Mission Support Squadron, Services form 95th MSSS

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 95th Mission Support Squadron and 95th Services Division merged to form the new 95th Mission Support and Services Squadron during a stand-up ceremony Wednesday. 

The squadron will be provisional as the Air Force is testing the concept of a merged organization. 

"The reason we are doing this goes back to what the Air Force is trying to do," said William Wilson, 95th MSSS director. "The Air Force is trying to recapitalize the aging fleet. They need to find money to buy new aircraft." 

A lot of the processes in Services and Mission Support Squadron are being centralized and automated, Mr. Wilson said. With the merger, a lot of the processes and manpower will be reduced. The money saved will be for recapitalization. 

Another reason for the merger is to improve efficiency. 

"The hypothesis for this merger is to find efficiencies through this concept." Mr. Wilson said. "To do that, we need to work smarter, save manpower and allow the Air Force to reduce a portion of support costs." 

The effect of the merger will be felt at the management level, said Lt. Col. Christopher Oleksa, 95th Mission Support Group deputy director and former 95th MSS commander.
"Management will have to get smart across functional areas in order to better understand and facilitate merged flights under the new squadron," he said. 

Senior noncommissioned and commissioned officers, and civilians in leadership positions will be performing more functions and operating and managing these changes. However, the technical level will remain the same. 

"Core mission support functions will remain unchanged at the technician level," Colonel Oleksa said. 

There will still be expectations and a need for experts in core areas of manpower, personnel and services, he said. Services technicians will not be expected to turn in to personnelists experts. Their career development course will not be modified. 

Initially, the base will not see significant changes and will still receive the same service.
"I think some things will be more efficient and better," Mr. Wilson said. "For example, the merger will result in family support functions integrating with the Airman and Family Readiness Center. With this, we will have a robust organization that can fully take care of Airmen and their families." 

Mr. Wilson said the merger should not cause a huge impact on squadron operations. 

"I don't want the services we provide to go down," he said. "We have sent out an initial survey to first sergeants and commanders to rate the services they receive from the 95th MSS and 95th SD." 

After five months, the 95th MSSS will send another survey to assess if there were any significant effects of the merger.