Restructuring to enhance Expeditionary Center mission

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  • By Staff Reports
  • USAF Expeditionary Center Public Affairs
JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Air Mobility Command officials announced plans Nov. 3 to restructure some functions of the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center and the 18th Air Force as part of an ongoing process seeking to enhance both organizations' effectiveness and efficiency as they conduct global air mobility operations.

The restructuring will include the inactivation of the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force and 615th Contingency Response Wing headquarters, both located at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. In addition, AMC will realign the 621st CRW, currently aligned under the 21 EMTF, under the EC.

The 615th CRW's subordinate units will remain at Travis, but will now align under the EC through the 621st CRW at JB MDL.

Finally, AMC will also realign the 18th Air Force's two Air Mobility Operations Wings,the 515th AMOW at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, and the 521st AMOW at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, under the EC.

"The changes represent a more efficient way of doing business," said Lt. Gen. Mark Ramsay, 18th Air Force Commander. "The reduction of 18th Air Force's span of control
allows for greater focus on its mission to present operational flying air mobility forces to U.S. Transportation Command. Ultimately, it will allow the 18th Air Force to put greater focus on the flying mission while the Expeditionary Center focuses on the evolving mission sets of contingency response, expeditionary combat support training, enroute and installation support, and building partnerships."

Ramsay noted that the changes build upon the success of previous restructuring efforts in January 2011 which had aligned support for air base wings under the Expeditionary Center. He added that the current changes would repeat that success by placing contingency response and enroute forces under the same experts.

According to officials, the actions were the result of a deliberative process that brought together leaders at all levels to determine the course of action which best honors the Air Force's obligation to be good stewards of taxpayer resources by operating and organizing in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

The inactivation of units will result in the loss of 37 active duty military and civilian positions: 31 at Travis and six at JD MDL. However, a small staff of approximately eight to 10 positions will be added to the Expeditionary Center to support its increased workload and expanded responsibilities.

Servicembers in eliminated positions will be reassigned through the normal assignment process, which may or may not entail a physical move. Civilian employees affected by the changes will receive guidance on placement and reassignment options from local leaders and their servicing Civilian Personnel functions. AMC officials have stressed the command's commitment to minimizing the impacts of the changes to Airmen, civilian employees, families, and supporting communities.

"We face unprecedented challenges in the arenas of contingency response, expeditionary combat support training, enroute and installation support, and building partnerships. These challenges require us to structure our organizations to provide a clearer focus to address them effectively," said Maj. Gen. Bill Bender, Expeditionary Center Commander. "Expanding the EC role to include the mission sets of enroute support and contingency response makes sense: it creates synergies by bringing together the education and execution elements of expeditionary combat support under the same umbrella."

Although a specific date has not yet been determined for the restructuring, officials expect the changes in mid-to-late 2012.