German soldiers of 291st Infantry Division receive a safety brief prior to a mounted convoy during Rotation 14-09 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 7, 2014. The rotation is based on the current operational environment and is designed to prepare the unit for peace support, stability and contingency operations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Cress Jr./Released)

Four MV-22 Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 follow a KC-130J with Detachment A, Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, from Helmand province, Afghanistan, to the USS Iwo Jima in the Arabian Sea, Sept. 6, 2012. The KC-130J provided an escort for the Ospreys to the ship as a contingency.

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621st Contingency Response Wing's annual awards ceremony, March, 5, 2014, at Travis AFB, Calif. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ken Wright)

Lt. Col. Mark Heiniger receives his first salute as commander of the 123rd Contingency Response Group during a change-of-command ceremony held Sept. 15, 2012, at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base in Louisville, Ky. Also pictured is the group’s former commander, Col. Warren Hurst, who has been promoted to command the 123rd Airlift Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Maxwell Rechel)

Prepping the mortar round.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE MAREZ, Iraq – Spc. Christopher Hunthrop, a mortar man assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Advise and Assist Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, prepares a 120mm mortar round by removing extra charges from the round during a combined arms live fire exercise at Destiny Range, May 28, 2011. Hunthrop, a native of Omaha, Neb., fired mortar rounds to increase his proficiency while deployed in support of Operation New Dawn.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Angel Turner, 4th AAB PAO, 1st Cav. Div., USD-N)

Rollout

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Soldiers of “Guardians,” 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, leave Contingency Operating Site Warrior in order to conduct a Counter Surface-to-Air Improvised Explosive Device patrol, Aug. 14, 2011. “As we close on Operation New Dawn, units are required on a daily bases to conduct new missions that are not normally in their spectrum of operations,” said Maj. Edward Huddleston, operations officer for the 101st BSB.

(U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Robert DeDeaux, 1st AATF, 1st Inf. Div. PAO, USD-N)

The Vermont National Guard sent a contingency of five soldiers along with Maj. Gen. Steven Cray, adjutant general, Vermont National Guard, to France celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the end of World War I. Each state that had National Guard representation in World War I were invited back to France to celebrate the anniversary. National Guardsmen visited monuments, cemeteries, villages, battle sites, trenches, museums, and attended ceremonies as part of their visit. The Center for Military History provided guides throughout the trip.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq —An Iraqi Army Soldier displays his voting finger proudly to Soldiers of C Company, 1st Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Tennessee Army National Guard headquartered in Henderson, Tenn. The Iraqi Soldier voted in Ninawa Province during the special elections along with other security personnel who were permitted to vote prior to the regular parliamentary elections scheduled for March 7. The Iraqi Army provides a protection force for a pump house on the Tigris River in Ninawa Province, and the 1/278th ACR, who has just recently occupied Q West, will be conducting patrols to that area on a regular basis, even after the completion of the elections.

Airmen of the 108th Wing Honor Guard practice prior to the 108th Contingency Response Group’s Assumption of Command ceremony at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Dec. 8, 2013. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Mark C. Olsen)

A contingency from the Royal Thai Air Force recently visited Travis Air Force Base to see firsthand how the USAF and David Grand Medical Center implements military medical training and manages health care and preventative medicine programs. They also had the opportunity to explore other facets of Travis by touring the Heritage Center, traffic control tower and a static aircraft display. Thailand and the U.S. are committed to strengthening the long-standing relationship and paving the way for continued cooperation between the two air powers. (Released - U.S. Air Force Photograph/Heide Couch)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq — 1st Sgt. Troy D. Scott (left foreground), of Pearl, Miss., reads a command sergeant major’s award before presenting it to Sgt. Victoria M. Moffett (right foreground), of Collins, Miss., during a ceremony here Feb. 15. Moffett and Sgt. Kyle R. Stegall (middle right, holding award), of Sugarland, Texas, were recognized for embodying one of the seven Army values, selfless service and respect, respectively. These Mississippi Guard members are gun truck commanders with convoy security units, Moffett serving with A Company, 106th Brigade Support Battalion, out of Magee, Miss., and Stegall serving with C Company, 2nd Battalion, 198th Combined Arms, an armor company out of Oxford and Indianola, Miss., both units part of the 155th Brigade Combat Team, headquartered in Tupelo, Miss. To honor outstanding service at the end of the deployment, the senior noncommissioned officers of the 2-198th CAB – to which A Company, 106th BSB, is attached – recognized seven Soldiers throughout the battalion, each of whom embodies one of the Army values of loyalty, duty, respect, service, honor, integrity and personal courage, said Command Sgt. Maj. Perry Campbell (pictured second from left), of Senatobia, Miss.

U.S. Air Force logistics personnel, assigned to the 621st Contingency Response Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, load support equipment and rolling stock cargo onto a contracted Boeing 747 airliner at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina, July 9, 2018. The South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing is deploying nearly 300 Airmen and approximately a dozen F-16 Block 52 Fighting Falcon fighter jets to the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia in support of an Air Expeditionary Force rotation. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Airman Megan Floyd)

Contingency Hawks take flight under new command

Photos by Sgt. Samuel J. Phillips, XVIII Airborne Corps Public Affairs Office

Photo Captions

ECC CoC1-

Col. Shane Dietrich, commander, 408th Contingency Contracting Brigade, hands the 900th Contingency Contracting Battalion colors to Lt. Col. Carol M. Tschida, incoming battalion commander, during a change-of-command ceremony June 23 on Seay Field. “Today is a day where one of my dreams begins; a day that I will never forget,” Tschida said. The battalion consists of three-, to four-person teams spread out over several locations such as Fort Bragg, N.C., Fort Benning, Ga., Fort Stewart, Ga., Fort Campbell, Ky., Fort Jackson, S.C., Fort Drum, N.Y., and two locations in Alabama. These teams are responsible for planning and executing contracting support for the U.S. Army in support of Army and Joint Operations. “We are where the rubber meets the road,” Tschida said, “units tell us what they need done and we find someone to do the work.” (U.S. Army Photo by Sgt. Samuel J. Phillips, XVIII Airborne Corps Public Affairs Office)

Senior Airman Robert Haog and Staff Sgt. Adam White, 573rd Global Support Squadron, 615th Contingency Response Wing, Air Mobility Command weigh luggage as evacuees of Hurricane Gustav arrive at the Louis Armstrong International Airport, New Orleans, LA., to board flights The Federal Emergency Management Agency and The Department of Defense have chartered to transport citizens who otherwise could not leave on their own to destinations safely outside the hurricanes path, Aug. 30, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Shawn Weismiller)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq — 1st Sgt. Carl Hunt (left), a Louisville, Miss., native and noncommissioned officer in charge of the Mayor Cell, Sgt. Eric S. Pettis, a native of Oxford, Miss., and NCOIC of water mission-planning and container management for the Mayor Cell, and Command Sgt. Maj. Perry Campbell, a Senatobia, Miss., native, pose during a ceremony at Contingency Operating Location Q-West, Jan. 29. Pettis received a command sergeant major award for embodying the Army value of integrity.

Civil engineers from a Joint Assessment Team test slabs of concrete on the runway at Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station, N.J., to evaluate its strength prior to establishing a Joint Task Force-Port Opening March 25, 2012. The Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group from Louisville, Ky., and the 690th Rapid Port Opening Element from Fort Eustis, Va., joined forces to form the JTF-PO at an Eagle Flag exercise at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., through March 30. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Phil Speck)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq — Capt. Christopher Wilton, senior communications officer for 2nd Battalion, 198th Combined Arms, 155th Brigade Combat Team, out of Senatobia, Miss., holds a young rat snake he found in his office Feb. 18. Wilton released the snake near the fresh water holding ponds on base.

An airman with the 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron air mobility team secures gear to a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle in preparation for the vehicle’s transport via sling-load by a CH-47 Chinook helicopter using parachute cord. Tying down articles to the vehicle prevents loss of equipment or damage to the vehicle caused by high winds during the sling-load transport.

Lt. Col. David Mounkes, Commander of the 123rd Contingency Response Element, Kentucky Air National Guard, talks to Adm. James Winnefeld, U.S. Northern Command Commander, about the CREs operations and duties while deployed to Springfield, MO in support of the National Level Exercise on May 18, 2011. Adm. Winnefeld is flying to several locations throughout the United States observing how the exercise is progressing. His stop in Springfield allowed Lt. Col. Mounkes to emphasize the CREs importance to the overall operations of controlling an airfield during a national emergency. The NLE is comprised of federal civil authorities such as FEMA and Health and Human Services, supported by the Department of Defense. The NLE itself is a scenario of a 6.0 or higher earthquake on the New Madrid fault line. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Maxwell Rechel)

Sgt. Renea Rivers.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Sgt. Renea Rivers, a support operations noncommissioned officer from Sumter, S.C., assigned to Company C, 101st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, processes shipping requests at Contingency Operating Site Warrior, Iraq, March 13, 2011. Rivers earned recognition as the U.S. Division-North Sustainment Hero for organizing the turn-in of more than $1 million dollars worth of equipment used at four different operating locations in two days.

(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Joshua Tverberg, USD-N PAO)

Referral.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING SITE WARRIOR, Iraq – Dr. (Capt.) Jason Saucedo, battalion surgeon, 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry Regiment, attached to the 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, 1st Infantry Division, reviews a referral to a dermatology specialist for a Soldier at Contingency Operating Site Warrior, Iraq, April 9, 2011.

(U.S. Army photo by Spc. Kandi Huggins, 1st AATF PAO, 1st Inf. Div., USD-N)

Spc. Richard Muniz, a Killeen, Texas, native and personal security detachment gunner for 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), watches the area during a mission to the Al Qayyarah water pump, in Al Qayyarah, Iraq, Dec. 1. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Matthew C. Cooley, 15th Sustainment Brigade public affairs)

Contingency 2013

Members of the 621st Contingency Response Squadron Aerial Port team tie down a firetruck to a C-130 Hercules during a Joint Readiness Training Center exercise at Alexandria International Airport, La. April 21, 2016. JRTC is a multinational exercise focused on pre-deployment and air drop capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua King)

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq — Soldiers of Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 198th Combined Arms and the Troopers of Crusader Troop, 1st Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment gather for a quick brief from Staff Sgt. Dustin Dunn, a platoon sergeant from Crusader Troop, prior to their departure for a convoy patrol mission to a pump house on the Tigris River.

GAROUA, Cameroon (March 23, 2016) – USAFRICOM Deputy Commander for Military Operations, Vice Adm. Michael Franken, eats lunch with Soldiers assigned to Contingency Location Garoua, Cameroon. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jonathon Singletary/Released)

U.S. Air Force logistics personnel, assigned to the 621st Contingency Response Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, load support equipment and rolling stock cargo onto a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III large transport aircraft from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina, July 10, 2018. The South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing is deploying nearly 300 Airmen and approximately a dozen F-16 Block 52 Fighting Falcon fighter jets to the 407th Air Expeditionary Group in Southwest Asia in support of an Air Expeditionary Force rotation. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Edward Snyder)

Contingency 2013

LIBAVA, Czech Republic -- Training rounds from A-10 Thunderbolt II hit the ground Sept. 14 during Ramstein Rover 2012 at a training range here. RARO 12 is a NATO exercise focused on preparing forward air controllers for contingency operations. Sixteen NATO member nations are participating in the exercise to establish and build upon common techniques, tactics and practices. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Natasha Stannard/ Released)

Tech. Sgt. Phil Seif, a ground radio specialist for the Kentucky Air National Guard's 123rd Contingency Response Group, sets up radios March 25, 2012, as a part of the Joint Assessment Team for Eagle Flag at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. The unit joined forces with the U.S. Army’s 690th Rapid Port Opening Element to form a Joint Task Force-Port Opening. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Phil Speck)

Wisconsin Carp Fishing Tournament and Carp Fest Two Rivers, Wisconsin

Merlo Garage Contingency New Flyer at Cleavland Ave

German soldiers of 291st Infantry Division conduct a mounted convoy during Rotation 14-09 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany, Oct. 7, 2014. The rotation is based on the current operational environment and is designed to prepare the unit for peace support, stability and contingency operations. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Cress Jr./Released)

Black tee contingency

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION Q-WEST, Iraq —Capt. Drew Clark (left), a resident of Madison, Miss., looks on as Khalil Abrahim hands his son Muhammed a plastic bag of pencils and crayons, at his farm near Al Qayarrah, during a security escort mission to the Tigris River pump house that supplies water to Q-West, Feb. 5. Clark commands A Company, 2nd Battalion, 198th Combined Arms, 155th Brigade Combat Team, out of Hernando, Miss., the Q-West force protection company that provides security to all missions to the pump house or along the water pipeline, among the unit’s numerous other missions. The Soldiers of A Company solicited from home gifts of clothing, linen, toys, school supplies and other items to give Abrahim and his family, whom they befriended during their many visits to the pump house.

Mortar section drill.

CONTINGENCY OPERATING LOCATION GAINES MILLS, Iraq – Iraqi jinood, Arabic for soldiers, serving with Artillery Battery, 47th Brigade, 12th Iraqi Army Division, practice deploying a 120mm mortar system near Contingency Operation Location Gaines Mills, Feb. 20, 2011. The 120mm mortar systems provide heavy brigade-level organic indirect fire capability to support maneuver forces from the 47th IA Brigade. Deployed as part of U.S. Division- North in support of Operation New Dawn, Soldiers of Company C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 1st Advise and Assist Task Force, are training IA jinood in preparation for a combined joint military exercise, Operation Lion’s Leap.

(U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Alyxandra McChesney, 1st AATF PAO, 1st Inf. Div., USD-N)

The Vermont National Guard sent a contingency of five soldiers along with Maj. Gen. Steven Cray, adjutant general, Vermont National Guard, to France celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the end of World War I. Each state that had National Guard representation in World War I were invited back to France to celebrate the anniversary. National Guardsmen visited monuments, cemeteries, villages, battle sites, trenches, museums, and attended ceremonies as part of their visit. The Center for Military History provided guides throughout the trip.

Members of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group participate in a weeklong exercise called Operation Huron Thunder at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., from July 22 to 27, 2018. The 123rd CRG worked in conjunction with the U.S. Army’s 690th Rapid Port Opening Element to operate a Joint Task Force-Port Opening. The objective of the JTF-PO is to establish an aerial port of debarkation, provide initial distribution capability and set up warehousing for distribution beyond a forward node. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Allison Stephens)

Members of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Contingency Response Group participate in a weeklong exercise called Operation Huron Thunder at the Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., from July 22 to 27, 2018. The 123rd CRG worked in conjunction with the U.S. Army’s 690th Rapid Port Opening Element to operate a Joint Task Force-Port Opening. The objective of the JTF-PO is to establish an aerial port of debarkation, provide initial distribution capability and set up warehousing for distribution beyond a forward node. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Allison Stephens)