LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The 13th Combat Air Base Squadron stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, is scheduled to deactivate on June 16. The unit will leave behind a legacy of innovation, teamwork and operational success after completing a historic 24-month Air Force Force Generation cycle that demonstrated a new approach to expeditionary combat support operations.
The 13th CABS activated Airmen from 74 Air Force career fields into a single deployable organization as part of the Air Force’s effort to create deployable Units of Action. The squadron integrated subject matter experts from logistics, security forces, communications, civil engineering and numerous other career fields to build a cohesive team capable of generating combat power in contested environments.
“We were an experiment to see what happens when you build a value-added team that actually knows each other before they deploy,” said Lt. Col. Chris Bahrij, 13th CABS commander. “Ultimately, our legacy is that we proved the concept works.”
The squadron’s readiness culminated in a seven-month deployment, during which the unit served as the core leadership and manpower structure for the 346th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron under the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility. During the deployment, Airmen supported operations while demonstrating the effectiveness of an integrated combat support force.
“True combat readiness isn't about the badge on your chest,” Bahrij said. “It's about collapsing those silos and removing barriers so the team can make fast, decisive decisions in the dirt.”
The experience provided the unit a unique opportunity to integrate dozens of specialties into a single command structure to rapidly coordinate and execute combat support functions that are often managed through separate organizations.
“The 13th CABS’s mission success is a result of them embodying our ABCs,” said Brig. Gen. David Berkland, 56th Fighter Wing commander. “They tackled this deployment as Airmen first, with mastery of the Basics, and a winning-team Culture. They showed what a team can accomplish when you disperse combat power, trust young leaders to step up, and stay focused on the main thing: generating and sustaining airpower.”
The squadron focused on developing combat-ready Airmen through integrated training and expeditionary exercises throughout its AFFORGEN cycle, including combat support training events at Tyndall AFB, Florida, and Fort Bliss, Texas. These events prepared Airmen to establish, sustain and defend air base operations in austere and contested environments.
Leaders say the lessons learned throughout the AFFORGEN cycle will continue to influence future force-generation efforts. Airmen who served in the squadron will carry forward the relationships, culture and operational experience gained.
“I hope they take the words on our squadron patch to heart: ‘Vires per unitatem’ Strength through unity,” Bahrij said. “When you bring experts together into one cohesive team, you accomplish something truly consequential.”
As the 13th CABS concludes its mission at Luke AFB, its legacy will endure through the Airmen who trained, deployed and served together, helping validate a model of expeditionary readiness that will help shape future Air Force operations.