Did You Know?

  • Published
  • By Wayne Williams
  • 439th Civil Engineering
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --  Did you know...
                         ... that Base Civil Engineering and the 439th Civil Engineering Squadron are two separate units?

At active-duty installations, and at some AFRC bases, these two organizations are usually merged into one larger unit, which can lead many to assume that they are combined here at Westover as well. But while they support each other extensively, and were recently recognized as AFRC'sbest CE team for their combined efforts, the BCE and CES organizations are completely independent of each other.

-- Base Civil Engineering (439th MSG/CE) is a staff agency aligned directly under the 439th Mission Support Group, and is responsible for all base facility operations and maintenance, construction, environmental management, fire and emergency services, and emergency management. The BCE team consists of about 160 full-time civilian and contractor personnel. The Base Civil Engineer is Mr. Wayne Williams.

-- The 439th CES is a stand-alone squadron also aligned under the MSG. It is responsible for organizing, training, and equipping a 180-person traditional reserve team of deployable engineers, firefighters, explosive ordnance disposal technicians and readiness craftsmen. Maj. Rob Russo commands CES and has a full-time staff of two air reserve technicians supporting the unit and six EOD active/guard and reserve Airmen providing regional EOD support.
                   ... now you know!