WASHINGTON (AFNS) –
Air Force officials announced June 26 its proposed force structure realignment for fiscal 2010.
The announcement addresses the Air Force's force structure, realignment and management actions supported by the president's fiscal 2010 budget and summarizes the civilian and military personnel changes as well as the reassignment of aircraft at bases for the upcoming fiscal year.
"The force structure announcement reflects our best effort to meet the expanding Air Force mission areas and growing joint demands," said Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff.
It reflects adjustments intended to provide unsurpassed global vigilance, global reach and global power ... to fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace - today and in the future, given available resources.
The announcement does not include programmatic actions in fiscal 2011 and beyond.
"We've made some hard choices," General Schwartz said. "However, we believe this is the best overall design to meet America's national security needs and support to the joint fight."
The announcement specifies the force structure changes experienced by the total force, including Air Force active duty, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve. Implementation of these actions will occur only after completion of appropriate environmental analyses.
Team Charleston members can expect to see an increase in both military and civilian positions.
The announcement states the 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron will have an additional 17 military positions and the 437th Maintenance Squadron will have an increase of four military positions.
The 437th Airlift Wing will receive two additional base operating support military positions and 11 civilian positions added as a result of increased support to unit commanders.
Other miscellaneous actions resulted in an increase of five civilian positions.
Total impact to the 437 AW is an increase of 23 military and 16 civilian positions.
In addition to the personnel changes, the 437 AW will temporarily gain five C-17s as part of the wing's backup aircraft inventory. Additional C-17s reflect temporary basing of aircraft received in the fiscal year 2008 Supplemental Appropriation. Final basing locations have yet to be determined.
The proposal for the 315th Airlift Wing will be to reduce the wing's overall manning by 215 part-time reserve positions and eight full-time positions.
The following is a breakdown of the force structure changes at the 315 AW. The wing has an increase of 14 part-time reservists as a result of the Airlift Control Flight restructure, a decrease of 105 part-time reservists in aircraft maintenance resulting from a new manpower standard. Also, a decrease of 45 part-time reservists and six full-time reservists due to rightsizing to primary aircraft authorizations will occur, along with a decrease of 79 part-time reservists and two full-time reservists due to a C-17 crew ratio reduction.
"We will work with the reservists whose positions are affected to ensure their skills can be utilized by the Air Force," said Col. Steven Chapman, 315 AW commander.
For more details about the Fiscal 2010 Force Structure realignment, read the Fiscal Year 2010 Force Structure Announcement or review the Fiscal Year 2010 Force Structure Briefing.
Trisha Gallaway, 437 AW Public Affairs and Capt. Wayne Capps, 315 AW Public Affairs, also contributed to this article.