Center plays key role informing troops, leadership Published March 19, 2007 By Master Sgt. Brad Sprague 35th Fighter Wing public affairs MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan -- Providing war-fighters with the most up-to-date information is vital to their survival, and the unit control center is a primary player. "We don't just support our staff, but also the fighter wing agencies and the personnel support for contingency operations," said 1st Lt. Jerome Roque, 35th Mission Support Squadron UCC officer in charge. "We are the conduit of information flow up and down the chain of command." According to Lt. Roque, the UCC operates during peacetime and contingencies and is the command center for information flow. Some of the information the UCC provides are current battle staff directives, force protection conditions and any inputs from the survival recovery center. "The UCC is the first line of defense and provides accountability for MSS and fighter wing staff personnel," said Lt. Roque. "This job can be fast-paced, but I have an excellent staff that's sharp and they know what they are doing." Lieutenant Roque said one of the things he enjoys about his job is the fact that he can also support the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations team. "Working with the PERSCO team helps me stay focused," he said. "They're deployed and accountable for everyone--and supporting them makes me feel like part of their team," said the lieutenant. "It's exciting being the eyes and ears of the units we support."