Combat Service Support Detachment 21 Second Force Service Support Group

Activated on 15 August 1976 at Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina, Detachment Alpha, Second Force Service Support Group is the largest of two detachments implemented under the combat service support concept to serve as direct support activities for units of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing located at Cherry Point, North Carolina and Beaufort, South Carolina. Formed with a table of organization of 18 Marine Officers and 256 Marine Enlisted, Detachment Alpha was assigned the missions of providing intermediate support for engineer and motor transport equipment and supply services to include maintenance float operations and unit distribution of material under the Support Activities Supply System. The Command was also originally tasked to provide specialized support to both the Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point and the Second Marine Aircraft Wing via the Fifth Force Automated Services Center, Camp Lejeune. Those services were eventually reduced to a II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Information Systems Management Office (now deactivated), which provided analytical and programming support for the ADPE-FNE system to the Second Marine Corps Aircraft Wing. Additionally, the Command provides personnel to the Fleet Marine Force Fleet Assistance Program in the fields of freight and passenger transportation, disbursing, postal, legal, and exchange services. In October 1977, services for Cherry Point units of the Second Marine Aircraft Wing were expanded to include the operation of a Consolidated Issue Point (CIP). The CIP was deactivated in October of 1983 and reorganized as the Expedited Delivery Issue Point (EDIP) which provides supply services through the Supported Activities Supply System. In 1984, the Detachment gained additional missions through the addition of legal services and bulk fuel personnel. The Detachment assigned administrative control of Second Force Service Support Group legal services personnel assigned to the Joint Law Center on board the Air Station. The bulk fuel section provides support to both the Second Marine Aircraft Wing and Marine Corps Air Station by providing augmented support in the refueling of aircraft. On 10 August 1987, the Detachment was officially re-designated as Combat Service Support Detachment (CSSD) 21, the combat ready nucleus of Second Marine Aircraft Wing's contingency CSS element. In April 1988, the Detachment gained the additional mission of operating the II MEF Aerial Port of Embarkation. The Detachment's Arrival/Departure Airfield Control Group (AJDACG) coordinates the deployment and redeployment of II MEF equipment and personnel embarked aboard aircraft in transit through Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point. In December 1990, the Detachment contributed 125 Marines, almost one-half of its strength, to the various parent battalions within Second Force Service Support Group for participation in Operations Desert Shield/Storm. As a result of various changes in personnel and services, the Detachment now has a table of organization of 19 Marine Officers, 239 Marine Enlisted, and 5 Navy Corpsman.