No. 1 Airfield Operations Support Squadron (1AOSS) is Headquartered at RAAF Base Townsville. The squadron has detachments at each of the major RAAF Bases around Australia. It is responsible for providing fixed-base and expeditionary Air Movements support, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) functions, Airfield Engineering, including vertical and horizontal construction capabilities, and 3rd line logistics support to the RAAF's Expeditionary Combat Support Squadrons.
Number 1 Airfield Operations Support Squadron was originally formed in May 1966 as No. 1 Operational Support Unit (1OSU) at RAAF Base Fairbairn, and immediately deployed to Vung Tau in Vietnam where it operated in direct support to Number 35 Squadron. On return to Australia in 1972 the unit was disbanded only to be reformed 12 years later at RAAF Richmond, then relocated to share facilities with No. 7 Stores Depot in Toowoomba, before eventually relocating in 1992 to new faciities at RAAF Townsville. Not long after arrival the unit was renamed as No. 1 Combat Logistics Squadron (1CLS).
On 1 January 2007 the unit merged with No. 1 Air Terminal Squadron (1ATS) to form into the unit it is today. 1AOSS is currently the most diverse and dispersed unit in the RAAF, with an approximate staff of 470 permanent, reserve and civilian personnel serving at 9 permanent detachments at bases all around Australia.
Famous quotes containing the words operations, support and/or squadron:
“You can’t have operations without screams. Pain and the knife—they’re inseparable.”
—Jean Scott Rogers. Robert Day. Mr. Blount (Frank Pettingell)
“War ... should only be declared by the authority of the people, whose toils and treasures are to support its burdens, instead of the government which is to reap its fruits.”
—James Madison (1751–1836)
“Well gentlemen, this is it. This is what we’ve been waiting for. Tonight your target is Tokyo. And you’re gonna play ‘em the Star Spangled Banner with two-ton bombs. All you’ve got to do is to remember what you’ve learned and follow your squadron leaders. They’ll get you in, and they’ll get you out. Any questions? All right that’s all. Good luck to you. Give ‘em hell.”
—Dudley Nichols (1895–1960)