Two shops, one force multiplier: Beale and Travis AFB contracting Airmen join forces

  • Published
  • By Gary Edwards
  • 60 AMW/PA
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE,Calif. --  

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- U.S. Airmen assigned to the 60th Contracting Squadron (CONS) and the 9th CONS came together for a bilateral contracting exercise at Travis Air Force Base, California, on June 27, 2025. The event saw contracting Airmen from Beale and Travis Air Force Bases collaborate to demonstrate the ability to integrate as one cohesive team in a deployed environment. 

The exercise was the result of coordinated planning between the leadership of both squadrons and was led by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. James Buyag, 9th CONS contracting specialist, and Senior Airman John De Pedro, 60th CONS contracting officer. Together, they were responsible for forming and organizing the joint teams. 

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 60th Contracting Squadron (CONS) and the 9th CONS came together for a bilateral contracting exercise at Travis Air Force Base, California, on June 27, 2025.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman John De Pedro, left, 60th Contracting Squadron (CS) contracting officer, and Senior Airman Matthew Kirk, 60th CS contracting specialist, discuss over contract procedures during a bilateral exercise at Travis Air Force Base, California, on June 27, 2025. The event brought together contracting Airmen from Beale and Travis AFB to demonstrate the ability to integrate as one cohesive team in a deployed environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Gary Edwards)
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“This was a first for both Beale and Travis,” said De Pedro. “With Beale being right next door and both units conducting Contingency Contracting Officer (CCO) training, we saw an opportunity to come together and strengthen our joint capabilities. Travis is focused on Rapid Global Mobility, and Beale specializes in Critical ISR—Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. Contracting plays a key role in enabling agile combat operations. We are a force multiplier, and our mission is always to support the warfighter by leveraging enterprise contracting vehicles.” According to Buyag, the goal of the exercise was to strengthen support to the warfighter through a collaborative effort that reflects real-world requirements.  

“The scenarios and injects we’re working through are the same types of contracts we’d need to execute at a forward operating base—especially in contingency environments where things are less structured, and existing contracts may not be in place,” he explained. “We're simulating situations like acquiring export contracts or immediate commodities—things like water and construction materials to establish or expand facilities. These are all common objectives we’d face when deployed.” 

To replicate those challenges, the teams were given a limited selection of vendors and resources to work with—mirroring the constraints they might face in the field.  “Right now, this is still at the conversation and familiarization stage,” Buyag said. “Our contracting officers need to understand procedures and regulations specific to contingency environments—things like dollar thresholds and contract implementation methods. This training helps build that knowledge base.” 

“The exercise was conducted in two phases: the first at Beale AFB under normal operating conditions, and the second at Travis AFB in a simulated austere environment.” De Pedro noted. “This structure was designed to give Airmen a realistic sense of operating in less hospitable conditions while still achieving mission success. It forces them to think creatively and adapt as CCOs.”  De Pedro emphasized that when contracting teams deploy, they’re often composed of members from different bases and Major Commands (MAJCOMs), making collaboration essential.  

“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach,” he said. “This exercise gives us a chance to build flexible, dynamic teams that can adapt and execute in austere environments while pursuing shared goals that keep the mission moving forward.” 

SSgt. Buyag praised the exercise as a valuable opportunity to break out of routine and gain insight into how other units operate. He noted that collaborating with counterparts provided broader perspective on problem solving and engendered a professional growth mentality. 

Lt. Col. Jenny Walk, commander of the 60th CONS, hailed the bilateral contracting training exercise with Beale AFB as a resounding success. She indicated a strong interest in future collaborations, suggesting the 60th CONS would likely seek to partner with Beale again for upcoming training initiatives.