BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. –
Admittedly when asked to author my first commentary for Team Beale, I sifted through previous base articles; all well written, well thought out and usually imbedded with a common imperative or targeting the Beale populace. They either revolved around a hot Air Force topic, a fervid subject of a leader's choosing, or a matter deemed appropriate within our AF culture. So why be different? My intent is to capture all of the above and provide Team Beale a primer on something we already do, and do very well in most locations. It's called Total Force Integration or TFI for short, and it is setting a new standard of excellence for Team Beale. TFI success hinges on you and your commitment.
The History. A dynamic reduction of AF personnel over the years has increased military reliance on Air Reserve Component participation in peacetime, contingency and wartime missions. As a result, AF leadership initiated a Future Total Force study in 1998 to identify ways of integrating the ARC with the active component to enhance force multiplication and increase savings. The Reserves had TFI-like initiatives in the mobility AF missions since the late '60s. The associate unit program has been expanded where it make sense in the combat AF missions.
New associate partnerships have been forged from an initial phase of "go do's" that the Air Combat Command commander imposed in 2003. Team Beale became a benefactor as one in a series of follow-on "go-do's." With the changing mission structure, FTF was no longer relevant thus the concept changed from FTF to TFI. There are currently 43 ongoing TFI initiatives, including three at Beale which are part of 135 TFI initiatives funded for fiscal year 2009 thru 2011.
The Benefit. The "I" in TFI stands for integration which occurs between host units (units with primary responsibility for both their personnel and their aircraft or weapons systems) and associate units (units that have primary responsibility for its personnel, but share aircraft or weapons systems with their hosts). The associate unit supplies the trained fulltime and part-time forces capable of assisting the host unit with both peacetime and wartime missions.
The benefit is threefold. First, the associate unit acts as a force multiplier by making more people available for a task. Second, efficiency is gained by sharing resources, reducing duplication of effort and in some cases, reducing the number of individuals needed. The third benefit is to improve the quality of life for the personnel in both the active component and Reserve units.
The Challenge. Despite the early success of TFI, there were systemic challenges to the associate unit concept, most of which were cultural in nature. Today there are assumptions and speculations regarding what associations work well and what do not, depending on the mission and the location. Team Beale missions are perfect matches for TFI. I believe we have the best people, the best missions and the best location to claim early successes in our current associations. As the 940th Air Refueling Wing waits for its name change and transforms its units into fully operational associations, we will focus on our emerging missions and improving our existing ones. The 9th Reconnaissance Wing and 940th ARW headquarter elements is one example of associate units working together successfully across numerous staff functions. Air Force senior leadership supports this initiative which includes the AF Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs and the Chief of AF Reserve. They have singled Team Beale out numerous times as the premier showcase for implementing TFI initiatives.
The Parting Shot. As we move forward with world-class TFI programs and our new emerging missions, we are a critical component as the AF continues to evolve in order to protect and defend our nation and our allies here and abroad. What I need from you is to continue your excellent working relationships with your active duty and reserve counterparts, continue to improve current processes with increased efficiencies, and commit to supporting TFI. After all, we truly are one team.