5th Communications Squadron


 The 5th Communications Squadron provides communications/computer support, visual information and air traffic maintenance support to the 5th Bomb Wing, 91st SpaceWing, and other base organizations. The squadron executes its diverse mission by organizing along functional lines into four flights:
The Mission Systems Flight, the largest in the squadron, consists of three special staff functions, three branches and 12 communication maintenance elements. The Airfield Systems branch is reponsible for maintaining all air traffic control communications including radar, radio, and meteorlogical navigational systems. The Base Systems branch includes a Wing Initial Communications Package element, land mobile radio, and quality assurance evaluators for the contractor maintained base telephone system. Finally, the Missile Systems branch is responsible for maintaining hardened communications for 15 missile alert facilities and 150 missile launch facilities.

 The Plans Flight assures timely and adequate planning, programming and implementation of all C4 systems, whether government owned or leased, throughout the 5th Bomb Wing, 91st Space Wing, and associated units in accordance with good management and engineering practices. The flight is directly responsible for activities related to base level C4 systems planning: deployment planning for C4 systems and personnel; project implementation management; budgeting and financial management; plans, contracts and agreements management; and communications-computer systems installation records.

The Support Flight is comprised of three elements.

The Visual Information element provides photographic and graphic arts support to the base. It is composed of the base photography laboratory, graphic arts, photography equipment maintenance, and videography work center. Visual Information is also responsible for the maintenance of the Commanders Access Channel, the base television information channel.

The publishing section is comprised of a base publishing distribution office (PDO), a publications/forms management element, and a master publications reference library. The PDO operates through a network of unit customer account representatives in providing an efficient an economical central distribution activity to support the base need for publications and blank forms. The publications management element assists publications developers with editing and production of timely and economical quality base publications and prescribed forms to support base and unit missions. The master publications reference library is a central depository of approximately 1100 general interest publications and major command and base supplements. These publications are available for loan to authorized personnel.

The printing management section establishes policies and procedures for base in-house and commercial printing and duplicating. It provides over 8.5 million units of printed matter annually in response to 10,500 individual work requests. The section administers a copier program to provide office copier support to base agencies. It develops and supervises a copier service plan contract to fund full copier maintenance and supplies to supported copiers.

The Information Systems Flight is the newest addition to the squadron, due to recent merger with the base Information Management community. The flight is comprised of four elements: Administrative Communications, Network Control Center, Records Management, and Base Infomation Protection.

The Administrative Communications element runs the Base Information Transfer Center (BITC) providing official mail delivery to base organizations. They also manage the Base Postal Contract which covers personal mail and the base locator service.

The Network Control Center (NCC) designs, installs, maintains and supports the base network.   The Computer Support Center provides ADPE technical solutions, acquisitions, maintenance, inventory management, and customer training.  The Base Telecomunications Center (BTC) processes AUTODIN message traffic and runs the base switchboard.

Records Management handles Freedom of Information Act requests, base records staging area, base central destruction facility, and file plan training and assistance visits for base agencies.

The Base Information Protection Office provides up to date security guidelines, methods and services; to protect, govern, and inform Minot AFB in the operation, execution, and performance of their duties in the use of computers, information, and personnel.

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