1. Total Force integration is necessary to mission accomplishment as the climate of war rapidly changes. This position paper will explain reasons the Total Force works. It will also present negative impacts that will be outweighed by the need for the Total Force.
2. Starting with some positive points on why the Total Force (TF) works for the Air Force. TF is comprised of USAF components Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and Regular Air Force that at any time can be called to serve the nation as one uniformly trained force. SECAF stated “The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve provide the nation a vital capability that is functionally integrated and operationally indistinguishable from the active force”.1 This uniformity provides multiple sources to pull from to fulfill mission requirements. Many USAF aviation missions (such as alert) are filled by ANG and USAFR aircrews allowing for flexibility; even stretching to contingency operations.2 The TF provides a much more diverse work force by leveraging the Citizen Airmen and Active Duty point of view. These personnel still have a “…propensity to serve and still want to be part of that Air Force community. [They
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Some negative effects of the TF are the costs to the American people and role ambiguity. As budgets remain tight for military spending there must be clear rationale to keep expensive forces at a time of peace.4 The budget for Air Force Reserve fiscal year 2013 was $4,831.0M dollars; this money could be spent in other areas or reallocated to active forces that accomplish the mission year round.5 Another issue facing the TF is role ambiguity, as stated by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh “We simply do not have the ability to oversee the individual readiness [and] force management of part time airmen, personnel development and force support issues related to the Air Force Reserve.”6 The forces still have difficulty funding and presenting capable forces for specific skillsets within the
The Civil Reserve Air Fleet is a partnership between the Department of Defense and commercial airlines where the airlines contractually commit a portion of their aircraft and crews to be used by the Department in the event of any level of military conflict. These aircraft can be “called up” and required to respond quickly to provide airlift support to the Department of Defense. There are minimum required levels of participation in order for the airlines to be eligible, and in turn they receive peace time business including passenger and cargo movement approximately in proportion to their commitment level. The program is divided into three segments which include varying amounts and sizes of aircraft that serve specific purposes. There are also three levels of activation depending on the severity of the conflict, which also require different amounts and sizes of aircraft. This program has been in place for nearly 53 years, and has become an essential partnership required for an effective United States military. The following pages are an investigation various aspects of the Civil Reserve Air Fleet such as its purpose, history, and effectiveness.
War finds success and failure inescapably linked to how well the Combined, Joint, and Multinational Commander ensures the Joint War Fighting Function “Sustainment” planning is linked to strategic, operational and tactical objectives. General Eisenhower’s Operation OVERLORD, the Allied cross channel, air, and seaborne invasion of France during World War II provides an excellent case study to show successful integration of the principles and the spirit of the Joint War Fighting Function “Sustainment.” OVERLORD required synchronizing, coordinating, and integrating the logistics capabilities of coalition forces, their equipment as well as civilian manufacturing capabilities to meet the strategic end state (e.g. the defeat of Germany). This article will review the purpose and definition of Joint Sustainment, its imperatives and logistics planning principles and examine how Eisenhower and his planners incorporated these imperatives and principles into Operation OVERLORD.
I think that though I have made several complaints about how the Air Force is ran in the maintenance field I do feel there is a good direction for where we are going as an organization. I know that the only thing I can control is my small area. I do manage a small group of people and hope to teach them the correct way so they are able to succeed. I continue to try and follow our core values because I think that if you follow these as an individual you can be successful. If you as a manager can abide by these values while supervising your people, no matter how many that would be, then morally you can feel like you did your best as a manager.
The means to the application of military force must be in line with achieving national objectives.
...s the world to execute the Air Force mission at a moment’s notice. Being part of the 389th Fighter Squadron allows me to be able to conduct a variety of missions (close air support, defensive counter air, air interdiction) allowing me to contribute directly to the Air Force mission. My service to the Air Force adds directly to generation of air power and the execution of global strike and precision engagement anywhere at any time.
Of this total, around $500 billion comprises the base budget which “includes funding for the procurement of military equipment and the daily operations costs of U.S. bases” (Gould & Bender, 2015). Basically, home defense measures amount to over eighty-percent of the nation’s defense budget. With these astronomical figures, one may question whether or not these types of expenditures are excessive when considering the infrequency of attacks on U.S. soil. To further break down this nearly $500 billion base budget, roughly $200 billion is allotted for operations/maintenance, $135 billion for military personnel, $90 billion for procurement, and $65 billion for research/development (Gould & Bender, 2015). In a world where people rush to purchase lottery tickets at the hopes of hitting a jackpot worth a few million, these expenditures are incomprehensible and may seem excessive; however, not everyone feels this way. In an article found on the U.S. Department of Defense’s website, the “DoD has done its best to manage through this prolonged period of budget uncertainty, the secretary said, making painful choices and tradeoffs” and that in “today’s security environment we need to be dynamic and we need to be responsive. What we have now is a straitjacket” (Pellerin, 2015). At the end of the day, it is all about who is being asked whether the defense
Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education (U.S.) United States. Department of the Air Force. (2012a). Diversity (LM03). Maxwell-Gunter Annex, AL: Department of the Air Force.
Armed with numerous studies, and intensive public hearings, Congress mandated far-reaching changes in DOD organization and responsibilities in the Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986. This landmark legislation significantly expanded the authority and responsibility of the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. Included in this expanded authority and responsibility was the requirement for the chairman to develop a doctrine for the joint employment of armed forces. As operations Urgent Fury, Just Cause, and Desert Storm have vividly demonstrated, the realities of armed conflict in today's world make the integration of individual service capabilities a matter of success or failure, life or death. Furthermore, the operation Desert One demonstrated the need for a strengthened Joint Warfare Doctrine and the consequent change in Joint Warfare Employment. It is plain to see the benefits of having the greatest navy integrated with the world's greatest army and air force. However, even in the wake of a relatively successful joint operation in the Middle East (Desert Storm), certain weaknesses are evident in the current joint employment tactics and/or capabilities. By analyzing past operations such as Urgent Fury and Desert Storm, we are able to see sufficient evidence that the Joint Warfare Concept can be disastrous in one instance and virtually flawless in another.
Current military leadership should comprehend the nature of war in which they are engaged within a given political frame in order to develop plans that are coherent with the desired political end state. According to Clausewitz, war is an act of politics that forces an enemy to comply with certain conditions or to destroy him through the use of violence. A nation determines its vital interests, which drives national strategy to obtain or protect those interests. A country achieves those goals though the execution of one of the four elements of power, which are diplomatic, informational, military and economical means. The use of military force...
This imposes problems on the military and even on the government. One article states that, “Reduced budgets and the threat of sequestration create a sense of uneasiness in the ranks, and those fears are fueled by politicians willing to shut down the federal government rather than compromise.” (Army Magazine) This is because with the increase of budget cuts they start to cause problems for the ones who are working and this creates lost jobs in the military. No one wants to lose their job not even the ones that have put forth a great amount of time and effort in the military. For the ones that have been in the military for a long period of time this can actually have negative effects on their life style and even cause problems when returning
... much faster work pace environment. The position required me to attend many military courses and I’ve conducted real live missions and gained important tactical skills from each experiences. I would encourage any Chemical Operation Specialist in the Army to be a part of these units at some point in their career. It stands to benefit them in their career and help them to become a better rounded soldier.
In the case of the FFC’s, there are numerous variables of the Army that will be affected by this new concept. Most of the Army’s doctrine will be affected to incorporate the FFC into battlefield operations and capabilities to support the AFFS, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, whilst maintaining the operation for those units that will not divest their formations of their field feeding capabilities. These changes will occur across 1700 units across all three components in terms of personnel and equipment changes. Food service personnel will become a pooled system that will require tasking in order to initiate the field feeding support process. New and additional leadership opportunities will open for Officers, Warrant Officers, and Noncommissioned Officers that will enable them to become more competitive in their field for career progression.
U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United States, Joint Publication 1 (Washington DC: U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, March 25, 2013), V-17.
The United States of America is a powerful and well known force throughout the world. It has become a superpower of nations in just about three hundred years, being one of the newest nations in existence today. Its military reaches out into several countries in the globe and holds a presence as a peacekeeper and wielder of democracy. Of the US military’s five branches, the Air Force is the ruler of the skies, keeping control of the earth’s aerospace. Without the Air Force Special Operations, the military could not complete operations as effectively or efficiently as it potentially could. The United States Air Force is a key part of America’s mission to spread and assist democracy throughout the world.
Science fiction never ceases to amaze me as I take great enjoyment in exploring these creative universes. I have always had a great interest in military science fiction for its take on technological innovation and critical analysis. Military science fiction in general is very speculative about future of technology and warfare. The military science fiction genre also serves as a critique of contemporary politics as it deals with many of the same issues that go on today. This has made military science fiction one if the most well respected genres of science fiction for it ability to indirectly criticize modern society. My Integrated Project explores the relationship between how technology that has arisen from war has been some of the most innovative and why war has become an unshakeable aspect of human existence.