311th Human Systems Wing
Encyclopedia
The 311th Air Base Group (311 ABG) was a group
of the United States Air Force
based out of the now-closed Brooks City-Base
in San Antonio, Texas
.
Its mission was to enhance and sustain human
performance for dominant air and space power.
The center represented the initial step in placing the management of aerospace medical research, education and clinical medicine under one command. Both the school and center were reassigned from Air Training Command to Air Force Systems Command in November 1961 and assigned to the new organization, Aerospace Medical Division.
On Nov. 21, 1963, President John F. Kennedy dedicated four new buildings in the complex that housed the Aerospace Medical Division. This was his last official act before his assassination in Dallas the following day.
In 1986, the Department of Defense began streamlining its organization as a result of the Packard Commission recommendations. This division's acquisition mission emphasized its human-centered technologies. It restructured its functional areas and was renamed the Human Systems Division on Feb. 6, 1987.
In December 1990, the Air Force Systems Command
underwent a major restructuring which consolidated 16 laboratories nationwide into four. Brooks Air Force Base and the Human Systems Division became home of one of the "super labs," the Armstrong Laboratory.
On July 1, 1992, the Human Systems Division was renamed the Human Systems Center as part of the structuring of the new Air Force Materiel Command
. The command was activated July 1, 1992, when the Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command were integrated.
In October 1997, the Air Force consolidated its four super labs (Armstrong, Rome, Phillips, and Wright Labs) into one lab, the Air Force Research Laboratory
(AFRL), headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB. The four laboratories' 25 directorates were streamlined into ten directorates. The Armstrong Laboratory's former functions and organizations at Brooks (minus some that were transferred to the Human Systems Center and U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine) became the Human Effectiveness Directorate (Armstrong Research Site) of AFRL. The Human Effectiveness Directorate then reported directly to Headquarters AFRL and no longer to the Center commander at Brooks as in the past.
In a further effort to streamline facilities, improve quality and cut costs, the Human Systems Center was placed under the command of the Aeronautical Systems Center
at Wright Patterson AFB. On Oct. 1, 1998, the HSC was redesignated the 311th Human Systems Wing.
It was announced on October 5, 2009 that the 311th Human Systems Wing was reorganized into the 311th Air Base Group, a move designed to better manage Air Force operations at Brooks City-Base as the installation moves toward the BRAC
-mandated complete closure in September 2011. The activation of an air base group allowed the staff to provide key oversight of closure functions, while other support activities were provided by units at Lackland and Randolph.
Performance Enhancement Directorate
Air Force Institute of Operational Health
USAF School of Aerospace Medicine
Group (air force)
A group is a military aviation unit, a component of military organization and a military formation. Usage of the terms group and wing differ from one country to another, as well as different branches of a defence force, in some cases...
of the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
based out of the now-closed Brooks City-Base
Brooks City-Base
Brooks City-Base was a United States Air Force facility located in San Antonio, Texas, southeast of Downtown San Antonio.In 2002 Brooks Air Force Base was renamed Brooks City-Base when the property was conveyed to the Brooks Development Authority as part of a unique project between local, state,...
in San Antonio, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Its mission was to enhance and sustain human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
performance for dominant air and space power.
History
The 311th Air Base Group's origins went back to Jan. 19, 1918, when the Medical Research Laboratory was formed at Hazelhurst Field, N.Y. In 1922, this laboratory was redesignated the School of Aviation Medicine, and four years later it moved to Brooks Field which was a center for primary flight training. Both organizations moved to Randolph Field in October 1931. The school moved back to Brooks during the summer of 1959 and the base became the headquarters for the Aerospace Medical Center the same year.The center represented the initial step in placing the management of aerospace medical research, education and clinical medicine under one command. Both the school and center were reassigned from Air Training Command to Air Force Systems Command in November 1961 and assigned to the new organization, Aerospace Medical Division.
On Nov. 21, 1963, President John F. Kennedy dedicated four new buildings in the complex that housed the Aerospace Medical Division. This was his last official act before his assassination in Dallas the following day.
In 1986, the Department of Defense began streamlining its organization as a result of the Packard Commission recommendations. This division's acquisition mission emphasized its human-centered technologies. It restructured its functional areas and was renamed the Human Systems Division on Feb. 6, 1987.
In December 1990, the Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command
Air Force Systems Command is a former United States Air Force command. Its headquarters was located at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland...
underwent a major restructuring which consolidated 16 laboratories nationwide into four. Brooks Air Force Base and the Human Systems Division became home of one of the "super labs," the Armstrong Laboratory.
On July 1, 1992, the Human Systems Division was renamed the Human Systems Center as part of the structuring of the new Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Materiel Command
Air Force Materiel Command is a major command of the United States Air Force. AFMC was created July 1, 1992 through the reorganization of Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command....
. The command was activated July 1, 1992, when the Air Force Logistics Command and Air Force Systems Command were integrated.
In October 1997, the Air Force consolidated its four super labs (Armstrong, Rome, Phillips, and Wright Labs) into one lab, the Air Force Research Laboratory
Air Force Research Laboratory
The Air Force Research Laboratory is a scientific research organization operated by the United States Air Force Materiel Command dedicated to leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable aerospace warfighting technologies; planning and executing the Air Force science and...
(AFRL), headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB. The four laboratories' 25 directorates were streamlined into ten directorates. The Armstrong Laboratory's former functions and organizations at Brooks (minus some that were transferred to the Human Systems Center and U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine) became the Human Effectiveness Directorate (Armstrong Research Site) of AFRL. The Human Effectiveness Directorate then reported directly to Headquarters AFRL and no longer to the Center commander at Brooks as in the past.
In a further effort to streamline facilities, improve quality and cut costs, the Human Systems Center was placed under the command of the Aeronautical Systems Center
Aeronautical Systems Center
The Aeronautical Systems Center is an Air Force product center that designs, develops and delivers dominant aerospace weapon systems and capabilities for U.S. Air Force, other U.S. military, allied and coalition-partner warfighters, in support of Air Force leadership priorities...
at Wright Patterson AFB. On Oct. 1, 1998, the HSC was redesignated the 311th Human Systems Wing.
It was announced on October 5, 2009 that the 311th Human Systems Wing was reorganized into the 311th Air Base Group, a move designed to better manage Air Force operations at Brooks City-Base as the installation moves toward the BRAC
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
-mandated complete closure in September 2011. The activation of an air base group allowed the staff to provide key oversight of closure functions, while other support activities were provided by units at Lackland and Randolph.
Previous designations
- Medical Resource Laboratory (1918–1922)
- School of Aviation Medicine (1922–1959)
- Aerospace Medical Center (1959–1961)
- Aerospace Medical Division (1961–1987)
- Human Systems Division (1987–1992)
- Human Systems Center (1992–1998)
- 311th Human Systems Wing (1998–2009)
- 311th Air Base Group (2009–2011)
Subordinate organizations
311th Mission Support Group (311 MSG)- Airman and Family Readiness Flight
- Brooks City-Base Project Office
- Logistics Division
- Mission Support Division
- Plans and Readiness Division
- Services Division
- Resource Advisor Branch
Performance Enhancement Directorate
- Concept of Operations Division
- Performance Enhancement Research Division
- Warfighter Operations Division
Air Force Institute of Operational Health
- Readiness Division
- Risk Analysis Directorate
- Risk Assessment Division
- Environmental Analysis Division
- Health and Safety Division
- Surveillance Directorate
- Epidemiological Surveillance Division
- Chemistry Division
- Radiation Surveillance Division
- Operations Directorate
- Task Response Division
- Business Division
- Information Systems Division
- Detachment 3 (Kadena Air BaseKadena Air Base, is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. Kadena Air Base is the hub of U.S. airpower in the Pacific, and home to the USAF's 18th Wing and a variety of associate units.-Units:The 18th Wing is the host unit at Kadena...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
)
USAF School of Aerospace Medicine