4th Combat Camera

• Origin and Activation: The 4th Combat Camera Squadron (4th CTCS) was originally activated in 1996 at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, as the Air Force's only Reserve combat camera unit. • Motto: The unit’s motto is “Combat Camera: Eyes of the Force,” highlighting their unique mission to visually document military operations. • Global Deployments: 4th CTCS personnel have deployed to conflict zones around the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Balkans, providing critical combat imagery for operational analysis and historical record. • Imagery in Real Time: Members of the 4th CTCS have provided real-time imagery to commanders, directly influencing decisions on the battlefield. • Disaster Response: The squadron has played an important role in documenting humanitarian and disaster relief operations, such as the response to Hurricane Katrina and the 2010 Haiti earthquake. • Deactivation and Reactivation: The squadron was inactivated in 2015 due to budget constraints, but was reactivated in 2017 at Joint Base Charleston, acknowledging the enduring need for combat camera capabilities. • Historic Firsts: 4th CTCS was the first Reserve combat camera unit to deploy to a combat zone, setting the precedent for future Reserve component involvement in front-line documentation. • Joint Operations: The squadron regularly works alongside other U.S. military branches and allied forces, supporting joint and combined operations. • Highly Trained Personnel: Combat camera airmen are trained in both photography and videography, as well as survival, evasion, resistance, and escape (SERE) to operate effectively in hostile environments. • Legacy of Storytelling: The imagery produced by 4th CTCS not only supports military operations, but also serves as a historical record, often featured in official reports, documentaries, and public media to tell the story of America’s Airmen in action.