AIR FORCE REALIGNMENTS TO ADD MORE PERSONNEL TO HURLBURT AND EGLIN

Okay folks, As I have told you many times - Our Region is prime for growth in military missions and there is much more to come. Missions - Operations, Training and Testing. This is what our area is all about. Area - Air, Sea and Land. This is also what we have to offer to the defense of our country. Can you see the big picture? Stay tuned. Oh, by the way. This reorganization has nothing to do with BRAC. This is just more gravy.


Air Force realignments to add personnel to Hurlburt, Eglin
Realignments will add military and civilians positions to units
By MONA MOORE Northwest Florida Daily News 315-4443 monam@nwfdailynews.com

Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Field will see increases in military and civilian personnel, thanks to Air Force structure realignments that take effect in 2011. “The 1st Special Operations Wing wholeheartedly supports the force structure increase for Hurlburt Field,” Col. Gregory Lengyel, commander of the 1st SOW, wrote in an e-mail. “We welcome these personnel to support our increased operational tempo demands, and we will work tirelessly to ensure that the individuals brought onboard quickly understand our mission and their role in keeping Hurlburt Field the most relevant installation in the Air Force.” Eleven civilian positions will be added to assist Hurlburt unit commanders. The National Defense Authorization Act converted the work of contractors to more than 1,100 Department of Defense civilian positions. Thirtynine of those positions are at Hurlburt. The 11th Intelligence Squadron will gain 53 military positions and 13 civilian positions to enhance special operations forces. The 319th Special Operations Squadron also will gain 278 military positions. More than 100 positions were added as a result of Irregular Warfare initiatives. The 1st SOW will add five civilian positions. The 623rd Air Operations Center has an increase of 24 military and seven civilian positions. The 720th Special Tactics Group will get 80 military positions. In all, Hurlburt will have 435 new military and 79 new civilian positions. The additions will help offset more than 500 airmen and civilians connected to the 16th Special Operations Squadron who will transfer to Cannon Air Force Base this year. Hurlburt is drawing down from eight AC-130H gunships at the start of fiscal 2009 to none by the end of fiscal 2010. Eglin will gain manpower through the end of fiscal 2009 for combat air force restructuring. The 2009 Force Structure Announcement shows the base gaining a total of 425 positions — 123 military and 302 civilian. “It’s important that the Air Force manpower authorizations accurately reflect the military and civilian workforce — everything from deployment taskings to accession programs are based on defining the right manpower requirements or authorizations,” said Ms. Lee McGehee, director of the Air Armament Center’s Manpower and Personnel Directorate. The base has nine new civilian positions as a result of increasing support to unit commanders. Contract to civilian conversions, in accordance with the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, resulted in an increase of 200 civilian positions. As a result of the Combat Air Forces restructuring, the 33rd Fighter Wing will have an increase of 11 civilian positions; the 53rd Wing has an increase of 4 military and 28 civilian positions; the 96th Air Base Wing has an increase of 16 military and 32 civilian positions; the 96th Security Forces Squadron has an increase of 26 military positions; and the Air Armament Center has an increase of two military and one civilian position. Overall, the base will have an increase of 74 military positions. The Air Armament Center program management offices will have an increase of five civilian positions as a result of improved emphasis on Acquisitions Excellence. Other actions resulted in an increase of one military and 16 civilian positions. Also, the 58th Fighter Squadron loses 18 F-15 primary aircraft authorizations as a result of past programming actions. The 85th Test and Evaluations Squadron loses two F-15 primary aircraft authorizations as a result of the fiscal 2010 Fighter Force Restructure Plan. The 33rd Fighter Wing gains six F-35 primary aircraft authorizations. “The force structure announcement reflects our best effort to meet the expanding Air Force mission areas and growing Joint demands,” Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff, said in a press release. “We’ve made some hard choices,” Schwartz continued. “However, we believe this is the best overall design to meet America’s national security needs and support to the Joint fight.”