Secretary discusses Air Guard’s future Published Dec. 16, 2003 By Master Sgt. Scott Elliott Air Force Print News BALTIMORE -- Bold innovation and seamless integration of active-duty and Air Reserve Component forces are vital to winning America’s future battles, the service’s top executive said.“The Air National Guard must remain ready, reliable and relevant … to meet the joint force’s needs in theater combat,” Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche said Dec. 15 at the Air National Guard Senior Leadership Conference.“Whether that mission is defending the skies over North America or engaging the enemy in Southwest or Central Asia, our total force must be in lock-step while preserving the unique culture of the 54 units that comprise our Air Guard team,” he said.Roche specifically pointed out two highly successful ANG combat missions carried out in Afghanistan and Iraq.“We are all thrilled that when a combat controller puts his laser beam on a target it’s only the ANG that can see the spot,” the secretary said of the Air Guard’s use of LANTIRN navigation and targeting pods in Afghanistan. “I give congratulations to leaders who had the guts to do some experimentation that created a system that helped us beat the hell out of those guys.”Roche praised the 116th Air Control Wing as standard for unit integration. The 116th, based at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is a unit that blends airmen from both the Air National Guard and active duty to fly the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System.“The 116th team took on something entirely new -- a new way to organize, to train and operate. It’s a new way of thinking, and they blazed a trail for others to follow,” he said.Integration of ARC with active forces is beneficial to both groups, Roche said.“We gain operational capability with the expertise and technical ability guardsmen bring to the active force,” he said. “And this is a key point: We want the Guard to be on our most advanced systems, not our older systems.”Roche said another future total force initiative is under development in Nevada, which will comprise all three Air Force components -- active duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.“We’re standing up a fully integrated Predator unit at Nellis AFB, (Nev.) one that is the first of it’s kind, with all three components reporting to one commander,” he said.Administrative control will reside with the respective components.What makes the unit even more remarkable, Roche said, is it marks the first time in more than 150 years the militia of one state (California) will cross the state line to support both the militia of another state (Nevada) and active and Reserve federal forces.“In the future, the Predator mission has the potential to support law enforcement during major crisis, rescue and recovery, firefighting and a variety of other missions that states need done,” he said. “It’s a good chance for federal systems to help state systems in those moments when a governor needs them.”Besides assisting state missions, the unit will have operational global reach.“As soon as Predators are launched at Tallil Air Base, Iraq, they’re controlled from Nellis,” Roche said. “Here’s a chance to use reach-back; reach-back to our Guard and Reserve units, combined with active forces to be able to tap the best talent and be able to operate in combat.“We expect this to be the crown jewel of tomorrow’s Air Force,” he said.The secretary urged the Air Guard’s leaders to “get their hands dirty, work the problems, remain flexible and reach innovative solutions” to meet upcoming challenges.“When we apply the future total force approach, we deliver efficiencies previously thought unattainable,” he said.