RAND Project AIR FORCE Annual Report 2007 - RAND Corporation

A global approach tocommand and controlwould be able to shiftresources quickly fromone region to another,while retaining thespecific capabilitiesthe COCOMs needwithin their areasof responsibility.and the AOC responsible for command and control of the operation.The purpose was to form a realistic picture of the demands that mightbe placed on AOCs to understand the amount of risk involved in adoptinga given posture.Throughout the project, researchers consulted with members of theGeneral Officer Steering Group and with several senior Air Forcementors drawn from a select group of retired general officers who provideexperience-based insights to the Air Force leadership. These regularconsultations were valuable because the generals served as a soundingboard and provided guidance, enabling the PAF team to refine its AOCalternatives and ensure that its proposed recommendations were bothrealistic and implementable.PAF Identified Potential AOC EfficienciesThe researchers concluded that consolidating certain AOC personneland processes can offer efficiencies while still providing needed capabilities.These consolidation options fall into four areas.Reducing AOC Crew SizeThe staffs of six AOCs could be reduced without significant capabilitydegradations. PAF presented a range of options that could reducepersonnel by up to 7 percent of current manpower requirements forall AOCs, depending on the amount of risk the Air Force is willingto assume over the range of scenarios for which it must be prepared.Some AOCs, including the Space Operations, Tanker and AirliftOperations, Special Forces Operations, and Homeland SecurityAOCs, are correctly sized for their current workloads, and staffingshould not be reduced.Performing Certain AOC Functions Off-SiteSome activities that do not require face-to-face interaction with thejoint forces air component commander or the AOC commander couldbe relocated and consolidated. The resulting pool could be basedeither in the United States or at another location away from the areaof operations, and the staff could support several COCOMs, asneeded. As a result, the COCOMs would still have access to flexible,adaptable, and tailored AOC capabilities, but because not all thecommands will need all the services at the same time, fewer resourceswould be required overall. PAF estimates that off-site staffing poolswould require 30 percent fewer personnel than are currently neededto perform off-site functions.Using Other Personnel to Fill Rated Officer PositionsNot all positions need to be filled by rated officers (e.g., pilots, navigators,and others cleared for aerial and space missions, who must rotate assignmentsfrequently). Alternative staffing, including using DoD civilians,enlisted personnel, and contractors, offers the possibility of a moreexperienced,stable workforce requiring less training time. PAF estimates32 RAND Project AIR FORCE