Leader discusses multiservice, multimission installations

  • Published
  • By Lanorris Askew
  • Warner Robins Air Logistics Center Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) --  A base is not just what is inside the fence. A base involves the community in which it resides, an Air Force official said.

Raymond DuBois, deputy undersecretary of defense for installations and environment, said military families want good schools, good health care, safe and secure neighborhoods, good housing, spousal employment and reasonable commuting distances.

“Those communities who have paid attention to those types of quality-of-life issues are the ones I love to visit,” Mr. DuBois said.

Mr. DuBois traveled here with Nelson Gibbs, the assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and logistics, and Hansford Johnson, the assistant secretary of the Navy for installations and environment. Mr. DuBois said they traveled together to promote “jointness.”

“We fight jointly, and we train jointly,” Mr. DuBois said. “Whereas 25 years ago most installations were single-service, single-mission, we are and must swiftly move toward multiservice and multimission installations. The fact that we’re here together is not just an expression, but a demonstration of our commitment to ‘jointness.’”

Mr. DuBois stressed the importance of military installations.

“The combat power of our country is metaphorically called the point of the spear, but the military installations and the support facilities and activities are the shaft behind that point and must be strong and balanced to guide the spear to its target,” he said.

In the 21st century, the shaft is made up of many defense installations and other activities at home and abroad, Mr. DuBois said.

“It’s a complex system,” he said. “It obviously requires the right people with the right skill sets, the right weapon systems, the right platforms and the right support systems working together efficiently and effectively. This complex system of military bases now more than ever must be properly aligned with our force structure to enable us to detect, deter, defend and, when necessary, to defeat our foes.

“Today’s threats are no longer defined by a country’s boundaries or a specific region,” he said. “Technology has improved, and that improvement gives us certain flexibility we never had before when it comes to basing.”

He said Department of Defense officials found they are supporting infrastructure that is no longer needed at a cost to the American taxpayer.

“The Joint Chiefs of Staff have made it very clear that you can’t transform the military unless you transform the power-projection platform, called installations, upon which they are based,” he said.

As far as who will stay and who will go, Mr. DuBois said it is too soon to know.

“Every single installation will be treated equally and fairly, and will be analyzed by those who understand the type of function, facility and activity on that base,” he said.