Air Force Reserve designing new Force Generation Center

  • Published
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Air Force Reserve planners are designing an organization that will serve as the single path to request and receive, as well as oversee and deliver, Air Force Reserve forces and capability.

Called the "Force Generation Center," the new unit is projected to begin initial operations in October and be up to full speed by the end of 2012, contingent upon Air Force approval.

"The Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command staff is currently working with the Air Staff, through the Air Force strategic basing process, to finalize the Force Generation Center location," said Col. Greg Vitalis, lead planner for this new effort. "The center is expected to increase the availability of Air Force Reserve capability through greater insight into all tiers of Air Force Reserve manpower, streamlined deployment processes, and faster response to Air Force and combatant command requirements."

AFRC officials say this change is based on lessons learned from nearly a decade of combat deployments and responds to the increasing need for operational capability from the Air Force Reserve. Originally briefed at the 2009 fall Corona -- the Air Force summit meeting of four-star generals - this initiative is expected to holistically manage the Air Force Reserve force. This includes tracking unit availability and tempo and timing of Reserve resources, as well as developing better predictability for individual reservists, their families and their employers.

"This is an exciting opportunity to really take care of our people," said Brig. Gen. William Binger, commander of the new center. "Also, we're building a better partnership with the other Air Force major commands and the combatant commands. We're going to be the one-stop shop to fill war-time taskings."

By creating a single focal point, AFRC officials plan to simplify coordination as well as create stronger partnerships with the other Air Force major commands and the combatant commands.

"Preliminary plans for the Force Generation Center give it the responsibility and the authority to ensure that Reserve forces sourced to support the priorities of the air forces, combatant commands and other customers expeditiously get on status and into the fight," Colonel Vitalis said. "This includes capabilities ranging from individual reservists to entire units.

"The Force Generation Center will be the central informational warehouse with visibility on the entire force, allowing Air Force Reserve leadership to better assess the capacity for the Air Force Reserve to perform the entire range of Air Force missions."

General Binger said the center will simplify force generation for the Air Force reservists and the combatant commanders on the front lines.

"Everyone will know where to request Reserve help and how those reservists will get to where they're needed," he said.

As first and foremost a strategic reserve, the command supports ongoing operations with a careful eye on how the tempo affects its ability to surge. Air Force reservists have served alongside their active-component partners for the total scope of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as operations providing humanitarian relief after such disasters as Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti. The Air Force Reserve helps ensure the nation has resources ready to respond to vital missions and emergencies.

The new center is designed to streamline and standardize the activation of all categories of reservists - air reserve technicians, fulltime Active Guard and Reserve members, traditional reservists, and individual mobilization augmentees.

For the organizations needing Air Force Reserve support, there will be no changes in current authorities and force assignments.

"The Force Generation Center will work within the current global force management process, improving access to Air Force Reserve forces and capabilities through standardized business rules and clear, direct lines of communication," Colonel Vitalis said.

These changes will also benefit reservists seeking to fill operational requirements.

"Our goal is to develop the best partnerships within our Air Force and with our sister services," General Binger said. "We want to be more responsive to the combatant commanders' requirements. This should be a transparent transition to those in combat who need our people and make it a lot easier for all reservists to serve."