Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center activated Detachment 1 at Air Force Space Command in a ceremony here May 12. Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter, AFIMSC commander, presided over the ceremony as Col. Nathan Mooney assumed command of the newly established detachment. Carter highlighted the importance of the detachment activation ceremony, saying, "It's a visible way to demonstrate that we are one, moving forward and making progress, but two, that we are entrusting the detachments to the capable hands of a variety of leaders."

"Our focus needs to be, and should continue to be, supporting commanders out in the field and in the major commands," Carter said. "We really pushed to put graduating group commanders in charge of our detachments for a couple of reasons. One was to make sure that they never forgot what it took out in the field to support their squadrons, their group, and their wing where the rubber meets the road."

AFIMSC was created as part of an Air Force plan to create efficiencies by realigning organizations at Headquarters Air Force, major commands, numbered air forces and field operating agencies.

"Continuity and change are really important and I think Space Command really embodies those two elements. You can't take a day off in Space Command. It doesn't happen, so your constant 24/7 mission certainly embodies that continuity. The mission never sleeps," the general said.

Detachment 1 will be responsible for providing support and coordination of Air Force Space Command-specific installation and mission support requirements and priorities.

Upon assuming command of AFIMSC Detachment 1, Mooney said, "Today we begin the process here in Space Command to centralize our key installation and mission support capabilities in order to more effectively and efficiently support our Airmen in the field who have the daunting task of meeting unprecedented operational requirements. As we all know, failure for them is not an option. This is why today's detachment activation is so important. It cements the partnership between AFIMSC, Air Force Materiel Command and Space Command as we work to ensure operational success for our wings and our mission support professionals."

"I am especially proud of the opportunity to serve as the commander of Detachment One and to lead this exceptional team... as we take the Air Force's newest transformation initiative from concept to reality," Mooney added.

AFIMSC Detachment 1 will be located on Peterson AFB. It will be comprised of 13 military and 12 civilian positions from the civil engineering, security forces, communications, finance, and logistics career fields.

"Detachment 1 will serve as the conduit between AFIMSC, AFSPC, and AFSPC-assigned units. A tremendous amount of teamwork has taken place to make this transition to a world-class Installation and Mission Support Center possible. We're eager to build upon this initial success to ensure our wings are well supported in the future," said Scott Anderson, Director of Logistics, Installations and Mission Support at AFSPC.

The activation of AFIMSC helps the Air Force meet a Department of Defense mandate to reduce management staff levels by at least 20 percent and make the best use of limited resources to manage and operate its installations.

Carter stressed, "Anything and everything that we do, we don't do it for the sake of the AFIMSC or the detachments. We are doing it on behalf of, and in support of, the various MAJCOMS and mission sets that we are supporting."

"We have the opportunity to create a network of not only staff that remain behind at the MAJCOM, but really the entire AFIMSC enterprise, which includes our headquarters, our 10 detachments, and six primary subordinate units," Carter said. "Working in tandem, working collaboratively and working together, I have no doubt that we can provide the effective, efficient, responsive and trusted support that our commanders need."