Mission
The 25th Operational Weather Squadron is responsible for producing and disseminating mission planning and execution weather analyses, forecasts, and briefings for Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Guard, Reserve, USSTRATCOM, and USNORTHCOM forces operating at 68 installations/sites in an 11 state region of the Western United States.
This weather squadron is responsible for base or post forecasting, developing weather products, briefing transient aircrews, and weather warnings for all of their geographical units. Using automatic observing systems located at all military installations and communicating with their combat weather flights, the squadron is able to 'watch' the weather in their entire area of responsibility from one central location.
The Operational Weather Squadron is the first place a newly schooled weather apprentice will report. At the squadron, working alongside a seasoned weather professional, the forecaster is trained in all aspects of Air Force meteorology, from pilot briefing to tactical forecasting.
The weather squadron works closely with the combat weather flights they support to ensure a flawless exchange of weather information.
History
The Army Air Forces constituted the 25th Weather Squadron on 28 October 1943. The squadron activated at Patterson Field, Ohio, and was assigned to the Army Air Forces Weather Wing four days later. The 25th moved to Lynbrook, Long Island, New York, on 4 November 1943, and was disbanded on 7 September 1944.
The U.S. Air Force reconstituted the 25th Weather Squadron on 18 May 1948, and activated it at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. The squadron was assigned to the 104th Weather Group, later the 2104th Air Weather Group on 1 June 1948. It was reassigned to the 2059th Air Weather Wing on 24 October 1950.
The 25th moved to Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina, on 10 September 1951. The squadron was assigned to the 2102nd Air Weather Group on 16 September 1951. The 25th was reassigned to the 2nd Weather Group on 20 April 1952.
In 1953 in addition to operating the Troop Carrier Weather Center at Donaldson Air Force Base, the 25th was designated to test and develop doctrine for the provision of weather service for airborne forces and determine the requirements of and procedures for providing their service in cold weather operations. To validate its cold weather concepts the squadron participated in joint training activities such as Exercise SNOW STORM in upstate New York during the winter of 1953.
The 25th moved to Waco, Texas, and began its association with the Twelfth Air Force on 18 September 1957. In addition to providing meteorological services to Twelfth Air Force bases, the 25th supported U.S. Strike Command exercises, contingencies, and special missions. The squadron was assigned to the 5th Weather Wing when the wing was activated on 8 October 1965.
The 25th Weather Squadron moved to Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas, on 23 May 1968, concurrent with the move of Headquarters, Twelfth Air Force from Waco to Bergstrom Air Force Base.
Air Weather Service inactivated the 25th Weather Squadron on 30 June 1972 as an Air Force budgetary reduction caused Air Weather Service to reduce squadron overhead. A Staff Weather Officer cell was established in its place to support Twelfth Air Force. This was short-lived as Air Weather Service again activated the squadron at Bergstrom Air Force Base and again assigned it to the 5th Weather Wing on 1 January 1975. In June 1975 Lt Col George E. Chapman, who was later promoted to brigadier general and served as commander of Air Weather Service from 1982 to 1988, took command of the 25th. In addition to numerous annual exercises, the 25th supported contingencies such as Operation JUST CAUSE in 1989.
The 25th was inactivated on 30 September 1991, as part of the divestiture of Air Weather Service. The squadron was redesignated the 25th Operational Weather Squadron on 5 February 1999, and activated at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, on 1 April 1999. It was assigned to the 612th Air Operations Group, renewing its association with Twelfth Air Force, which moved its headquarters to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in 1993.
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