CHARLESTON AFB, S.C. –
Marking the beginning of a new Air Force Reserve squadron here, an official stand-up ceremony and assumption of command of the 560th RED HORSE Squadron, including the unveiling of the unit's guidon and emblem, occurred at the Charleston Club March 8.
The unit, 560 RHS, will consist of 209 personnel and is an engineering unit that provides major force bed-down, damage repair and heavy engineering operations during wartime at locations around the world. RED HORSE stands for rapid engineer deployable heavy operational repair squadron, engineer.
"We are on the pointy end of the spear," said Col. Daniel Leveille, 560 RHS commander. "We go where we need to go."
In September 1965, the Tactical Air Command was tasked to organize, train, equip and prepare two squadrons for deployment to Southeast Asia. The squadrons were organized as a mobile, self-contained unit of 400 men with a range of skills and construction equipment to provide combat engineering support to Air Force tactical units in a theater of operations. The squadron included medical, food service, vehicle and equipment maintenance as well as supply personnel to ensure their self-sufficiency.
Attending the ceremony was retired Brig. Gen. Tom Meredith who is recognized as the father of RED HORSE operations. He was also the commander of the 560th Civil Engineering Squadron.
The 560 CES was established as a replacement training unit. The unit was responsible for field training the 2,400 individuals each year required to keep the six RED HORSE squadrons in Southeast Asia during Vietnam, up to strength.
The 560 RHS is one of two new units being stood up by the Air Force Reserve, with the other being based at Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. A new civil engineering complex to be used jointly with active-duty members is scheduled for construction in the near future