JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash.  -- The Airmen assigned to the 62nd Mission Support Group at Joint Base Lewis-McChord got a new unit designation and a more focused mission last week.

In a ceremony Sept. 17 in Hangar 9 at McChord Field, the 62nd MSG inactivated and the 627th Air Base Group was born. Colonel Kenny Weldon returned a ceremonial first salute from the newly activated group he now commands.

The unit reorganized to conform to the Department of Defense's joint-basing architecture by separating from the flying-mission wing and embedding its squadrons in the installation-support focused JBLM garrison. Five squadrons formerly called 62nd now belong to 627th: Civil Engineer, Communications, Security Forces, Force Support and Logistics Readiness. The former 62nd Contracting Squadron inactivated and its civilian personnel were absorbed into the JBLM garrison as Department of the Army civilian employees.

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