Texas Air National Guardsmen enhance 136th communications capabilities

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman De'Jon Williams
  • 136th Airlift Wing
NAS Fort Worth JRB, TX --  Members from the 272nd Engineering Installation Squadron, 147th Attack Wing, Ellington Field, Texas Air National Guard worked with 136th Communications Flight to assist in upgrading the communications facilities for the 136th Airlift Wing and the 136th Medical Group.

The project began April 27 and is scheduled to be completed July 12.

“The medical building and the wing multipurpose room are being completely rewired from category five to category six network cabling,” said Master Sgt. Patrick O’Connor, the 136th Communications Flight infrastructure non-commissioned officer in charge. “This switch will give better bandwidth, more port availability and putting us [136th Airlift Wing] ahead for future services.”

The 272nd provides installation and engineering for communication systems. This includes replacing outdated systems and network cabling. Another aspect of their work includes moving cabling from one location to another, which is what is being updated for the two facilities.

“We were able to move the cabling to the network control center in the communications room,” said Master Sgt. William Taylor, a cable and antenna system craftsman with the 272nd Engineering Installation Squadron. “The benefit for us is that we get to learn from them [the 136th Communications Flight] as well. They’ve been very supportive since we’ve been here. Anything we’ve needed, they’ve provided.”

The two units worked together to provide the 136th Airlift Wing and Medical Group with better communication technology to support the unit’s missions.

“There is only so much our communications flight can do here on our own,” O’Connor said. “Outsourcing gives us the opportunity to train together; it allows us to present project plans that we need implemented to better our facilities, and it gives the 272nd the opportunity to execute communications plans.”

The projection execution and training provides the resources and man hours to upgrade the facilities as necessary. This training included position knowledge, how to approach and manage projects, and supervision of Airmen, and leadership expectations.

“It’s all about building good relationships, feeding off of each other’s knowledge bases and using our expertise along with theirs to complete a common goal,” O’Connor said. “The experience has been positive, and it’s good to have other units you can rely on to accomplish the mission."