Proposed Air Force reduction to affect local Reserve, Guard tanker wing

  • Published
  • 507th Air Refueling Wing
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Oklahoma --  On Tuesday, March 6, Air Force officials released force structure changes and resulting manpower impacts from the new DoD strategic guidance and fiscal 2013 President's Budget.

The fiscal 2013 President's Budget adjusts Air Force military end strength to 501,000, with net reductions of 3,900 Active Duty, 5,100 Air National Guard and 900 Air Force Reserve billets.

According to the Air Force Chief of Staff, the Air Force's strategy is to apply resources to the people, programs, and systems that will best contribute to the new DoD strategic guidance.

"Working with our Guard and Reserve leaders, we used a balanced approach to adjust our Total Force end strength while maintaining the ability to execute strategic guidance," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said. "Our Total Force programmed reductions follow detailed assessments of future conflict scenarios and rotational requirements consistent with the new strategic guidance."

The Air Force also announced manpower changes on unit manpower documents resulting from the previously announced force structure reduction of 227 aircraft as well as additional adjustments not tied to aircraft. At Tinker Air Force Base, the announcement calls for the reduction of 4 KC-135R Stratotanker aircraft flown by the Air Reserve Component (ARC) Associate Wing consisting of the 507th (Air Force Reserve Command) and the 137th (Oklahoma Air National Guard) Air Refueling Wings.

This reduction would bring the associate wing from 12 to eight aircraft. The 507th went from 8 aircraft to 12 as a result of the 2005 Base Reduction and Closure process.  Previously from 1994 to 2005, the wing was equipped with 8 aircraft. The 2005 BRAC also established the present associate wing relationship between the 507th and 137th ARW. 
 
As proposed, the March 6 announcement would also result in the reduction of personnel assigned to both wings. According to the Air Force officials the 507th ARW is projected to lose 61 part-time drilling reservist positions 21 fulltime air reserve technician/civilian positions. The 137th ARW is projected to lose 56 drilling guardsman positions.

In response to the Force Structure announcement, Air National Guard Director Lieutenant General Harry M. Wyatt III stated on the Air National Guard Director Facebook page, "The Air National Guard has been here before...We need to continue to work with our active duty and Reserve counterparts to ensure we have the best Air Force possible. America's security depends upon us getting this force mix correct."

More directly to Air National Guard members nation-wide he remarked, "(There is) Lots of speculation regarding the future of the Air National Guard and units. More information will be forthcoming over the next few weeks. Each Guard Airman can help by maintaining your professionalism and high standards. Focus on the mission and safety...."

On behalf of the Air Force Reserve Command, Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., chief of Air Force Reserve at the Pentagon stated, "We expect to lower the majority of our manning numbers through normal attrition and reduced recruiting accessions. As we do this, we're realigning our people into the missions that we expect to endure or be new areas of growth in the future."

Addressing Air Force reservists nationally, General Stenner said, "We need reservists in every Air Force career specialty in order to fulfill the nation's need for cost-effective and efficient daily operations as well as a ready global surge capability. As people face career and life changing plans, we want them to know that the Air Force Reserve offers them an opportunity to continue to serve."

Locally, both Col. Russell A. Muncy, 507th ARW (AFRC) commander, and Colonel Glen M. Baker, 137th ARW (OKANG) commander, jointly stated, "There will be a separate process conducted in the future to identify and determine the specific positions to be reduced. Until that time and we know more, we are committed to our personnel, our mission and our association and we will take care of our people in any way and every way that we can."

Faced with austere budget times, the Air Force is refocusing and reducing the size of its forces to comply with the Department of Defense's new defense strategy and the Budget Control Act's requirements to cut $487 billion from the defense budget over the next 10 years. The Air Force's share is about $54 billion and Air Force leaders plan to save $8.7 billion in FY13.

In order for the planned manning reductions to take effect, the FY13 budget must be approved by Congress and signed into law by the president.