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AFSOC, AFRC develop new reserve associate missions for 919th SOW

  • Published
  • By Denise Boyd
  • Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs
Hurlburt Field, Fla. --  Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Force Reserve Command leaders met here Oct. 18 to discuss potential new missions for the 919th Special Operations Wing, a reserve unit located at Duke Field, Fla.
 
Through Total Force Integration initiatives and directives from the Quadrennial Defense Review, AFSOC and AFRC are teaming together to create organizations that will more efficiently use people and equipment within the regular Air Force and Air Force Reserve. The new organizations will be able to leverage the Reserve experience levels, and increase the number of people available to support active duty surge events. 

According to Lt. Col. Brian Severns, Headquarters AFSOC Total Force Integration chief, there are two TFI initiatives for AFSOC and AFRC: creation of an air operations center associate unit, and an investigation into the creation of a classic associate wing supporting special operations at Hurlburt Field. 

A reserve associate unit is an organization that retains its own organizational structure and chain of command, while sharing missions and/or aircraft owned by the regular Air Force unit. Currently the 919th SOW's 5th Special Operations Squadron is a reserve associate unit alongside the 1st Special Operations Wing's 9th SOS, flying regular Air Force MC-130P Combat Shadows. 

According to Col. Max Maxwell, Reserve Advisor to the AFSOC Commander, the proposed associate concept will assist in relieving stress on the reserves in a variety of ways.
 
"The reserves will play a large role in flight training operations. This will allow the reserves to leverage the experience of seasoned aircrew members to train their active duty counterparts. However, along with their flight training unit responsibilities, reservists will be mission capable, and will be able to deploy on a volunteer basis as the need arises," he said. 

"AFSOC relies on 919th aircraft and personnel to fill deployment rotations. The 919th has always stepped up to the plate and performed magnificently; however, numerous deployments do take their toll on Reserve personnel as well as their employers. The proposed way ahead for the 919th should be much more reserve friendly, while, at the same time, adding great value to AFSOC," he said. 

An immediate change that Airmen will see at Hurlburt Field and Duke Field is the sharing of flight training duties. AFSOC is currently developing the concept for an Air Force Special Operations Training Center that would be located at Hurlburt Field, where Reserve Airmen from the 919th SOW would augment training units for the U-28, the AC-130U and aviation foreign internal defense.
 
"We have determined the manning requirement for the associate U-28 flying training unit. The first three pilots have been identified for training beginning in November. Next, we must complete a visit to identify all remaining milestones and action items to achieve a July 2008 initial operating capability," said Colonel Severns. "The augmentation of the AFSOTC would posture the 919th for new roles and missions supporting AFSOC. It allows the 919th to support AFSOC with all of its capabilities, not just operationally, freeing regular Air Force members to deploy instead of sitting in training instructor positions." 

The QDR directed the creation of an additional associate unit to augment the 3rd SOS, located at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., by transferring 140 Reserve positions to AFSOC. 

According to Colonel Severns, AFRC and AFSOC are working with Air Combat Command to schedule a site visit prior to getting a formal beddown decision to establish the Reserve unmanned aircraft system unit at Nellis AFB. Once the beddown decision is completed, AFRC can begin hiring the initial 70 positions needed to establish the Reserve UAS squadron. 

"The 919th SOW will become a fully integrated partner in more SOF missions as a result of planned total force integration initiatives. By leveraging the higher experience levels and the force stability provided by the Reserve, AFSOC benefits by having the reserves reinforce AFSOC capabilities when and where best needed," said Col. George Williams, Senior Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the AFSOC director of Plans, Programs, Requirements and Assessments.
 
"The current limited resource environment and increased operations tempo require a more integrated force structure that maximizes utilization of each component's strengths. Through total force integration, AFSOC can increase combat capability by better posturing the Reserve to more effectively support the SOF mission," he said.