ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. –
As a Total Force partner, the Air Force Reserve Command is changing its Air and Space Expeditionary Force process to meet increasing requirements. The new AEF process will give greater deployment predictability to reservists with skills stressed by supporting the global war on terror.
For many Citizen Airmen, the change won't affect how they would have deployed under the old AEF framework.
Reservists will fit into one of three bands - "A," "M" and "N." These bands will determine their deployment tempo while active-duty Airmen will move into one of five bands representing various deployment ratios.
Tempo band A
Most Citizen Airmen will go into Tempo Band A, which is considered normal operations, according to Dan Powell, deputy chief for expeditionary combat support at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command. Tempo Band A mirrors the old construct of 10 AEFs. Airmen assigned to this band can expect to see little to no change in how they deploy, said Mr. Powell.
Tempo band M
Certain career field unit type codes - an Airman or a group of Airmen who bring a specific capability to the fight - will move into one of two "mobilization bands" when their active-duty counterparts' operations tempo moves to the "D" tempo band.
This means the Regular Air Force would be operating at or under a 1:2 dwell rate - one part deployed to less than two parts stay at home. Tempo band M would see reserve functional managers move their folks from the AEF A band pairs construct to one that would see them mobilized with a 1:5 deployment to home station ratio.
"The Air Force wants to emphasize an entire career field is not intended to be moved into the mobilization bands," said Mr. Powell.
Only the highly stressed unit type codes within a career field will be moved to satisfy the increased requirements.
An example of this, according to Mr. Powell, is the public affairs career field. As of May 2008, public affairs officers are being postured in tempo band M, while PA enlisted people remain in tempo band A.
Tempo band N
When active-duty Airmen in select unit type codes begin operating in tempo band E, reservists would move to tempo band N and be mobilized with a 1:4 deployment to home station ratio.
Air Force officials are currently identifying which unit type codes in functional areas to place in specific tempo bands. Specific career fields already identified for mobilization tempo bands include logistic planners, vehicle maintenance, aerial port operations, and civil engineering.
The mobilization band "block" an Airman is assigned to may not correlate exactly with the AEF pair the member is assigned to because of the necessity to be able to reach forward or back in special situations.
According to Col. J.R. Reid, director of the Air Force's War and Mobilization Planning Policy Division in the Pentagon, the transition to the tempo banding system won't change the duration or frequency of deployments.
"How often and how long don't change," Colonel Reid said.
However, he said, people will get a better understanding of when they will deploy.
Air Force officials will review all unit type codes in each tempo band annually to ensure they are placed in the correct band based on combatant commanders' requirements, said Mr. Powell. He added, the tempo band system is slated to become fully operational by October.
Air Force Reserve Command officials are working with unit representatives to ensure they receive the information they need to answer Citizen Airmen's questions. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)