NCSAF Report Calls For Further ARC Integration

The National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force report, which was released Thursday on Capitol Hill, praises the Air Force’s efforts to train and equip its reserve components to the same standards and capabilities as the Active Duty. However, it also says USAF can, and should, do more. The Air Force has made “superior use” of all its components, but the commission believes an opportunity exists to allow them to contribute more, NCSAF Chairman Dennis McCarthy said at the report’s release. As defense outlays decrease, USAF should further integrate the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve into its core mission areas, states the report. However, the Active Duty should never dip below 55 percent of Total Force end strength, it cautions. The commission also calls for USAF to integrate existing staffs at Headquarters Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, and the Air National Guard; eliminate “redundant organizational overhead” in classic associations; and improve policies, professional military education programs, and integrate pay and personnel systems across the Total Force. Some of the commission’s recommendations are already in progress, Commissioner F. Whitten Peters noted. Air Force leadership has indicated the commission’s work will aid the Total Force Task Force, which is continuing its work on the Air Staff. (NCSAF report; Caution, large file)