Air Mobility Plan, 2008 - The Black Vault

Total Force Integration Roadmap
Total Force Integration Roadmap
OPR: AMC/A8X
Roadmap Assessment
The Air Force faces increasing recapitalization challenges and strained budget realities. We possess
weapons systems to meet today’s challenges, are investing in cutting-edge technology, and training
highly capable personnel; however, we must continue transformational changes to maximize the
advances these capabilities give us. Total Force Integration provides the Mobility Air Forces the
means to enable these changes. Integration of our active duty, Guard, and Reserve personnel improves
overall combat capabilities and continues to be a primary enabler in Joint operations.
The MAF has benefited from over 30 years of Associate experience in sharing all of our missions.
Where the benefits of integrations are numerous, we are just beginning to see the effects of new
associations. Personnel and divestiture savings will aid our modernization and recapitalization efforts.
During this period of high operations tempo, Associate aircrews flying the principal unit’s aircraft
significantly increases aircraft utilization and our air mobility capability. We commonly think of
Associate units with a flying mission; however, associations are taking place across the full spectrum
of support operations as well; from intelligence squadrons, and distributed ground systems, to logistics
support centers, security forces, contingency response groups, expeditionary combat support forces,
and air mobility divisions within the Air and Space Operations Center. We will continue to explore
other areas to make more efficient use of our assets and people. One area that pays big dividends is
transferring some training functions to experienced Guard and Reserve units. This provides excellent
training for new crewmembers and returns active duty crews to operational cockpits. Two examples
are the C-130 formal training unit (FTU) at Little Rock and the C-5 FTU at Lackland AFB.
Historically, the Mobility
Air Forces led the Services
in implementing innovative
organizational structures to
capitalize on the synergies
gained from an integrated
force. We also learned
that “one size does not fit
all” when it comes to force
integration. The following
is an overview of models
currently in use, as well as
some alternative concepts
currently being considered
for possible implementation.
Realistically, there may be
as many ways to approach
integration as there are missions—both flying and nonflying. The key to integration is leveraging
the strengths of the individual components to meet the mission requirements. Matching these
mission requirements to an appropriate integration model is crucial. The following section describes
the various Associate programs that are in use or planned for the near future.
ASSOCIATIONS
The classic Associate organization is an integration model where an active duty component unit retains
principal responsibility for weapon system or systems, which it shares with one or more Reserve
component units. Importantly, active and Reserve component units retain separate organizational
structures and chains of command. Legacy examples include Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC)
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