Air Force Reserve merges headquarters directorates

  • Published
  • By Jaimi L. Upthegrove
  • Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga --  The Air Force Reserve Command headquarters is merging its A4 Logistics and A7 Installation and Mission Support directorates.

AFRC's new A4 Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection directorate was approved by Headquarters Air Force May 19. The merger will be conducted in phases over the next several months.

The change at Headquarters AFRC is part of the Future Air Force Organization initiatives. Headquarters Air Force realigned its A4 area of responsibility Oct. 1, 2014.

"Our merger is going to happen in phases to ensure the highest level of customer support possible," said Brig. Gen. Curtis Williams, AFRC installations and mission support director at Robins AFB. "The work and customer service will not change. This merger will have minimal impact on our day-to-day operations, and we are working to ensure a seamless transition."

Williams said that although some positions will be eliminated, most reductions are being accommodated through attrition.

"We have vacancies and people retiring in addition to contracting becoming its own entity, which will account for some of the manning reductions," said Williams. "Some offices may be relocated, titles may change, but leadership is doing everything we can to ensure we take care of everyone."

This change is a natural progression aimed at better aligning the Air Force Reserve with the Air Force staff organization construct. It is part of ongoing efforts to reduce overhead and achieve greater efficiencies through the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center.

"This is a small indicator to the bigger change that's happening across the Air Force to ensure we meet the challenges outlined in our leadership's 'A Call to the Future' 30-year strategy," said Timothy Bridges, Air Force assistant deputy chief of staff for logistics, engineering and force protection, Washington, D.C.

Bridges said the reorganization will help the Air Force remain effective in a rapidly changing environment and during increased instability and unpredictability.

The A4 mission will continue to focus on strategy, policy, oversight, career field management and some programming and budgeting within four divisions.  Those divisions are:

- Civil Engineers (A4C), which includes installation strategy and plans, facility management, energy and environmental management, readiness and sustainment. The directorate leads Air Force Reserve civil engineers in providing, operating, maintaining and protecting sustainable installations.

- Logistics (A4L), which includes logistics plans, logistics readiness, munitions and maintenance branches.  The directorate ensures the readiness of the single largest element of manpower supporting Air Force Reserve combat forces.

- Resource Integration (A4P), which includes portfolio advocacy management, information technology policy and strategy, resources, executive services, weapon system sustainment and logistics transformation.  The directorate is responsible for Air Force Reserve logistics, installations and mission support long-range planning, strategic support planning and associated policies. 

- Security Forces (A4S), which develops security forces policy and strategy. This directorate has oversight for protecting Air Force Reserve resources from terrorism, criminal acts, sabotage, acts of war and ensuring Security Forces are trained, equipped and ready to support contingency and exercise plans. 

"We must align our efforts to be able to meet the demands of tomorrow," Bridges said. "That means we must think differently about what we need to do, how we need to do it, and that may not necessarily be the way we've always done them in the past."