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AF Reserve FY 13 job changes plan affect 130 YARS positions

  • Published
  • By 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
  • 910th Airlift Wing
YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio --  Faced with austere budget times, the Air Force is refocusing and reducing the size of its forces to comply with DOD's new defense strategy and the Budget Control Act's requirements to cut $487 billion from the defense budget over the next 10 years.

The Air Force's share is about $54 billion and Air Force leaders plan to save $8.7 billion in Fiscal Year (FY) 2013.

The Air Force Reserve's share is to decrease its end strength manning from 71,400 to 70,500 people.

Besides the reduction of 900 Air Force Reservists, the Air Force plans to decrease by 3,900 active duty Airmen and 5,100 Air National Guard Airmen. These manning cuts are part of the Air Force's force structure changes to align with the president's FY13 budget plan presented to Congress on Feb. 13, 2012.

On March 6, 2012, the Air Force Reserve announced about 3,000 job changes that will realign affected Reservists into growing new career fields and help the Total Force reduce manning by 9,900 Airmen in FY 2013.

"We expect to lower the majority of our manning numbers through normal attrition and reduced recruiting accessions," said Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., chief of Air Force Reserve at the Pentagon. "As we do this, we're realigning our people into the missions that we expect to endure or be new areas of growth in the future."

In the Mahoning Valley, the proposed Air Force Reserve manning changes mean the loss of 97 part-time drilling Reservist positions and the loss of 33 full-time Air Reserve Technician/civilian positions at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio. Col. Reinhard Schmidt, 910th Airlift Wing commander, said the wing would work hard to take care of wing members.

"While we do not yet know which of our Servicemembers will be affected by the proposed manning changes, the 910th is dedicated to assisting our assigned Citizen Airmen and their families," said Schmidt.

"We need Reservists in every Air Force career specialty in order to fulfill the nation's need for cost-effective and efficient daily operations as well as a ready global surge capability," said Stenner. "As people face career and life changing plans, we want them to know that the Air Force Reserve offers them an opportunity to continue to serve."

As the manning changes take effect, they will cause Reservists to move or commute as their old jobs get realigned to new growth areas such as: nuclear, space, cyberspace, special operations, training, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance career fields.

Officials plan to announce details on further assistance programs as information becomes available. Force shaping programs may be offered if officials deem them necessary to facilitate the planned force structure changes.

The planned manning reductions take effect after the FY13 budget is approved by Congress and signed into law by the president.

To read more about the Air Force's FY13 budget and future changes, go to: www.af.mil.

This story was localized from an Air Force Reserve Public Affairs story by Col. Bob Thompson
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