50th Network Operations Group
| 50th Network Operations Group | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1965-1992; |
| Country |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Air Force |
| Part of | Air Force Space Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado |
| Insignia | |
| 50th Network Operations Group emblem[1] | 150px |
The 50th Network Operations Group (50 NOG) is a United States Air Force unit of the 50th Space Wing at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado. 50th NOG is the single focal point for operating and maintaining the $8.2 billion Air Force Satellite Control Network and all 50 SW communications and computer systems (C-CS). Specific mission responsibilities are accomplished through the group's four squadrons, six detachments, and the Program Management Office.
Contents
Subordinate units
- Program Management Office
- 21st Space Operations Squadron[2] at Vandenberg Air Force Base
- 22d Space Operations Squadron[2]
- 23d Space Operations Squadron[2] at New Boston Air Force Station
- 50th Space Communications Squadron[2]
History
The group was first organized as the 1879th Communications Squadron during the Vietnam War in 1965.[2] In 1971, as American participation in the Vietnam War was reduced and United States Air Force closed down its activities at Nha Trang Air Base, the squadron was moved to Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri, where it absorbed the mission, personnel and equipment of the 2009th Communications Squadron, which was inactivated.
The unit moved to its present location, then named Falcon Air Force Station,[2] when Richards-Gebaur was turned over to the Air Force Reserve. The 1879th assumed the resources of the 2184th Communications Squadron at Falcon. When the 2d Space Wing was inactivated in 1992 the 1879th was inactivated with it and its mission was taken over by the 50th Satellite Communications Squadron.
The expanded space communications mission at Schriever Air Force Base led to the reactivation of the unit, now designated the 50th Communications Group. In 2002 the group was inactivated and its components transferred to the 50th Maintenance Group. This action was reversed less than a year later. The group received its current designation in March 2004.
Lineage
- Designated 1879th Communications Squadron and organized on 1 November 1965
- Redesignated 1879th Information Systems Squadron on 1 July 1985
- Redesignated 1879th Communications Squadron on 1 November 1986
- Redesignated 1879th Communications Group on 1 October 1989
- Inactivated 30 January 1992
- Redesignated 50th Communications Group on 26 November 1997
- Activated 1 December 1997
- Inactivated 1 October 2002
- Activated 1 June 2003
- Redesignated 50th Network Operations Group on 10 March 2004
Assignments
- 1964th Communications Group, 1 November 1965
- Northern Communications Area, 1 September 1971
- Airlift Communications Division, 1 June 1981
- Tactical Communications Division (later, Tactical Information Systems Division), 1 October 1982
- Space Communications Division (later Space Information Systems Division, Space Communications Division), 1 October 1984
- 2d Space Wing, 1 October 1990 – 30 January 1992
- 50th Space Wing, 1 December 1997 – 1 October 2002
- 50th Space Wing, 1 June 2003 – present
Stations
- Nha Trang Airport (later Nha Trang Air Base), South Vietnam, 1 November 1965
- Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base, Missouri, 1 September 1971
- Falcon Air Force Station (later Falcon Air Force Base), Colorado, 1 October 1984 – 30 January 1992
- Falcon Air Force Base (later Schriever Air Force Base), Colorado, 1 December 1997 – 1 October 2002
- Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, 1 June 2003 – present
Honors and campaigns
- Campaign streamers
Vietnam:
- Vietnam Defensive 1965–1966
- Vietnam Air 1966
- Vietnam Air Offensive 1966–1967
- Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase II 1967–1968
- Vietnam Air/Ground 1968
- Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase III 1968
- Vietnam Air Offensive, Phase IV 1968–1969
- Tet 69/Counteroffensive 1969
- Vietnam Summer/Fall 1969
- Vietnam Winter/Spring 1969–1970
- Sanctuary Counteroffensive 1970
- Southwest Monsoon 1970
- Commando Hunt V 1970–1971
- Commando Hunt VI 1971
- Decorations
- Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation: 21 June 1968 – 30 June 1969
- Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm: 1 April, 1966 – 1 September, 1971; 1 January – 30 August, 1968
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards with Combat “V” Device: 1 July, 1965 – 30 June, 1966; 1 July, 1966 – 30 June, 1967; 1 July, 1967 – 30 June, 1968; 1 July, 1968 – 30 June, 1969; 1 July, 1969 – 30 June, 1970; 1 July, 1970 – 30 June, 1971; 1 July, 1971 – 1 August, 1971
- Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards: 1 September, 1971 – 15 April, 1972; 1 January, 1976 – 31 December, 1976; 1 September, 1990 – 31 August, 1991; 1 October, 1998 – 30 September, 2000; 1 October, 2000 – 1 October, 2001; 1 October, 2001 – 1 October, 2002; 2 October, 2002 – 1 October, 2003
- Other awards
-
- 2009 (14th Air Force level)
Commanders
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- Unknown, 1 November 1965 - 1 October 1985
- Lt Col Robert W. Alexander, 1 October 1985 – 18 July 1988
- Col William A. Sample, 19 July 1988 – 1 August 1990
- Lt Col Roman Synychak, 2 August 1990 – 30 January 1992
- Col Gregory S. Hollister, 1 December 1997 – 24 March 1998
- Col Paul F. Capasso, 25 March 1998 – 13 April 2000
- Col David B. Warner, 14 April 2000 – 27 June 2002
- Col Earl D. Matthews, 28 June 2002 – 13 June 2004
- Col David C. Uhrich, 14 June 2004 – 10 July 2006
- Col Robert Skinner, 10 July 2006 – 13 July 2008[5]
- Col Mitchel Butikofer, 14 July 2008 – 14 May 2010[6]
- Col Michael Finn II, 14 May 2010 – 4 April 2012[7]
- Col Jonathan Sutherland, 4 April 2012 – 2 June 2014[8]
- Col Jason Sutton, 2 June 2014 - Present[9]
References
- ↑ The group uses the wing emblem with the group designation on the scroll. Air Force Instruction 84-105, Organizational Lineage, Honors and Heraldry, 19 March 2013, para 3.3.3
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