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Shaw AIrmen perform at Kirkuk AB, Iraq

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Charles Murrell
  • 506th AEG Command Post superintendent
KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq --  Everyone at Kirkuk has heard the voice of STONEKRAB, but who is it? It’s the 506th Air Expeditionary Group Command Post. 

Behind a blue door in the 506th Air Expeditionary Group headquarters, the nerve center of the base is alive with activity. Controllers can respond to a voice alarm from the Theater Ballistic Missile Defense warning system, a suspicious individual caught on video at the building’s main door or just about anything happening on the base. Any incident can occur and send a seemingly quiet day into a frantic one. 

The command post’s main job is to relay time critical information commanders use to direct their forces. It operates like a nerve center. So a bomb threat, structural fire, rocket attack, inbound dustoff mission or a terrorist act can cause the command post to come instantly alive with message traffic. 

Normally controllers notify any agency on base to respond with the appropriate actions to take control of any situation. 

“The Command Post is the ‘heart beat’ of the 506th AEG mission, providing the ‘life blood of command and control’ necessary to ensure the mission runs smoothly,” said Lt. Col. Dave Carrell, 506th AEG deputy commander. “They are able to reach out and touch anyone, anywhere on the base or at other bases to facilitate mission requirements.” 

There are only six controllers assigned to the command post and all are from various major commands. 

Senior Airman William Sage, deployed from Anderson Air Force Base, Guam, and Senior Airman Christey Tuff, deployed from Yokota AB, Japan, accomplish the day shift duties, while Senior Airmen Chris Ramsuer and Abby Daws, deployed from Shaw AFB, S.C., and Senior Airman Christopher Nunez, also deployed from Yokota, carry out the night shift responsibilities. 

The most visibility the command post recieves is during attacks on the installation. In a split second the night shift goes from peaceful to hub of activity. 

Controllers grab the quick reaction checklist book, determine the correct checklist of 70 checklists and immediately respond by notifying the base populace of the alarm red condition while the other controller made notifications to base leadership. 

“I was very impressed with how quickly the controllers adjusted to local procedures and expertly handled every situation that was thrown at them,” said Col. Pete Hronek, 506th AEG commander. “The CP team has made great strides in streamlining many of the processes in the command post to make it much more effective for the leadership and base populace.” 

The controllers have had the opportunity to experience many of the missions happening on Kirkuk -- from the Iraqi Air Force to the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron. 

“They are able to reach out and touch anyone, anywhere on the base or at other bases to facilitate mission requirements” Col. Carrell said. “Their expertise is also required during rocket attacks and other base emergencies as they are the integral link in initiating survival and recovery operations to ensure senior leadership and first responders have situational awareness on the nature of the actions.”