COMMENTARY>>Team Little Rock: The right combination

By Major Justin Barry

314th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
commander

Roughly two weeks ago, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz was discussing the need to find the right combination of efficiency and effectiveness in light of forecasts for tight budgetary constraints through the foreseeable future. He said, “Finding the right balance of regular, Reserve and Guard forces is the key to maintaining future Air Force capabilities during (this) dramatic period of budget austerity.” This “right balance” is the key to the success of the organizational construct known as Total Force Integration, in which active duty and reserve component forces blend seamlessly to provide combat capability for our nation’s defense.

As is the case in so many areas, Team Little Rock and its Center of Excellence are in the vanguard of Air Force TFI efforts. As many already know, Team Little Rock is home to two active duty C-130 wings (the 314th and 19th), as well as the 189th Airlift Wing of the Air National Guard. Helping cement the truly “total force” nature of our operations, we have with us now the lead elements of the 22nd Air Force’s Detachment 1 from the Air Force Reserves.

In a unique integration effort, our Reserve counterparts are blending into the daily operations of my Blue Aircraft Maintenance Unit, as well as those of our brethren flying in the 62nd Airlift Squadron. That alone does not make this integration unique. There are many blended units throughout the Air Force which utilize both active duty and reserve component personnel to accomplish their missions.

What is truly special about this TFI project? Over the next three years, the Reservists with Detachment 1 won’t only pick up the majority of the responsibility for launching, recovering, maintaining and flying our C-130H2 aircraft in support of Air Education and Training Command’s training mission, the Det 1 personnel will also be integrated and associated with the 189th. This integration is unique because Air Force Reserve Command personnel will be associated with an Air National Guard wing to perform a mission-set in support of an AETC requirement. That requirement, and our charge, is to produce combat-ready aircrews able to provide tactical airlift support at a moment’s notice, around the globe.

My counterpart, Maj. Richard Rogers, Detachment 1 maintenance commander, and I are working hand-in-hand to ensure our units are moving in the correct direction to meet all the milestones for the association with the Air National Guard and the time-phased handoff of our legacy Herc training mission. The same can be seen in the flying squadrons as well. This TFI effort is beginning to grow legs and gain momentum as more and more reserve personnel arrive each month. There is still a long row to hoe, but we are in it together to ensure safe, effective and efficient mission accomplishment.

General Schwartz said, “We need to capitalize on the incredible synergy we gain from Reserve and Regular Air Force Airmen working as one team. With the proper balance, I know we can create a strategic depth and an immediate-response force that is efficient, effective and has a combat capability second to none.” You see that synergistic and balanced team right here at TLR, the foundation and home of Combat Airlift.