Chief Master Sgt. Gerardo Tapia, Air Education and Training Command command chief, tours an air traffic control tower during a visit to the 12th Flying Training Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas May 20, 2013. (Air Force photo by Joel Martinez, 502nd Air Base Wing ) The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
By: FEDweek StaffIn an effort to address the fragmentation that has taken place during the past 30 years, Air Force leaders are taking steps to reorganize its major commands (MAJCOMs) into Institutional Commands responsible for organizing, training, and equipping Airmen, and Service Component Commands, responsible for preparing Airmen for war-fighting in a combatant command’s area of responsibility.
“Our Air Force has incrementally become fragmented,” said Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin. “This gradual diffusion was the result of decisions made in the context of a different strategic environment. After deep introspection, it has become clear that to dominate in this challenging strategic environment, we must have a force structure that is better aligned, clearly understood, and agile enough to exploit the rapid pace of change.”
The reorganized Air Force will consist of two different types of commands. Institutional Commands will oversee capability modernization, acquisition and sustainment, development of human capital and generation of readiness. Among them:
· Air Education and Training Command will likely be renamed as the Airman Development Command, and will continue to focus on training airmen throughout their careers.
· Integrated Capabilities Command would be structured to enable service component commands to focus on readiness by realigning capability development efforts into “a singular, prioritized demand signal for future airpower capabilities,” the Air Force stated
· Air Combat Command “will integrate readiness for CONUS [continental United States]-based service-retained forces and prepare and present mission-ready forces to combatant commands.”
· Air Force Materiel Command will ensure the development, procurement and sustainment of competitive capabilities.
· Air Force Reserve Command and the Air National Guard will supplement the active force with “strategic and operational depth and surge capacity.”
Service Component Commands (SCCs) will oversee operational forces as they pursue combat missions by projecting “air power to the joint force combat commands through theater-assigned and rotationally allocated … units.”
Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Air Forces in Europe – U.S. Air Forces Africa, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Mobility Command and Air Force Global Strike Command “will be considered SCCs.”
Air Force Southern (AFSOUTH) is slated to become the first Service Component Command. Its operational mission will remain unchanged.
“However, as a Service Component Command, AFSOUTH will be better positioned to advocate for service-related matters such as personnel, administration and unit training.”
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