325th ACS re-designated 337th ACS

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Rachelle Elsea
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The 325th Air Control Squadron was re-designated the 337th Air Control Squadron in a ceremony today at the squadron's auditorium.

The 337th ACS will now be a tenant unit on Tyndall, subordinate to the 33rd Fighter Wing, 33rd Operations Group, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

The squadron, which dates back to 1948, trains commissioned officers in air battle management. They graduate around 16 classes, made up of 150 students per year, with a course length of nine months. In addition to the 120 to 130 students currently in training, there are also 70 enlisted Airmen, 45 officers and eight civilians housed in the squadron.

The squadron will not lose or gain personnel with the re-designation and the operations tempo will remain the same.

The ceremony featured presiding officer, U.S. Navy Capt. Michael R. Saunders, 33rd Operations Group commander.

"I am extremely proud to be a part of this transition," said Captain Saunders. "The overall goal is to do this seamlessly without any effect on mission effectiveness and without a hiccup."

The event showcased an official ferruling and storing of the 325th ACS's current guideon and the presentation of the 337th ACS's new guideon.

Lieutenant Col. Gary Smith, 337th ACS commander, also spoke at the event.

"We have created the tightest Air Dominance team that has ever existed," said Colonel Smith. "Our patches will change, but the mission will not."

Also, as part of the ceremony, audience members wearing flight suits removed the patch of the 325th ACS and placed the 337th ACS patch in its place on their uniforms.

"The patches you just took off should be put somewhere safe," Colonel Smith said. "That is the proud heritage of this squadron. The ones you wear now, you should wear with respect and honor."

Directly following the ceremony, the first class of fiscal year 2012 and of the 337th ACS graduated.