482nd Mission Support Group Provides Assistance, Aid, and More to HARB, Part Two

In last week’s article featured in the SDNL, COL List, 482nd Mission Support Group Commander, told us about his background and about some of the units that make up the group. In part two, we will finish up by talking about assigned units, discussing training challenges, looking towards the future for both the group and the base, and getting COL List’s take on support from the Homestead and South Florida community.

The 482nd Logistics Readiness Squadron orders, receives, and delivers the supplies and equipment for HARB and the Fighter Wing. It stores and dispenses fuel and other petroleum and lubrication products, provides ground transportation support to the wing, and integrates contract support in its day-to-day mission.

The 70th Aerial Port Squadron manages the movement of passengers and cargo on military aircraft at HARB. Packing, loading and unloading, manifesting, inspecting/certifying hazardous cargo, and load planning are all part of the squadron’s mission.

Another key organization in the 482nd Mission Support Group is the Contracting Flight. Assigned to the Group Headquarters, this unit executes and oversees a wide range of contracts that the group uses to accomplish its wide-ranging mission. With the very different units and the broad range of skills required for mission success, training for the group is complex.

COL List told us, “The Civil Engineering Squadron has Airmen with 13 different Air Force Specialty Codes, which identify the job for which the Airman is trained and assigned.” He continued, “It’s complicated. So, each of my commanders comes up with an individual plan for their training requirement for the year. The biggest challenge is the limited time we have to get all of the required training completed.”

Each of the squadron’s plans will address training for each of the Specialty Codes in the unit. We then turned to the future of the Mission Support Group and of Homestead Air Reserve Base. As previous articles in this series have discussed, the 482nd Fighter Wing will be transitioning to a Deployable Combat Wing, with the current group structure going away. Functions and some personnel will be shifted, and a new Airbase Wing will be formed. 

COL List told us, “We’re going to be the first Deployable Combat Wing in Air Force Reserve Command, and in the Air Force, and that’s great. We are still waiting for decisions to come down on the way forward. This group may transition into an Airbase Wing, but we are waiting for that decision to come down from Air Force Headquarters.”

In concluding our questions about the future, we asked about HARB’s ability to upgrade to new aircraft, such as the F-35. COL List told us, “We are making decisions today to allow for follow on missions that present themselves here. My focus daily on infrastructure is to start at the gate and to make improvements throughout to have the environment that is conducive to having the right missions in the future and supporting the unit of action (Deployable Combat Wing) concept and make that even better.” 

We finished up the interview by asking COL List about relationships with the City of Homestead, Miami-Dade County, and the civilian community. He responded, “I think we have a great relationship with the city and the community. I see a lot of support for our mission set.” He continued, “Our Honorary Commander Program helps to sew that together by having those community leaders be a part of our squadrons. The MAC luncheons and that community support is huge, and it’s nice to feel that. I’ve never felt that support at any other Reserve Base that I have been at.”

Watch for more articles on HARB units as the 482nd Fighter Wing continues its transformation.