AFIMSC activates detachment at AETC

  • Published
  • By By Tech. Sgt. Beth Anschutz
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas --  The third of 10 Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center detachments was activated in a ceremony here May 6.

Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter, AFIMSC commander, presided over the ceremony as Col. Brian Murphy assumed command of the newly established Detachment 7, serving the Airmen and installations of Air Education and Training Command.

AFIMSC was established to help the Air Force make the best use of limited resources in the management and operation of its installations by reducing costs, creating efficiencies and eliminating redundant activities. It is establishing detachments at each major command in order to best support the needs of the commands while leveraging centralized capabilities in the AFIMSC headquarters, its six primary subordinate units and two direct reporting units.

Centralized management of installation support capabilities at AFIMSC and its detachments ensures each installation receives the necessary level of support to execute Air Force priorities. AFIMSC provides capabilities to include security forces, civil engineering, base communications, logistics readiness, installation ministry programs, services, operational contracting and financial management.

As the Detachment 7 commander, Murphy will provide responsive installation and mission support to more than 60,000 total force personnel at 23 wings, 12 installations and five geographically separated groups.

Carter linked AFIMSC and its newest detachment to the unique architecture of JBSA-Randolph and its “organization according to function.” She quoted an architectural review of the original design of the base as “clearly the work of a master planner.”

“[AFIMSC] is a broad outline of general concepts,” Carter said. “Col. Murphy is the master planner who will lead Detachment 7 forward in a way that will support the AFIMSC, the mission and the Airmen of AETC.”

Murphy acknowledged the challenges ahead, but said the activation of Detachment 7 is complex yet simple.

“This is an historic event and a significant change for our organization,” Murphy said. “What we are about to undertake will be complicated, but our guiding principle is simple: we provide installations and mission support to commanders.”

Murphy said ultimately the mission to best support AETC will guide everything the Airmen of Detachment 7 will do.

“The mission has not changed,” he said. “We are embarking together on a journey, but essentially it’s just another day at the job and I am glad to be here doing it with you.”

The AFIMSC headquarters was activated in a ceremony May 5 at JBSA-Lackland, Texas. Three hundred and fifty people will be assigned to the headquarters and up to 56 people will be assigned to Detachment 7.