Headquarters 4950TH TEST GROUP (NUCLEAR) Air Force Special Weapons Center United States Air Force Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico SWS 11 April 1957 SUBJECT: Staff Visit to Eniwetok, 24 March - 5 April 1957 TO: Commander Air Force Special Weapons Center Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico 1. The following are principle items which were discussed with the Commander, 4951st Support Squadron (Test), and his staff during the visit conducted at Eniwetok 24 March to 5 April 1957. 2. GENERAL: a. The 495lst Support Squadron (Test) is performing its primary, mission with an admirable degree of success, All requests for support have been fulfilled by the organization, The relationships between the Squadron, Task Group 7,2, AEC, and Holmes and Narver personnel are excellent, On several occasions unsolicited compliments were expressed by such persons concerning the efficiency of the Unit. b. There are some areas of secondary importance where a need for improvement was noticed and brought to the attention of the Commander, In most instances the shortage of personnel and technical skills was primarily responsible for the Unit's difficulty. Examples of areas where the Commander was requested to take certain corrective actions include certain special items in flying and sround safety, corrosion control, and operational procedures, Generally speaking the majority of these items were of such 4 detailed nature that they do not renuire further elatoration in this report, 3, AFWL/ HQ PERSONNEL: a, The 4951st conducted a briefing for visiting personnel on the impact on their operations of the existing personnel shortages. To understand and aprreciate this situation it is necessary to recall that the interim strength of this Unit prior to REDWING was approximately 240 officers and airmen. At the present time the Unit is authorized 18 officers and 184 airmen, Because of difficulties in the requisitioning system, the availatle for duty strength in recent months has dropned to slightly over 100, Obviously the Unit cannot function satisfactorily at tris level, The interim period manning requirements were established on the basis that the Unit would be 190% manned at al' times, It is a great tribute to all personnel assigned the Squadron that they have been effec- ‘Subsequent to the Tre[ #9, 7 Cy tive as they have unter such difficult circumstances. pt