Missouri Air National Guard's newest unit welcomes first newly qualified Airman

By: Maj. Jeremy Huffaker
157th Air Operations Group




As Missouri Air National Guard leaders at Jefferson Barracks anticipate final approval to officially re-establish the 121st Air Control Squadron, Airmen already slotted to that unit are accomplishing the formal training they will need for their new positions.

By graduating the Air Force Air Battle Management course, 1st Lt. Eric White is the first new officer trained in anticipation of Missouri's newest mission. During the nine-month course to earn the "13-Bravo" or air battle manager duty title, students endured not only academic testing, but also performance evaluations for providing tactical control to fighter and tanker aircrafts. White led the way as class leader of a 14-person flight at the 325th Air Control Squadron at Tyndall Air Force base, in Florida.

The 121st Air Control Squadron is a mobile unit that provides airborne command and control capability from any deployed location.

"An ACS is a close-knit team that works in concert with each other, airborne aircraft and other control units to provide airspace surveillance and control," said Lt. Col. William Boothman, transition officer for the 121st ACS. "We have a stand-alone capability that is part of a much bigger command and control mission."

As an air battle manager, White's primary duties are to mobilize, establish tactical radar operations and ultimately ensure that combat aircraft find, identify, and destroy their targets. He'll be directly responsible for providing pilots with the battle space "big picture" that they can't get with their own sensors.

While the ACS mission is just now returning to Missouri, air control units have been deployed down range since the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, executing air superiority at its best. Thanks to White's success, the new 121st ACS is one step closer to being combat ready.

Courtesy Photo: Senior Master Sgt. Michael Baker and Maj. Jeremy Huffaker congratulate 1st Lt. Eric White (center) on graduating from a challenging 9-month Air Battle Manager course. White becomes the first member to graduate from technical training in anticipation of the new 121st Air Control Squadron.