28th Operational Weather Squadron The 28th Operational Weather Squadron ( 28th OWS ) , is an operational weather squadron responsible for supporting USCENTCOM operations . Mission . The 28th Operational Weather Squadron is responsible for producing and disseminating mission planning and execution weather analyses , forecasts , and briefings for US Air Force , USCENTCOM forces . This weather squadron is responsible for base or post forecasting , developing weather products , briefing transient aircrews , and weather warnings for all of their geographical units . Using automatic observing systems located at all military installations and communicating with their combat weather flights , the squadron is able to ' watch ' the weather in their entire area of responsibility from one central location . History . On January 26 , 1945 , the commanding general of the US Army Air Forces in the Pacific requested two mobile weather squadrons be activated for projected land operations in the theater ' s forward area . The Weather Wing constituted the 27th and 28th Weather Squadrons on May 30 , 1945 . The squadrons activated at Seymour Johnson Field , North Carolina , on June 5 , 1945 , and underwent intensive training . The squadrons were ordered to port for movement to the Pacific in August 1945 , but the order was soon thereafter rescinded when Japan capitulated . Both squadrons were inactivated on November 9 , 1945 . The 28th Weather Squadron was reactivated on March 1 , 1949 , at Bushy Park , England to provide weather services for US Air Force and US Army units within the British Isles . The squadron was assigned to the 2105th Air Weather Group , redesignated the 2058th Air Weather Wing in October 1951 . The 28th ' s predominant customer was the 3d Air Division which was activated in 1948 under the command of then - Maj Gen Leon W . Johnson . Maj Gen Leon W . Johnson , a World War II Medal of Honor recipient , was a member of the initial cadre of officers assigned to the US Air Corps weather service when it was formed in 1937 . The headquarters of the 28th Weather Squadron was relocated to South Ruislip , England , near 3d Air Division headquarters , on June 7 , 1949 ; but returned to Bushy Park in March 1951 . The headquarters moved to RAF Northolt , England , on October 24 , 1962 . The 28th was reassigned to the 2d Weather Wing on February 8 , 1954 , in concert with an Air Weather Service overseas wing reorganization . The 28th Weather Squadron ' s emblem was in use by 1952 . The Air Force officially approved its use on April 10 , 1959 . The 28th Weather Squadron was one of seven weather squadrons eliminated as part of an Air Force directed Military Airlift Command programming action to reduce Air Weather Service command elements . It was inactivated on July 1 , 1971 , and its detachments were assigned to the 31st Weather Squadron . Air Weather Service commander Brig Gen Albert J . Kaehn , Jr . approved a reorganization plan in 1979 that included reactivation of the 28th Weather Squadron , which he officiated on July 1 , 1980 , at RAF Mildenhall , England . Detachments of the 28th at Lakenheath , Bentwaters , Woodbridge , Mildenhall , Upper Heyford , Fairford , and Alconbury Royal Air Force stations were activated simultaneously . With the Air Force - directed divestiture of Air Weather Service " to give mission commanders ownership of their weather support resources " , the 28th Weather Squadron and its detachments were again inactivated on September 30 , 1991 . Under the Air Force Weather re - engineering effort , the 28th Weather Squadron was redesignated the 28th Operational Weather Squadron on February 5 , 1999 . The 28th was activated at Shaw Air Force Base , South Carolina , on February 17 , 1999 , and assigned to the Air Combat Command ' s 609th Air Operations Group , severing its deep roots planted in England during the Cold War . On July 20 , 2006 , the 28th Operational Weather Squadron was split into two entities : the 28th Operational Weather Squadron , which maintained USCENTCOM functions ; and the 9th Operational Weather Squadron , which continued CONUS - based operations . The 9th Operational Weather Squadron dissolved in 2007 and CONUS functions were relocated to the 26th Operational Weather Squadron , Barksdale AFB , Louisiana . Currently the 28th Operational Weather Squadron is the only OWS assigned to Shaw AFB , South Carolina . Additionally , as of 2010 it is the only OWS in the United States Air Force that focuses specifically on USCENTCOM military meteorology and product development . Personnel and resources . The 28th Operational Weather Squadron ' s manning consisted of active duty , deployed in - place OL - E , reserve , civilian and contract personnel and is located on Shaw Air Force Base , South Carolina . Duty assignments . List of duty assignments and parent units from 1945 to present .