28th MSG is backbone of bomb wing mission

  • Published
  • By Airman Donald Knechtel
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  With 2015 a thing of the past, the men and women of the 28th Mission Support Group look forward to 2016 and the opportunities it will bring.

Each day, they work to achieve the group's mission of delivering unrivaled agile combat support anytime, anywhere.

"We accomplish this mission through four pillars," said Lt. Col. Jennifer Berenger, 28th MSG deputy commander. "[These include] build and sustain the infrastructure of Ellsworth, deploy personnel and provide wartime readiness, protect the force and respond to emergencies, and sustain and develop the force and families."

In order for the group to execute its four mission pillars, its variety of squadrons play an important role in the everyday lives of Ellsworth Airmen, from base defense to ensuring the runway is cleared for aircraft to launch. 

"We have a diverse set of squadrons behind the group, ranging from security forces keeping people safe to the 28th Logistics Readiness Squadron helping with equipment and providing fuel for aircraft," Berenger said. "You can't run the [wing] mission without MSG touching it in one way or another."

Being in charge of such a large array of squadrons can be a daunting task, but helps bring an appreciation for how much goes into overall mission success.

"As an MSG commander, you really get an appreciation and understanding for what it takes to make the Air Force work, and that's how important people are to the Air Force mission," said Col. Kerry Britt, 28th MSG commander.

The MSG is composed of more than 1,600 personnel among six squadrons, including the 28th Security Forces Squadron, Civil Engineer Squadron, Logistics Readiness Squadron, Communications Squadron, Force Support Squadron and Contracting Squadron.

With so many people working together to accomplish the mission comes memorable events, like the 2015 Dakota Thunder Airshow and Open House.

"Probably the biggest thing we did [in 2015] was the airshow in a lot of ways," Britt began. "The airshow was huge for us; we were able to conduct the [show] with more than 51,000 people coming in safely and enjoying the event, then leaving safely without a single problem."

This two-day event was monumental for the MSG; however, the group displayed a commitment to excellence all year. This was evident when several squadrons within the group won major command level awards; such as the 28th FSS's dining facility winning the 2015 Hennessy Award for the best food serving program in Air Combat Command, as well as the 28th FSS bowling facility winning the 2015 Best Bowling Center.

"We are here to serve and support all of the various missions of Ellsworth Air Force Base," Britt said. "What drives us on a day-to-day basis is not limited to the flying mission on the flight line, but all the other folks that come through these gates, [both] active-duty [and their] families."