DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The 11th Combat Air Base Squadron (CABS) team recently demonstrated its ability to establish expeditionary locations to deliver Command and Control (C2) and Base Operating Support–Integration (BOS-I).
While the 11 CABS’ primary function is to provide the 11th Air Task Force base operation support, the team stepped in to conduct an on-the-ground facility assessment to ensure existing infrastructure could support Joint Task Force-Southern Border operations.
“11 CABS conducted a comprehensive facility assessment of Building 4065 at Davis-Monthan AFB to determine its suitability as a Battalion Headquarters for Joint Task Force–Southern Border,” said 1st Lt. Joseph Maulhardt, 355th Civil Engineer Squadron operations engineering officer in charge. “This analysis informs decision-making for Initial Operating Capability and Full Operating Capability requirements.”
The facility must support 24/7 operations and meet structural requirements such as network connectivity, a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, and a Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning system. The team found deficiencies in the electrical system, plumbing, and fire suppression systems; the presence of asbestos; and insufficient pest control.
“CABS engineers are working shoulder-to-shoulder with Army counterparts,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Edward Ossome, 11 CABS element superintendent. “This synchronizes requirements and builds interoperability, while enabling dynamic force employment alongside joint partners.”
The request came when no other Department of Defense asset was available to support JTF-SB, and contracting out to the private sector would not meet the requirement in the most timely manner.
11 CABS completed a variety of trainings and exercises within the last nine months to field-test the Mission Ready Airmen model, ensuring teams can launch on short notice both in the continental U.S. and abroad.
“The operation directly underwrites the National Defense Strategy’s call for resilient, forward-postured forces,” Maulhardt said. “It showcases agile, mission-ready Airmen who can project power against pacing threats.”
This assessment, which saw the 11 CABS working alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Army, showcased how they can contribute to joint operations across agencies.
Supporting this operation external to the CABS’ area of responsibility provides data and lessons learned that will be utilized to inform future Indo-Pacific employment plans as the unit prepares for its first deployment.
These teams can operate and sustain combat air power in constrained environments, validating the unit’s force-presentation model.
“11 CABS proves that small, capable units can have strategic effects,” Ossome said. “The effort touches all five core Air Force missions, with particular emphasis on rapid global mobility, command and control, and agile combat support.”
The 11 CABS team further demonstrates that the U.S. Air Force is agile and ready to operate in austere environments across the globe in support of national defense.