TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. — -- From supporting mission requirements stateside, to contracting assets from outside sources, the 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron ensures mission success by contracting support services to both stateside Air Force components and deployed areas of responsibility.
With a total staff of 33 personnel, including both military and civil servants, the flight specializes in employing companies and agencies to fill the requirements and needs of the Air Force.
“The 772nd ESS’s role is to provide agile contracting support to the Air Force Civil Engineer,” said Senior Airman Terrel Cloud, 772nd ESS contract specialist. “Our flight is tailored specifically to meet AFCEC’s needs here by mirroring their organization’s directorates. Those directorates include: Operations, Readiness and Energy. We also have an additional team known as the Air Force Contract Augmentation Program, which is focused on contingency and warfighter needs specific to the readiness directorate.”
The 772nd ESS here on Tyndall is but a small detachment that is a part of the larger 772nd ESS located in Joint Base San Antonio, Texas along with four other flights. The squadron as a whole is a part of the Air Force Installation Agency headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. They work with facilities on Tyndall such as Air Force Civil Engineer Center.
“As such a small flight dislocated from our larger organization, fostering relationships with many of the units on Tyndall has been vital to consistently remain mission ready,” said Staff Sgt. Gregory Jones, 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron energy, construction and air conditioning NCO in-charge. “For example, we partner with the 325th Contracting Squadron to accomplish required annual contingency readiness training. Also, the 325th Force Support Squadron provides a lot of assistance to us whenever we have an individual who is tasked to forward deploy.”
AFCEC is responsible for not only providing facilities for the members of the 772nd ESS to operate and complete mission requirements, but also incorporates them into any annual required training the center provides.
This flight is even more unique in a sense that their role is specific only to real world events. This is further evidenced by their operations tempo needing to match that of their parent organization, resulting in the squadron not participating in routine exercises on the Tyndall installation.
The organization's Tyndall AFB operating location was established in November of 2010.
“We are just one flight of our larger squadron,” said Alex Larsen, 772nd ESS contract officer. “The larger squadron is made up of five flights, four of which are located at Joint Base San Antonio.”
Additionally, the flight here at Tyndall has a global reach. It is responsible for projects taking place at installations all over the world, to include the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia, Larsen added.
In accordance with the flight’s various duties, they also specialize in procuring materials for other squadrons that may be unable to obtain the materials themselves.
One accomplishment in particular is the 772nd ESS procurement of Explosive Ordnance Disposal robots. The robots deploy with EOD Airmen to deter harm while disarming improvised explosive devices.
“Another important section is the Air Force Contract Augmentation Program team who employ various services for the deployed warfighter,” said Senior Airman Zachary Martens, 772nd ESS contract specialist. “These range from dining facility services at Al Udeid Air Base, to the procurement of supplies for use in containing the Ebola outbreak in Africa.”
Another 772nd ESS initiative is the implementation of Advanced Meter Reading Systems, which are intended to better monitor the use of utilities on Air Force bases. This allows 772nd ESS members to monitor purchased equipment and ensure it meets government standards.
“As our mission is to provide contracting support to AFCEC. The majority of our mission comes directly from them.” said Tech. Sgt. Michael Kilbourn, 772nd ESS contract officer. “We approach the relationship with AFCEC as though they are our clients. They bring bona-fide requirements to our attention and we work hand-in-hand with key acquisition stakeholders to procure their requirements in a manner that represents the greatest value to the government and the U.S. taxpayer.”