CSAF: Despite budget challenges, Air Force will remain superb

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- The Air Force's senior-ranking officer visited Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Nov. 16-17 to meet with Airmen serving here.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz met with fellow Airmen in their work centers and also discussed a variety of service-wide issues at an "all call."

The general began his remarks by challenging the Airmen assigned to Kandahar and the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing to continue striving for both individual and team excellence.

"This is a wing unlike any other wing in our Air Force," Schwartz said. "There is not a composite organization like this on the planet. The reason it goes so well is because, yes, we have individual excellence, but collectively, we dominate in a way that nobody else does.

"That's the beauty of it," he said. "It doesn't matter if we're active duty or Reserve or National Guard or civilian or contractor ... we rock and roll together."

The general went on to talk about the budgetary challenges the Air Force will endure through the next several years.

"The Air Force is going to get smaller," he said. "We'll have fewer airplanes, probably fewer wings, probably fewer squadrons. But whatever size we end up, we are still going to be a superb Air Force."

Then Schwartz gave the Airmen a preview of Air Expeditionary Force Next, which, if approved, will replace the AEF bucket-cycle theory currently in use.

"The solution is to team three wings instead of 50 wings and to not take an entire squadron," he said. "We think this will work well. It will allow us to deploy in more 'unit-type' style with home station supervision."

From there, Schwartz encouraged Airmen to ask questions and voice their concerns. One Airman asked the general, "Do you foresee a continuing consolidation effort with finance, enterprise service desk and personnel and, if so, do you have some concerns in these areas?"

"In order to save both dollars and manpower, we will continue to consolidate where it makes sense," Schwartz answered. "The concern I have is that consolidation has put a lot of pressure at the squadron level. We've taken a lot of the support out of the squadrons, so now people have to do things online -- some of which works pretty well, but it still puts pressure on the folks in the squadrons to do all the 'back of the house' stuff on top of the mission."

To wrap up the all call, the general posed a challenge in the form of a question to the Airmen.

"If you don't like your physician, you can probably find another doctor back home," he said. "If the American people lose their trust in their Air Force, where do they go? What's the substitute? The reality is, there isn't one.

"This is not the easiest lifestyle," Schwartz said. "So, I thank you sincerely for your willingness to serve and the willingness of your families to be in this as well."