1st Combat Evaluation Group The 1st Combat Evaluation Group ( initially " 1CEG " , later " 1CEVG " ) was a Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) unit formed 1 August 1961 to merge the 3908th Strategic Standardization Group for SAC aircrew evaluation with the 1st Radar Bomb Scoring Group that had originated from the 263rd Army Air Force Base Unit which transferred from 15th AF to directly under Strategic Air Command . The 1CEVG formed after SAC switched to low - level tactics to counter Soviet surface - to - air missile s ( " Oil Burner " training routes in 1959 ) and SAC had " developed a Radar Bomb Scoring field kit for use in NIKE Systems " in early 1960 for scoring SAC training missions against US Hercules SAM sites . The 1CEVG headquarters at Barksdale Air Force Base included an Office of History and a " standardization and evaluation school " for command examiners . Standardization and Evaluation . The 1CEVG deputy commander for standardization and evaluation was responsible for performance assessment of SAC bomber crews . 1CEVG also " evaluated the RC - 135 units at Eielson , Kadena , and Offutt [ and handled ] the flight crew standardization of the U - 2 , the DC - 130 reconnaissance drone program , CH - 3 helicopter drone recovery program , [ and ] the SR - 71 program at Beale AFB . " Fairchild Trophy . The Fairchild Trophy was " Strategic Air Command ' s Top Bombardment Award " which for which " 1 Combat Evaluation Group administered flight checks and evaluated standardization and training activities " . Divisions . 1CEVG included a Command Instrument Flight Division and an RBS Division with 3 squadrons , which as a group in 1959 had ( 1CEVG temporary duty personnel at Nike Defense Areas also scored mock SAC raids tracked by the Army . ) The RBS squadrons were inactivated in 1966 after the number of 1CEVG detachments decreased following deployments to the Vietnam War . Detachments 7 & 50 . Detachment 7 , 1CEVG was a Matagorda Island Air Force Base radar site for the " Busy Skyspot " training program for automatic tracking radar crews to use the Reeves AN / MSQ - 77 Bomb Directing Central before transferring to Vietnam War operating locations . A CONUS AN / MSQ - 77 had initially been used at the mountainous Nellis Air Force Range before being moved to the Gulf Coast of the United States , then the detachment moved to Bergstrom Air Force Base and was redesignated Det 50 for long range tracking of bombers on 2 Matagorda Island Air Force Range routes ( low - and high - level ) . On February 29 , 1968 , on the low - level Matagorda route a Boeing B - 52 Stratofortress crashed into the Gulf of Mexico . Detachment 15 . Detachment 15 , 1CEVG at the Vietnam War ' s Tan Son Nhut Air Base served as an " administrative link between [ the operating locations ] and Headquarters 1st Combat Evaluation Group " after Reeves AN / MSQ - 77 Bomb Directing Central s were produced and deployed in 1965 for Combat Skyspot bomber operations by the Tactical Fighter , B - 52 units , and other organizations ( e . g . , Seventh Air Force ) . On 5 June 1966 near Dong Ha Marine Combat Base close to the DMZ , six 1CEVG technician s were killed while conducting a preliminary site location survey .