HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Air Force Special Operations Command is moving towards a four-cycle force generation model (AFSOFORGEN) to provide predictability for our Airmen and their families and reinforce the squadron’s place as the beating heart of the Air Force. AFSOFORGEN is squadron-focused, articulates availability of Airmen, and empowers engaged, present, and accountable leaders.
“Our primary organizational adjustment over the last year is a transition to a deliberate, unit-based force generation model which affords commanders the opportunity to be more invested in the training and development of the Airmen under their charge,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, commander of AFSOC.
AFSOC Strategic Guidance states, “AFSOC’s human capital is our competitive advantage.” AFSOFORGEN will unburden our Airmen by resourcing our training architecture and fielding four operational squadrons based in the continental United States in almost every capability area.
This new force generation cycle also allows squadron commanders to set training cycles as they see fit for mission requirements. This deployment model has already taken root within portions of AFSOC. The 24th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla. has been deploying on a four-cycle force generation model since 2014.
“Our job as a command is to protect to our teammates,” said Lt. Col. Matt Novotney, AFSOFORGEN Project Lead. “The last 19 years for AFSOC Airmen has been defined by a heavy, often last minute, deployment tempo, and it’s time to give predictability to our Airmen’s lives. When Airmen and their families know exactly when they’re deploying, that helps them plan for the future.”
“The question we were faced with was, ‘How do we give time back to our Airmen?’” continued Novotney. “We’re telling our squadrons to get ready to meet National Defense Strategy priorities on top of what they’re already doing, and we realized that people were burnt out and that was our responsibility, as the command, to find a solution.”
The force generation cycle is currently 20 months long spread across four phases – rest, prepare, ready, and commit.
Rest focuses on our Airman’s time. It is an opportunity to focus on resiliency and get time back with their families.
Prepare is meeting training requirements and ensuring we are relevant to the joint force.
Ready is set ready to conduct the global mission in the squadron’s specific area of responsibility.
Commit is when that Airman is trained, certified, and available to deploy.
“Creating this cycle will facilitate camaraderie and true integration among SOF personnel,” said Novotney. “This will benefit Airmen across our command – maintenance, communications, aircrew, you name it. This will be one of those situations where it’ll be hard, change is hard, but as we develop new habits and ask for new things, we’re going to be a stronger command for it.”