Reserve unit begins deactivating

  • Published
  • By Louis A. Arana-Barradas
  • Air Force Print News
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Already hard-pressed aircrews at this active airlift hub will be even busier starting in December when two Reserve squadrons begin deactivating after two years on active duty.

The 97th and 728th Airlift Squadrons, of the Air Force Reserve’s 446th Airlift Wing here, mobilized in February 2003. Both C-17 Globemaster III squadrons will return to Reserve status in February.

These are not the only Reserve units deactivating. Thousands of reservists Air Force-wide who activated to support various U.S. military operations have already returned to Reserve status. Others will continue to do so when no longer needed or when they reach their two-year limit established by public law.

About 1,000 Airmen here mobilized at some time during the two-year period. But about 240 aircrew members have been on active duty almost the entire time, mostly flying in and out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Their deactivation means the active-duty 62nd AW will have fewer pilots and loadmasters to fly vital C-17 missions.

“We’ll just have to pick up the slack,” said Maj. Mike Madsen, a C-17 pilot with the active-duty 4th AS. “We have no other choice.”

He deployed Oct. 13 to Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany, for a 120-day tour. He, too, will be flying missions into Iraq and Afghanistan.

Col. Wayne Schatz, the 62nd AW commander, said he knows his aircrews will have to pick up the slack. But filling in for the reservists will not be easy. The Reserve provides 42 aircrews -- 18 on the road at all times -- and flies 40 percent of the missions. The deactivations will affect how the wing’s Airmen perform their combat airlift duties, but not their mission, the colonel said.

“It won’t be business as usual,” Colonel Schatz said. “But we’ll still get the job done.”

The key to doing the job is finding ways to continue flying effectively, he said. But with fewer aircrews to do the job, that theory will be put to the test. And fewer aircrews will not help Air Mobility Command, which is operating at a record work pace. The command’s workload has skyrocketed while supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and the war on terrorism, stretching thin command resources.

There is no immediate end in sight for the increased tempo, said Gen. John W. Handy, commander of Air Mobility Command. In March 2004, he told the House Armed Services Committee, “The requirements in our business have gone up dramatically.

“We have a significant gap in our ability to meet the needs of (Department of Defense) agencies, specifically the needs of the regional combatant commanders,” the general said. A big reason for the airlift shortfall is an aging airlift fleet. Aircrew shortages are also a big factor.

With McChord’s fleet of 48 C-17s, the latter issue is the immediate problem. But Colonel Schatz said both wings are finding “ways to accomplish the mission” as the deactivations take effect. Also, the wing activated a fourth squadron that is helping ease the burden.

McChord is not alone. Other Air Force bases face similar issues, and it is possible the Air Force may activate other reservists or units. But mobilized reservists cannot be on active duty for more than two years, said. Lt. Col. Steve Vautrain, 446th Operations Group vice commander. Plans for using reservists must conform to public law. The wings’ officials here have been formulating a plan that will help compensate for the loss of aircrews back to Reserve status.

Essentially, the plan “backs up” the demobilization to December. That allows reservists to transition back into the civilian workforce without losing training, accrued leave or medical benefits. It also allows them to project if they want to volunteer for duty after February. The transition also helps the active-duty force.

“The lead period allows the two wings to plan and schedule to cover for lost crews,” Colonel Vautrain said. This will help curb the deactivation’s effect of flying operations.

Officials here are coordinating their plan with AMC and tactical air control element officials at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Officials balance volunteerism versus mobilizations to determine if McChord needs more mobilizations. During the past two years, McChord’s other Reserve unit, the 313th AS, provided many volunteer aircrews.

“At times, 313th volunteers would actually fly more that the activated squadrons,” said Maj. Anna Sullivan, wing spokeswoman. “They haven’t been idle.”

But leaders here know 313th Airmen cannot pick up the slack for their sister units in February. Getting the mission done will depend on smart scheduling of available aircrews and other measures, Colonel Vautrain said.

One measure is to not let aircrews sit idle for long periods of time. Another is to use civilian charter aircraft to move cargo to airfields close to Afghanistan and Iraq. That would mean shorter C-17 missions from staging areas, which would allow using a normal three-person crew instead of an augmented five-person crew.

“If we can stop using augmented crews, we can multiply the number of crews we have,” the colonel said. “And we’d stop flying more than we’re manned for.”

The bottom line, however, is that people with the 62nd AW will see a work increase through February. After that, volunteers and smart mission planning should help ease the crisis, officials said.

“Because as long as there are 200,000 U.S. Americans fighting the war on terrorism,” Colonel Schatz said, “we in the airlift world -- and specifically McChord -- are going to be busy.”