BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. –
What is Total Force Integration? Why do you care? When I was active-duty, I didn't know much about the Air Force Reserve. All I really knew was that they had some really old guys. But as my time in active-duty came close to ending, the Air Force Reserve became very interesting to me. So you too may someday become personally interested in an Air Force option beyond active duty. I would hope to interest you in what the reserve is doing for you today, through total force integration, or TFI.
Under TFI the hardware and mission are shared. With a classic associate the active-duty owns the mission and the hardware; the reserve squadron provides manpower at an operational, steady, state level with a surge capability. This is the model at Beale.
TFI is our nation's way of capitalizing on the experience of the reserve force with or without mobilizing them. While we are still units held in reserve with an impressive capability when activated; through TFI we add to the daily activities of our active-duty associated units. We bring people with experience, continuity and wisdom. For example, in the 13th Reconnaissance Squadron, associated to the 1st RS, 12th RS, 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, and 9th Maintenance Squadron, the average years of flight experience for our pilots is 20. On the maintenance side our Air Reserve Technicians have, on average 26 years of working on aircraft from F-16s to KC-135s. On the intelligence side the 50th Intelligence Squadron, the associate unit to the 13th IS, brings more than 540-years of military experience with service in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines to the Distributed Ground System-2. They are proof positive of total force integration by melding former active-duty members along with the reserve and guard components into the first ever intelligence squadron in the Air Force Reserve.
You may have seen that really old guy on the ramp. You may even wonder what someone so old could possibly do for you. Until that old guy gets to know you, he may wonder what someone so young could possibly know. It usually doesn't take long until the old guy offers a tip that saves two hours, or reminds the group that the T.O. says X; or if you want to prepare for inspection, the best way is to follow guidance now by doing Y. Yes, there will be those times when the young buck saves the day by his bravado and strength. Teamwork is the key; and that is what our senior leaders are asking us to do, build and keep the team they intended when establishing TFI.
You may have heard someone say that reservists punch the clock and have to be done by a certain time. Well in some cases we have traditional reservists, who indeed need to be done with this duty so they can go back to their full-time job. Or, our ARTs, who are civilians during the week and TRs during drill weekends, do indeed punch a civilian time card. We do have overtime options if the job is going long. We also have people on different shifts so we can cover the job. The bottom line is that if we all work as a team we can get the job done without killing any one person to do it. In today's leaner Air Force we need to take advantage of everyone's strengths. It's called synergy.
Another item we bring is continuity. How many times have you been frustrated by the turn over of your team members? You just get your shop working like a well oiled machine and half of them rotate out. Or you just get a commander trained and she or he's off to the next assignment. If you are in an associated unit, take a look at who on your team will be here in five years. Look at where you need that continuity and consider building an associate team there. Or perhaps the continuity is already there; do you have question or an issue? Have you asked that really old guy? Ask us; that's why we're here.
Hopefully I've offered some thoughts about TFI that can help you now. And when your time in active-duty draws close to an end, you might be like me, suddenly more interested in the Air Force Reserve. Perhaps you too can become that really old guy!