Contingency Response Group renames squadrons

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Clayton Wear
  • 123rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LOUISVILLE, Ky. --  The two squadrons which comprise the 123rd Contingency Response Group were redesignated during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base here Oct. 15.

The 123rd Global Mobility Readiness Squadron was renamed the 123rd Contingency Response Support Squadron, and the 123rd Global Mobility Squadron was renamed the 123rd Contingency Response Squadron.

Their missions won’t change, but the new names more accurately reflect unit taskings, said Maj. Andrew Kochman, commander of the 123rd Contingency Response Squadron.

“As demand for the CRG has scaled up, there has been a heightened awareness of our mission set at headquarters level,” Kochman said. “As part of that, there is now a greater need for civilian leadership to understand what kind of forces we bring to the fight.”

Active-duty CRGs changed the names of their squadrons several months ago, leaving the Air Guard units as outliers.

“In part, the standardization of names within our entire enterprise has become extremely important,” Kochman said. “These new names allow planners outside of the Air Force to understand who we are and what we do.”

A contingency response group is a kind of “air base in a box.” The diverse group of Airmen can deploy to a remote, non-functional airfield to establish air cargo and passenger terminal operations within hours of arrival. They bring everything needed for total self-sufficiency, from electrical generation, communications gear and security forces to cargo-handling equipment, aircraft maintenance and airfield control.