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Restructuring to enhance 18th Air Force, Expeditionary Center

  • Published
  • By Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Air Mobility Command officials announced plans Nov. 2 to restructure some functions of the 18th Air Force and U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center (EC) as part of an ongoing process enhancing both organizations' effectiveness and efficiency as they conduct global air mobility operations.

The restructuring will include the inactivation of Headquarters, 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force and Headquarters, 615th Contingency Response Wing, both located at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and Headquarters, 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. The 615 CRW's subordinate units will remain at Travis, but aligned under the EC within the 621 CRW at Joint Base MDL. In addition, AMC will realign the 18th Air Force's two Air Mobility Operations Wings, the 515th AMOW at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the 521st AMOW at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, under the EC. Finally, AMC will also realign the 621st CRW, currently aligned under the 21 EMTF, under the EC.

"These evolutionary changes represent a more efficient and effective way of executing our global air mobility mission," said Lt. Gen. Mark Ramsay, 18th Air Force Commander. "The reduction of 18th Air Force's span of control allows for greater focus on its mission to present operational flying air mobility forces to U.S. Transportation Command. Ultimately, it will allow the 18th Air Force to put greater focus on the flying mission while the Expeditionary Center focuses on our contingency response, expeditionary combat support training, enroute and installation support, and building partnerships missions."

Ramsay noted that the changes built upon the success of previous restructuring efforts in January 2011 which had aligned support for air base wings under the EC. He added that the current changes would continue that success by placing contingency response and enroute forces under the same commander.

Even with the changes, the 18th Air Force still remains the Nation's largest Numbered Air Force.

Officials noted that the actions were the result of a deliberative process that brought together leaders at all levels. That process determined the best course of action that would honor the Air Force's obligation to be good stewards of taxpayer resources by operating and organizing in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

The inactivations will result in the loss of 37 active duty military and civilian positions: 31 at Travis and six at Joint Base McGuire. However, a small staff (approximately eight to 10 positions) will be added to the EC in recognition of its increased workload and expanded responsibilities. While these changes will place units under the EC for administrative purposes, the 18th Air Force will retain its operational responsibility of presenting all 18th Air Force and EC forces to TRANSCOM for mission execution.

Servicemembers in positions that are eliminated will be reassigned through the normal assignment process, which may or may not entail a physical move. Civilian employees affected by the changes will receive guidance on placement and reassignment options from local leaders and their servicing civilian personnel functions. AMC officials have stressed the command's commitment to minimizing the impacts of the changes to Airmen, civilian employees, families, and supporting communities.

"We face unprecedented challenges in the arenas of contingency response, expeditionary combat support training, enroute and installation support, and building partner capacity. These challenges require us to structure our organizations to provide a clearer focus to address them effectively," said Maj. Gen. Bill Bender, Expeditionary Center Commander. "Expanding the EC role to include the mission sets of enroute support and contingency response makes sense: it creates synergies by bringing together the education and execution elements of expeditionary combat support under the same umbrella."

Although a specific date has not yet been determined for the restructuring, officials expect the changes in mid-to-late 2012.