The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency, headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., is a field operating agency that reports to the Office of Civil Engineer of the Air Force at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C.
Mission
AFCESA provides tools, practices and professional support to maximize Air Force civil engineer capabilities in base and contingency operations. The staff comprises technical and professional experts in a variety of areas including engineering, emergency management, training, pavement analysis, fire protection, explosive ordnance disposal, aircraft arresting systems, computer automation and energy management. The agency also manages a multi-billion contract that provides civil engineer support during contingencies and a multi-billion dollar contract to help restore and modernize buildings and infrastructure at Air Force bases around the world.
Organization
The AFCESA staff is made up of about 450 subject matter experts in civil engineering and civil engineer support. The agency has six directorates: Contingency Support, Engineering Support, Field Support, Operations Support, Installation Support and Business Operations. It also has a geographically separated unit at Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
Contingency Support Directorate (CEX): CEX is responsible for ensuring Air Force active-duty and Air Force Reserve Component civil engineer personnel are trained and equipped to deploy anywhere in the world during wartime or peacetime emergencies. Directorate personnel work with war planners from the Air Force and the other services to ensure civil engineer forces are accurately reflected in war plans. An integral part of this directorate is the Air Force Civil Engineer Readiness Operations Center, which coordinates engineer support activities worldwide during contingencies.
CEX is also responsible for managing the Air Force Contract Augmentation Program. AFCAP allows the Air Force to contract a wide-range of noncombatant civil engineer services during wartime, contingency and humanitarian efforts. The directorate has four divisions: Fire Protection, Expeditionary Engineering, Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Emergency Management.
Engineering Support Directorate (CES): CES is responsible for establishing standards and criteria for life-cycle planning, programming, design, construction, operation, maintenance, repair and revitalization of base infrastructure. The directorate assists major commands and installations in assessing the condition of, and developing strategies and plans for upgrades of, Air Force infrastructure systems. The directorate has two divisions: Civil Engineering and Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.
CES is also home to the Air Force's Airfield Pavements Evaluation Team, the Air Force Facility Energy Team and the Utility Rates Management Team. The pavements team travels the globe, evaluating the strength, performance and condition of airfields to ensure flight operations can be conducted. The Facility Energy Team manages the Air Force's facility energy program and has helped make the Air Force one of the leading purchasers of renewable energy in the world. The Utilities Rates Management Team helps save the Air Force millions of dollars annually through rate interventions and contract negotiations with utility companies.
Field Support Directorate (CEM): CEM provides hands-on support to base civil engineer units throughout the Air Force. Its Civil Engineer Maintenance, Inspection and Repair Team, more commonly known as CEMIRT, consists of highly-trained technicians who provide intermediate- and depot-level repair support on power generation, electrical distribution and aircraft arresting systems. CEMIRT also provides technical support for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.
The directorate is home-based at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., but has a regional site at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. The Tyndall team provides power production and electrical assistance to support operations and requirements at bases in the eastern United States, the Atlantic region, Central America, Europe and Southwest Asia. The Tyndall team also overhauls aircraft arresting systems and provides heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems technical assistance and repair. The Travis team supports operations in the western United States, the Pacific Basin, Southeast Asia, Alaska, Australia and the Indian Ocean area.
Operations Support Directorate (CEO): CEO helps increase the capabilities of the base-level civil engineer through professional management services in the areas of automation, manpower, organization, management practices, logistics, vehicles, equipment and finances. The directorate has three divisions: Force Development, Technology Integration and Operations and Resource Management.
The directorate's Force Development Division provides career field education and training plans, career field functional management and the latest distance learning training system technologies for civil engineer professionals worldwide.
The Technology Integration Division provides enhanced information management capabilities through the integration of modern technology, mission-oriented software systems and program management expertise
The Operations and Resources Management Division provides professional management services for base-level support of CE Operations Flights and Resources Flights, specifically in the areas of finances, manpower, organization, management practices, service contracts, logistics and vehicles. The division researches and provides information on productivity enhancements and operations standards to improve and support day-to-day operations.
The directorate also operates the AFCESA Reach-Back Center, which provides rapid response to questions from civil engineers in the field (the center can be reached at 1-888-AFCESA1; DSN 523-6995, International DSN 312-523-6995 or via the web at www.afcesa.af.mil).
Installation Support (CEI): CEI manages and executes operations and maintenance sustainment, restoration and modernization projects on Air Force installations. The directorate has five divisions staffed with senior engineer experts and technicians. CEI staff members, using the latest tools, design templates and generic statements of work, help ensure construction projects on Air Force installations are of the highest quality and are completed in a timely and cost-effective manner. The directorate's five divisions are: Log-Training Support, Combat Support, Total Force Support, Pacific Support and Global Support. The Combat Support Division also helps Headquarters Air Force manage the Air Force's Utilities Privatization program.
Business Operations Support (CEB): CEB provides internal support to the AFCESA commander and the agency staff. The directorate is also responsible for identifying and developing business alliances and partnerships with bases, major commands, the Air Staff, Department of Defense, local and federal agencies and private enterprises. The CEB staff is made up of diverse career fields including financial management, contracting support, computer support, information management, IMA support, historian, public affairs and graphic support. CEB also publishes the civil engineer flagship publication, Air Force Civil Engineer magazine.
History
The Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency traces its history back to 1966 with formation of the Civil Engineer Construction Operations Group at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Two years later, the new Civil Engineering Center incorporated the construction operations group's readiness and mobility functions.
In 1972, the Civil Engineering Center moved to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and became the Air Force Civil Engineering Center. In 1977, the Air Force Engineering and Services Agency was formed after the Air Force combined the responsibilities of Civil Engineering and Services. The separate operating agency had headquarters at Kelly Air Force Base, Texas. Then, in 1978, the Air Force Engineering and Services Center was activated at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
In early 1991, the center's policy functions were transferred to the Office of the Civil Engineer, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, making the Air Force Engineering and Services Center a field operating agency. The name of the organization changed to Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency on August 1, 1991, and later became the Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency in 1994.
Current as of: Oct. 20, 2021