What Army Logisticians should know about the Air Force

Army Logistician, Sept-Oct, 2003 by James C. Bates

In a similarly titled article in the July--August issue of Army Logistician, I presented a brief overview of how the Marine Corps conducts logistics, with specific emphasis on its logistics structure and doctrine. This follow-on article provides a brief look at the Air Force and its role within the joint warfighting community, with a specific focus on Air Force logistics.

Without question, the Army and Air Force complement each other across the full range of military operations. The Army depends on the Air Force for rapid strategic airlift of Army forces and equipment. During contingencies, the Army and Air Force frequently collocate at forward airfields. These airfields offer tremendous advantages to both ground and air forces. They serve as debarkation points for ground and air units, supplies, and equipment and support a multitude of logistics functions of both services. They are ideal sites for fuel storage facilities, petroleum and water pipelines, hydrant systems, electrical power generators, rail links, road networks, and flat, dry storage.

When Army and Air Force elements are situated together at an airfield, opportunities for logistics cooperation abound. As a result. Army logisticians who understand the organizational structure, joint warfighting roles, and logistics methods of the Air Force will be in a better position to streamline logistics-related operations across a full range of military operations under the control of a joint task force commander.

Defense Chain of Command

The Department of the Air Force was created in 1947. Before that time, air operations had been under the purview of the Army. The Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1958 established the unified commands as the chain for operational command. The military departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force were then tasked to organize, train, equip, and support combat forces for the unified commands, which today are categorized as either geographic or functional. Geographic commands are the U.S. European Command, the U.S. Pacific Command, the U.S. Southern Command, the U.S. Northern Command, and the U.S. Central Command, Functional commands include the U.S. Special Operations Command, the U.S. Transportation Command, the U.S. Strategic Command, and the U.S. Joint Forces Command. The Goldwater-Nichols Department of Defense Reorganization Act of 1986 streamlined the operational chain of command, defining it as extending from the President to the Seeretary of Defense to the unified commanders.

Air Force Organization

Today's Air Force has approximately 359,000 airmen on Active duty, 107,000 in the Air National Guard, and 74,000 in the Air Force Reserve. This compares to the Army's 480,000 soldiers on Active duty, 350,000 in the Army National Guard, and 205,000 in the Army Reserve.

The Air Force is organized into 9 major commands, 35 field operating agencies, and 4 direct reporting units. The major commands are the

* Air Combat Command, headquartered at Langley Air Force Base (AFB), Virginia.

* Air Education and Training Command, headquartered at Randolph AFB, Texas.

* Air Forces in Europe, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

* Air Force Reserve Command, headquartered at Robins AFB, Georgia.

* Air Force Space Command, headquartered at Peterson AFB, Colorado.

* Air Force Special Operations Command, headquartered at Hutiburt Field. Florida.

* Air Mobility Command, headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois.

* Pacific Air Forces, headquartered at Hickam AFB,Hawaii.

* Air Force Materiel Command, headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

The major commands are organized on a functional basis in the United States and on a geographic basis overseas. These commands organize, administer, equip, and train their subordinate elements to accomplish assigned missions. In descending order of command, the elements of major commands include numbered air forces, wings, groups, squadrons, and flights. (See chart at right.)

A major command consists of three or more numbered air forces, which, in turn, consist of two or more wings each. A wing, normally commanded by a brigadier general, is the Air Force's prime warfighting instrument. Composite wings operate more than one kind of aircraft and may be configured as self-contained units designated for quick air intervention. However, most wings operate a single type of aircraft and are ready to join air campaigns worldwide. Each wing has from 1,000 to 5,000 personnel. Usually, each wing has an operations group, a logistics group, and a support group. A group, normally commanded by a colonel, typically consists of two to four squadrons and a group headquarters staffed with 500 to 2,000 personnel. The logistics group, generally file largest group in the wing, includes supply, transportatinn, contracting, maintenance training, and intermediate-level maintenance functions and provides various logistics data products. A squadron, usually commanded by a lieutenant colonel, normally consists of two or more flights and has 50 to 750 personnel.