Logisticians supply the mission at RAF Lakenheath Published July 8, 2024 By Airman 1st Class Alexander Vasquez 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England -- U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Elijah Campanile, 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron F-15E Strike Eagle decentralized material support technician, takes accountability of aircraft equipment at RAF Lakenheath, England, June 25, 2024. The 48th LRS’s material management flight supports the wing’s mission through tracking, protecting, dispatching, and shipping equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alexander Vasquez) Photo Details / Download Hi-Res The material management flight, assigned to the 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron, proves essential to the 48th Fighter Wing by conducting supply management across the base to support the mission set at RAF Lakenheath, England. Tasked with a crucial mandate, material management, better known as supply, holds the responsibility of tracking, protecting, dispatching and shipping equipment to numerous units, locations, and other bases. “Working within material management can be very unpredictable, you can be tasked with getting an entire squadron ready for a deployment or supplying a flight for a short tasking,” said Staff Sgt. Eric Smith, 48th LRS weapons non-commissioned officer in charge. In the late 70’s, Gen. Robert H. Barrow, then commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, reiterated a common adage on the importance of a good logistician, “amateurs talk about tactics, but professionals study logistics.” In support of current mission requirements today, supply continues to prove its necessity, especially within the operational concept of Agile Combat Employment. “We support ACE requirements here at Lakenheath by directly working with maintenance to figure out what parts need to go, how many parts need to go, and so on,” said 2nd Lt. Jalen Ervin, 48th LRS asset management officer in charge. Material management’s role in successfully conducting the mission of the Liberty Wing was recently recognized by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Sustainment when they won the 2023 Department of Defense Supply Chain Excellence Award.