USAFE to activate new wing at RAF Mildenhall

  • Published
  • By USAFE News Service
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (USAFENS) --  U.S. Air Forces in Europe plans to activate a new wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, May 12, to enhance USAFE’s ability to provide support to all the command’s geographically-separated units throughout the United Kingdom.

The new unit will be commanded by Col. Blake Lindner, currently serving as the deputy director of the USAFE Plans and Programs Directorate at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

As a distinct unit at RAF Mildenhall, the 501st Combat Support Wing will assume responsibility for the oversight of all USAFE GSUs, such as RAF Fairford, RAF Croughton and RAF Alconbury, located throughout the United Kingdom, that are currently supported by the 38th CSW, Ramstein AB.

The new wing at RAF Mildenhall will not affect the operations of the 100th Air Refueling Wing or the 352nd Special Operations Squadron, also based at RAF Mildenhall, nor will it result in a significant increase in the number of base personnel.

“The activation of the 501st CSW will provide USAFE with a wing of functional experts dedicated to the support of U.S. Air Force’s geographically separated units in the United Kingdom,” said Gen. Robert H. “Doc” Foglesong, USAFE commander.

“A new wing in the United Kingdom makes sense,” said the general. “It further streamlines and focuses the GSU support functions in the United Kingdom and places them under a UK-based wing commander. This will provide a more proximate advocate to address support-related issues and a structure to focus on solutions for regional matters that affect our geographically separated units.

“There will be no change to the way our GSUs operate day-to-day. It’s just a smarter way of conducting business and serving our customers better,” he added.