AFRC streamlines augmentee program

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ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) --  Air Force Reserve Command officials here are working with other major commands to streamline management of individual mobilization augmentees.

In the past, the Air Force's 12,900 IMAs in the Selected Reserve reported administratively to the various active-duty units where most of them are assigned. That is changing for these reservists who serve along with 63,200 other Airmen in the command's unit program.

Command officials started reorganizing the management of the augmentee program the beginning of April.

"Our goal is to ensure that the reservists in this program are ready to support the global war on terrorism," said Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, AFRC commander.

AFRC has about 2,500 citizen Airmen mobilized by the president. Another 2,200 reservists are volunteers supporting operations Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle. Since Sept. 11, 2001, about 30,300 Air Force reservists have been mobilized for as many as two years on active duty, officials said.

Typically, IMAs serve in active-duty units about 24 days a year. They often stand in for deployed active-duty Airmen and may volunteer for deployments themselves.

"We are reorganizing the IMA program so that our command is on top of making sure all our reservists are 100-percent ready to do their jobs," said Maj. Gen. Charles Stenner, AFRC director of plans and programs. "Before this, there was very little standardization in the personnel programs used to support (them)."

Starting April 1, program managers and base IMA administrators began transitioning under AFRC's chain of command. An updated Air Force Instruction 36-2629, Individual Mobilization Augmentee Management, spells out these changes.

"To make the chain of command more effective, this reorganization will establish an IMA readiness management group (here)," General Stenner said. "This new commander will be responsible for providing the best possible personnel support to our IMAs."

"The active-duty commanders have … operational control of the reservists attached to their units," General Bradley said. "But the active-duty commanders share … administrative control with AFRC."

Operational command means following orders to accomplish the mission. Active-duty commanders will also be responsible for discipline, internal organization and unit training, officials said. The new group will oversee day-to-day personnel actions and assist with tracking training for the IMA program.

"IMAs continue to report to their active-duty supervisors for execution of their assigned tasks," said Maj. Gen. Marvin Barry, mobilization assistant to the AFRC commander.

As the single point of contact between IMA reservists and their units, the new group will be responsible for all personnel issues affecting IMAs. Officials said these issues include formalized training, enlisted programs, assisting with retirements, performance reports, assignments, mobilization and tracking participation.

"IMAs work in all the other major commands," General Bradley said. "By working at the other major commands part time, these reservists give their service, continuity and experience to our military but still have the flexibility to pursue their civilian jobs." (Courtesy of AFRC News Service)