DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- As the Air Force prepares for future operations in the Indo-Pacific region, the 355th Civil Engineer Squadron played a significant role in establishing the first Pacific-aligned 11th Combat Air Base Squadron (CABS) and enabling the 11th Air Task Force mission.
From concept to execution, CE airmen laid the foundation for how the Air Force will conduct force presentation.
“It’s one thing to be tasked with a mission,” said Senior Master Sgt. Robert Davis, 11th CABS director of operations. “It’s another to help build the playbook while running the play. That’s exactly what our engineers did.”
Activated in October 2024, the 11th CABS began with 259 airmen from 64 Air Force Specialty Codes and nine units. This unprecedented mix of skill sets reflects a larger Air Force transformation. As the Air Force seeks to outpace competitors and operate in contested environments, engineers are now force multipliers, building agile airpower at the edge of the fight.
“CE used to be about fixing water heaters and roofs,” Davis said. “Now it’s about defending bases, integrating with other career fields, and understanding how your skillset generates combat power.”
Based on Air Force Chief of Staff guidance, the team structured itself into three flights: force protection, sustainment, and airfield operations, with CE being the only career field embedded in all three.
“You’ll find our engineers everywhere,” said Senior Master Sgt. Eric Partlow, 11th CABS director of airfield operations. “Fire and explosive ordnance disposal in airfield operations, emergency managers in force protection, and most of our CE airmen sustaining the base. That cross-functional integration is essential.”
Under the Air Force Force Generation model, units typically have 18 months to prepare for deployment. The 11th CABS had nine.
“That timeline was cut in half,” Davis said. “We lost the six-month reset phase and part of the certification phase. But we executed.”
The team built a compressed training plan to ensure airmen met all 61 core readiness tasks, validated through supplemental training and three field training exercises: one at Fort Bliss, Texas (force protection); one at Tyndall AFB, Florida (sustainment); and one in Korea (integrating with a mission generation force element to support joint and allied partners in a contested chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear environment).
“In Korea, we demonstrated deploying, supporting the mission generation force element, and launching aircraft (F-16s and CH-53s) with limited resources,” Partlow said. “We used war reserve material stocks. It worked and proved our concept.”
The CABS effort earned a 97% effectiveness rating from the inspector general.
CE contributions went beyond construction and utilities. CE airmen taught essential skills, from land navigation and water purification to airfield damage repair.
“CE did two big things,” Partlow said. “We increased everyone’s survival chances and enabled base sustainment and airpower projection.”
The diverse CE career field cultivates a multi-capable mindset. Whether plumbers, electricians, or firefighters, CE specialists often understand overlapping roles.
“That mindset made the transition into Mission Ready Airmen natural,” Partlow said. “Our airmen are motivated and excited to learn. Their enthusiasm and competence allow them to improvise, push limits, and make ethical decisions.”
Training in Korea provided a realistic glimpse into potential Pacific operations: dispersed operations, austere environments, and the absence of established support systems.
“Gone are the days of deploying to well-maintained bases,” Davis said. “In the Pacific, you’ll be on the move, improvising, and surviving in challenging environments.”
“You have to build the plane while flying it,” Partlow said. “We’re doing something new, making decisions with imperfect information, leaning on the commander’s intent, and leading from wherever you are.”
The CE squadron assessed its strengths and limitations, informing leadership about transitioning from traditional deployments to future Deployable Combat Wing requirements.
“Somebody’s got to prove this concept works,” Partlow said. “We’re laying the concrete for others. We’re showing the future of combat support. ‘Engineers lead the way’ is more than a motto. It’s what we do.”