28th Operational Weather Squadron Operational Weather Squadrons provide weather support covering a specified region of the world. Professional meteorologist and weather technicians operate the squadrons around the clock ensuring continuous monitoring of terrestrial and space weather activity. These regional weather centers are responsible for Air Force base and Army post forecasting, developing weather products, briefing aircrews, and issuing weather warnings for numerous deployed or in-garrison weather teams and other key military locations. 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. The Operational Weather Squadron is the first place a newly schooled weather apprentice will report. At the squadron, working along side a seasoned weather professional, the forecaster is trained in all aspects of Air Force meteorology, from aircrew briefing to tactical forecasting. The regional weather centers work closely with the combat weather flights they support to ensure a flawless exchange of weather information. The 28th Operational Weather Squadron provides highly accurate, timely, and relevant weather information directly to Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coalition warfighters in the United States Central Command area of responsibility. As the USCENTCOM and International Security Assistance Force designated Joint Meteorology and Oceanographic Forecast Unit, the 28th OWS produces and disseminates joint operations area forecasts for the AOR, as well as terminal aerodrome forecasts for 19 forward bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 28th also provides weather warnings, watches, and advisories for 23 locations that help deployed commanders secure and protect vital combat and combat support assets and personnel. The squadron provides direct support and reach-back weather support to the Combined Air and Space Operations Center as the designated weather center of excellence for the USCENTCOM AOR. All in all, the 28th OWS issues weather products supporting all branches of the U.S. military, as well as Coalition partners, deployed to 25 countries spanning 6.43 million square miles on two continents.