The Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command are experiencing some growing pains as a result of Future Total Force initiatives, said Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, AFRC chief. However, he added, the end result will be worth it. Bradley told a Capitol Hill seminar, “The Future Total Force is going to help us organize our force, [providing] the right mixtures of missions at the right levels.” Some of the moves are “painful,” with wing and mission changes affecting ANG and AFRC members who can’t just pack up and leave a community. Bradely said the two reserve components must have the right numbers of aircraft on each base to be economical. Some elements of the Air National Guard have expressed deep reservations about the plan.
Earlier this spring, the 388th Fighter Wing proved just 12 Airmen can operate an F-35 contingency location, refueling and rearming the fighters at spots across Georgia and South Carolina. The demonstration, part of exercise Agile Flag 23-1, marks yet another proof of concept for the Air Force’s plan to send…