732 ECES

• Provisional Unit: The 732nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron (ECES) was a provisional unit of the United States Air Force, activated to support operations in the Middle East during the Global War on Terrorism. • Role: 732 ECES specialized in engineering tasks such as construction, repair, and maintenance of airfield infrastructure, base facilities, and force protection measures. • Deployment Locations: The squadron was deployed to several locations in Iraq and Afghanistan, including Balad Air Base and Baghdad International Airport. • Joint Expeditionary Tasking: Unlike most Air Force units, 732 ECES members often worked under Army command, performing “in-lieu-of” tasks to fill shortages in Army engineering teams. • Route Clearance Missions: 732 ECES teams were among the first Air Force engineers to conduct dangerous route clearance missions, searching for and neutralizing IEDs (improvised explosive devices) on convoys. • Casualties and Valor: Members of the squadron received several commendations for bravery and some made the ultimate sacrifice during their missions, highlighting the danger of their assignments. • Rapid Construction: The squadron was credited with rapidly constructing critical infrastructure, such as living quarters, runways, and defensive barriers, under combat conditions. • Legacy Flights: 732 ECES was composed of Airmen from various home units, making it a composite force drawing expertise from across the Air Force civil engineering community. • Support for Iraqi Forces: The squadron played a key role in training and supporting local Iraqi engineers, helping to rebuild Iraq’s own infrastructure and technical capacity. • Unit Deactivation: As U.S. operations in Iraq drew down, the 732 ECES was inactivated, with its legacy continuing through the ongoing contributions of Air Force engineers worldwide.