"Each component gives the AF its strength" CMSAF told Tinker Reservists

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Caleb Wanzer
  • 513th Air Control Group Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody emphasized the importance of the Active, Reserve, Guard and civilian components Aug. 2 during a visit with Reservists from the 507th Air Refueling Wing and the 513th Air Control Group at Tinker Air Force Base during the August Unit Training Assembly.

"Anything that affects one component affects us all," the top enlisted leader for the Air Force said. "We are one Air Force."

During the morning enlisted call, Cody also spoke on force reductions, the future mix of active, Reserve and Guard missions, and the high level of operations the Air Force has seen in the past few years.

"We are more globally engaged today as a military around the world than we have been in the history of our country," he said. "This is your legacy; this is your time in service."

To ensure the Air Force can maintain the high level of operations within today's budget constraints, Cody said Air Force senior leaders are reviewing the missions the Air Force performs to determine where there are opportunities to put some missions into the Reserve Components.

"By the end of this year, we're going to review about 80 percent of the mission sets in our Air Force," Cody said. "There are clearly some missions that better reside in the reserve component than the active component. If we can put that mission in the reserve component, we can hold on to more capacity."

Cody added that it will take time and thought to find the right missions for the Reserve and Guard, but he expects component's overall roles will grow as a way to conserve resources.

"The more capability that we can get into the guard or reserve components, the better it is for the nation," Cody said. "We have to balance that with the ability to maintain the right level of readiness and the right level of access."

Chief Cody toured reserve facilities and spoke about the importance of being a Wingman and communicating the important issues of the Air Force. Reserve Airmen had several opportunities to ask questions directly to the chief.

"It was a great opportunity to get feedback directly from the highest enlisted leader in our Air Force," said Senior Airman Celeste Sutton, 507th Maintenance Group. "He was direct and gave good information when we asked questions about the future. At the ground level we appreciate that type of feedback." (Staff Sgt. Lauren Gleason, 507th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs contributed to this report)