Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 (MWCS-28) is a United States Marine Corps communications squadron. The squadron provides expeditionary communications for the aviation combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force. They are based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and fall under the command of Marine Air Control Group 28 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Mission Provide expeditionary communications for the aviation combat element (ACE) of a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), including the phased deployment element of tasked-organized elements thereof.
Tasks Provide for the effective command of subordinate elements. Assist in the systems planning and engineering of ACE communications; and install, operate, and maintain expeditionary communications for command and control of the MEF ACE. Provide operational System Control Centers, as required, to coordinate communication functions internally and externally to the ACE. Provide calibration and repair facility for all ground common Test Measurement Diagnostic Equipment (TMDE) in the Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW). Provide maintenance support for Ground Common Communications Equipment in the MAW. Provide the digital backbone communications support for the ACE Command Element (CE), forward operating bases, and Marine Air Command and Control System (MACCS) agencies for up to two airfields per detachment. Provide tactical, automated switching, and telephone services for the ACE CE, and Tactical Air Command Center (TACC). Provide electronic message distribution for the ACE CE, primary MACCS agencies, and tenant units. Provide external, single-channel radio and radio retransmission communications support for ACE operations, as required. Provide deployed Wide Area Network, and deployed Local Area Network server support for the ACE CE, and primary MACCS agencies. Provide the Support Cryptographic Site (SCS), for all Ground Common and MACCS assigned Communication Security Equipment within the ACE. Plan and coordinate individual and unit training, as required to qualify subordinate detachments for tactical deployment and combat operations.
Unit History Early history: 1960s and 1970s Throughout the Squadron's early history, MWCS-28 supported a variety of large scale, Joint, and Coalition exercises tying aviation assets and aviation command and control agencies to the Marine Air Ground Task Force. In the context of the Squadron's establishment during the Vietnam War, the Squadron's contributions and participation in these specific types of exercises ensured the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing's and the Corps' ability to provide combat power during major combat operations. Originally designated Marine Wing Communications Squadron 2, MWCS-28 was formed on 1 September 1967. MWCS-2 was organized by aggregating the organic communications sections from Marine Air Control Group 2's subordinate squadrons in to a single, centralized communications element. MWCS-2, under the command of Major Madigan with 5 officers and 55 enlisted Marines, reported to Marine Wing Headquarters Group 2. In Jul 1, 1971, MWCS-2 was re-designated as MWCS-28 and was reassigned to its present higher headquarters, Marine Air Control Group 28.
Exercises like "Operation Teamwork 76" in Europe and "Operation Bonded Item 76" in Denmark and West Germany supported the employment of aviation assets to North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces. Additionally, exercises like "Exotic Dancer III" and Exotic Dancer IV", held at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were two of the largest military operations outside the Vietnam War. These exercises provided communications support to 60,000 troops from all branches of the armed forces, and supported the Wing's core competencies during major combat operations.
On 6 September 1979, a massive fire ruined MWCS-28's Headquarters buildings. Maintaining their focus on mission accomplishment, seven days after the fire, the Squadron embarked on ships bound for Turkey on 13 September to participate in "Display Determination 79." During this exercise, MWCS-28 Marines enabled command and control for Marine Aircraft Group 20. During their first 13 years, MWCS-28 supported core competencies for aviation elements during major combat operations and demonstrated the ability to tailor and scale communications support to enable Joint, Coalition, Wing, and Group-level elements.
1980s During the 1980s, MWCS-28 continued to enable our Corps' actions as a member of the Joint force. The Squadron continued to develop the concepts of employment associated with supporting Wing and Group-level elements while additionally developing the capability to support aviation elements afloat and aviation elements task-organized to support Marine Amphibious Brigades (MAB). The 1980s also saw a significant restructuring for the MWCS-28 organization, and that restructuring remains intact today.
In February 1984, MWCS-28 participated in "Operation Ocean Venture 82" at Roosevelt Roads Naval Station, Puerto Rico in support of Marine Aircraft Group 40 and the 4th MAB. Also in February, personnel and equipment were embarked aboard the USS Mt. Whitney, USS Charleston, USS Raleigh, USS Saipan, and the USS El Paso for transit to Northern Norway for participation in exercise "Busy Eagle/Team Work - 84." That same year MWCS-28 participated in five major exercises to include two Combined Arms Exercise (CAX 9/10) at Twenty Nine Palms, California and a Joint Chief of Staff-directed MAB-level exercise conducted in Florida ("Bold Eagle 86"), which successfully demonstrated the Marine Corps' capability to interface data communications with Air Force systems.
In 1985, the Squadron executed the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing's Communication Reorganization, directed in 1981 by the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing Commanding General, Major General Keith Smith. During this reorganization, the communications detachments supporting the Marine Air Groups at MCAS New River, NC (Detachment Alpha) and MCAS Beaufort, SC (Detachment Bravo) were assigned to the operational control of MWCS-28 Headquarters located at MCAS Cherry Point. This reorganization centralized the Wing's capability to provide communications links from the MAW Headquarters to each of the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing's Marine Aircraft Groups (MAGs) at each of 2d MAW's Air Stations.
MWCS-28's experience in providing communication support to Joint, Coalition, and Wing-level elements would pay dividends in the 1990s. The exercises supported by the Squadron during the 1980s developed the concepts of employment associated with providing smaller, task-organized detachments to Brigades, Groups, and amphibious assets.
Operation DESERT SHIELD / Operation DESERT STORM The successes Detachments "A" and "B" achieved during their support of numerous exercises in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s would be leveraged for greater success in support of major combat operations during Operation DESERT SHIELD and Operation DESERT STORM.
In August 1990, Iraq invaded the sovereign nation of Kuwait, and MWCS-28, Detachment A (-) immediately deployed with Marine Aircraft Group 40 aboard the USS Nassau, an LHA-4, and the USS Iwo Jima, an LHA-2. Four months later, on 10 December, Detachment B (Fwd) deployed to the Persian Gulf for Al-Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Detachment B (Fwd) remained at Al-Jubail until 26 December when they moved to Ras al-Mishab where they established two multichannel links - linking General Support Group (GSG) to the Wing's Tactical Air Operations Center, and also linking the Tactical Air Operations Center to the Direct Support Center. On 1 Jan 1991, the remainder of Detachment B arrived in Ras al-Mishab, and prepared to support Marine Aircraft Group 26's movement to Lonesome Dove, the largest rotary aircraft base in Marine Corps history, housing approximately 200 aircraft. Detachment B established links between Marine Aircraft Group 26 and the Early Warning Center and Direct Support Center. These links tied together the Marine Air Command and Control System in support of air campaign and ground war during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Throughout the conduct of the ground war, Detachment A (-) remained embarked while preparing to support aviation operations ashore during an amphibious assault.
The 1990s: Resetting the Force and Continued Support to Global Security In the 1990s, small detachments of MWCS-28 Marines were deployed all over the world, while the Squadron continued to restructure itself in order to provide the highest degree of communications support to 2d MAW and the Wing's task-organized element.
On 23 November 1991, Detachment A sent 9 Marines to support the Marine Corps' humanitarian assistance operations in Haiti during Operation GITMO. And, on 11 December 1992, 11 MWCS-28 Marines deployed to Somalia with I Marine Expeditionary Force in support of Operation RESTORE HOPE.
In 1992, MWCS-28's Commanding Officer, LtCol Washburn, implemented the Marine Corps' directed Table of Organization change, eliminating the two Detachments, each located at MCAS Beaufort and MCAS New River. The deactivation of Detachment A and Detachment B at their respective Air Stations was conducted in order to consolidate the Squadron's equipment and personnel at MCAS Cherry Point. During this period, the Squadron continued to support 2d MAW's elements during the normal tempo of operations, though it was at 50% of its original strength.
In 1993, the Squadron sent 92 Marines to Fort McCoy, Wisconsin for participation in "Alpine Warrior 93", supported Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 1–93 in Yuma, Arizona, deployed 88 Marines to Puerto Rico for two weeks to support a Command Post Exercise, and then a majority of the Squadron deployed with MAG-40 to Norway for "Battle Griffin 93" in February.
On 21 September 1994, the Squadron completed the activities associated with consolidating its two detachments at MCAS Cherry Point, and officially reorganized as a Headquarters Detachment and two operational Detachments, all located at MCAS Cherry Point. This consolidation allowed the Squadron to supervise the collective training development and to manage the force provision of the two independent detachments. During the course of the next year, the Squadron participated in numerous exercises to include two Joint Systems Training Exercises JSTE 95-01/02, CAX 3/4-95, "Iron Ace 95", and "Roving Sands 95".
In November 1999, after supporting four real-world operations, 18 major exercises, 19 local exercises, and supporting six Marine Expeditionary Unit-Special Operations Capable detachments, MWCS-28 was presented the Meritorious Unit Citation (MUC) by CG 2d MAW, MajGen Krupp.
The 1990s saw the Squadron's participation in an ever-increasing variety of missions. Ranging from the arid deserts of the American Southwest, to the arctic tundra of Norway, the rainforests of South America, and the littorals of the Mediterranean, MWCS-28 continued to develop new concepts of employment to support 2d MAW and the Marine Corps. Also engaged in supporting new technologies, in 1995 MWCS-28 implemented routers as elements of the communications infrastructure to support providing wide area network (WAN) and local area network (LAN) services to 2d MAW's users.
The New Century: Y2K, Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM The beginning of the 21st Century saw MWCS-28 continue to adjust their organizational structure to provide the highest degree of operational readiness and support to 2d MAW and the II MEF MAGTF. The Squadron also continued to support the implementation and operation and maintenance of new and emerging technologies.