The Air Force has a problem with providing airmen to work outside their specialties, says Gen. Michael Moseley, offering the prime example of an Air Force surgeon who deployed to Southwest Asia only to be told what they really needed was a typist. The Chief of Staff told Washington-based defense reporters earlier this week that he has “drawn some redlines on some of the in-lieu-of taskings” just to prevent some taskings that are “incredibly outside” the airman’s competency. However, Moseley has no problem with providing airmen to work in their fields, such as logistics or transportation airmen to drive convoy trucks or explosive ordnance disposal airmen to do EOD work. He said, “We live in a situation where if we can contribute, sign me up for that, [but] I am less supportive of things outside our competencies.”
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.