News

DATE=8/4/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-236506 TITLE=AIR FORCE REORGANIZATION(L-ONLY) BYLINE=JIM RANDLE DATELINE=PENTAGON CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: TOP OFFICIALS OF THE U-S AIR FORCE SAY THEY ARE MAKING BIG CHANGES IN THE WAY THEY ORGANIZE THEIR PLANES AND PEOPLE. THE OFFICIALS SAY THE THREATS TO THE UNITED STATES HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE FALL OF THE SOVIET UNION, AND THE SERVICES MUST ADAPT. V-O-A'S JIM RANDLE REPORTS, THE PENTAGON IS ALSO TRYING TO STEM THE FLOOD OF PILOTS AND HIGHLY TRAINED MECHANICS LEAVING THE MLITARY FOR BETTER-PAYING JOBS AT AIRLINES. TEXT: DURING THE COLD WAR, THE U-S AIR FORCE FOCUSED ON CONTAINING THE SOVIET UNION. UNITS OPERATED OUT OF FIXED BASES IN THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE AND THE PACIFIC. FOR AIR FORCE PILOTS AND MECHANICS, LIFE WAS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT, BUT FAIRLY PREDICTABLE. NOW MANY OF THOSE FIXED BASES HAVE CLOSED, PARTICULARLY OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES. AIR FORCE UNITS ARE OFTEN ABRUPTLY ORDERED TO DISTANT COUNTRIES. COMMANDERS COMPLAIN THAT UNITS ARBITRARILY GROUPED TOGETHER FOR A PARTICULAR MISSION ARE NOT USED TO WORKING TOGETHER, SO THEY SPEND VALUABLE TIME ORGANIZING THINGS AND MAKING CLEAR WHICH UNIT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT TASKS. ACTING AIR FORCE SECRETARY WHITTEN PETERS SAYS THE NUMBER OF DEPLOYMENTS IS GROWING, BUT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE AIR FORCE IS NOT. HE SAYS SOME UNITS, LIKE THOSE THAT PERFORM ELECTRONIC WARFARE OR AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING TASKS, HAVE A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO SPEND A DISPROPORTIONATE AMOUNT OF TIME AWAY FROM HOME AND FAMILY. TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS, SECRETARY PETERS IS ORGANIZING MUCH OF THE AIR FORCE INTO 10 'AIR EXPEDITIONARY FORCES'. EACH WILL HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, AND ABOUT 175 PLANES. /// PETERS ACT /// FIGHTERS, BOMBERS, SUPPORT AIR CRAFT, TACTICAL AIRLIFT, WITH INTEGRATED COMMAND AND CONTROL, TRAINED AS A UNIT TO RESPOND RAPIDLY AND DECISIVELY TO POTENTIAL CRISES ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. /// END ACT /// AIR FORCE CHIEF OF STAFF, GENERAL MICHAEL RYAN SAYS TWO OF THESE EXPEDITIONARY FORCES WILL BE READY TO DEPLOY ON A FEW HOURS' OR DAYS' NOTICE. GENERAL RYAN SAYS THE FORCES WILL TAKE TURNS WITH THIS 'FIRST-TO-FIGHT' STATUS. HE EXPECTS PILOTS AND AIRMEN WILL HAVE TO BE READY TO DEPLOY FOR A PREDICTABLE THREE MONTHS OUT OF EVERY 18 MONTHS. HE SAYS IMPROVED ORGANIZATION SHOULD REDUCE THE STRAIN ON FAMILIES AND THE DRAIN ON TALENTED, EXPERIENCED, AND EXPENSIVELY TRAINED PERSONNEL. THE GENERAL SAYS THE 15 MONTHS WHEN PILOTS AND CREWS ARE NOT DEPLOYED WILL BE DEVOTED TO TRAINING PEOPLE AND UPGRADING AIRCRAFT. (SIGNED). NEB/JR/LTD/MMK 04-Aug-98 1:32 PM EDT (1732 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .