiring weather information – they will continue to receive complete environmental situational awareness, ”said Col. Tom Frooninckx, 1st WXG Commander. “The real improvement is achieved by aligning stateside weather operations consistent with the Air Force’s Warfighting Headquarters initiative and creating a more efficient and effective organizational structure. We are not changing what we do – we are changing how we do it,”
In addition to the 15th OWS at Scott AFB, 1st WXG will include three other weather squadrons providing weather services to military units within the continental United States – the 25th OWS at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz.; the 26th OWS at Barksdale AFB, La.; and the 9th OWS at Shaw AFB, S.C.
Currently, each of the four squadrons produce forecasts for a specified area of the United States and some overseas locations; the overseas mission will not transfer to the 1st WXG, but will remain aligned under the warfighting headquarters at each base. The squadrons also serve as training hubs for new weather professionals – both enlisted and officers. Graduates from the initial skills course at Keesler AFB, Miss. serve their first operational tour at an OWS. There, they receive on-the-job training from experienced weather specialists while they complete the Career Development Course required for upgrade to journeyman status.
Aligning the squadrons under one group creates the opportunity to achieve a higher level of standardization and leverage innovative processes in both weather operations and training across the group, according to Chief Master Sgt. Jeff Fries, 1st WXG superintendent. Currently, the squadrons fall under different major commands. The single command will enable process improvements to be adopted quickly throughout the group.
“It will be our job to arm our weather professionals with the training and skills necessary to deliver environmental intelligence for commanders and military decision makers." Chief Fries said. “With all the stateside OWSs under the 1st Weather Group, we can take that first step down the road to institutionally improving the efficiency and effectiveness of weather operations for the total force.”