United States Transportation Command

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (USTCNS) --- More than 50 aircrew members from every Air Mobility Command unit will meet at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., May 24 through May 26 to discuss critical issues as part of the Aircrew Stability Working Group 2000.

The ASWG will be hosted by the 911th Air Refueling Squadron and facilitated by Lt. Col. Joseph Rohret, 911th ARS commander.

Maj. Gen. Nick Williams, AMC director of operations, will moderate the entire conference. Also attending the conference will be Lt. Gen. Ronald Marcotte, AMC vice commander, as well as senior leaders from headquarters AMC and 15th Air Force functional areas.

"The focus of the working group is to address at command and unit levels, issues that affect the mobility system, particularly relative to aircrew turbulence, and to provide stability to aircrews," said Col. Brian Finnan, 319th Air Refueling Wing vice commander. "ASWG provides the opportunity for aircrew members and headquarters staffs and leaders to work together to improve the system."

Rohret added, "This is a grass-root effort to get issues to the four star (Gen. Charles T. "Tony" Robertson Jr., AMC commander). If I can get the most pressing issues addressed and disseminate the information to aircrews throughout AMC, then I did my job. The ultimate goal is to make the mobility system work better."

The ASWG will have 'Total Force' representation, including aircrew members from each AMC active duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard unit. Representatives will also be on hand from each aircraft type and aircrew specialty in AMC.

It was originally named the Aircrew Turbulence Working Group, which was formed October 1997. Since its establishment, the working group has met five times and evaluated 211 issues. Success stories range from reducing the Southwest Asia KC-135 commitments and rotation duration to extending post mission crew rest up to 96 hours.

Issues currently being worked from the previous conference include improving the medical waiver process, providing aircrew members with better access to classified information and consolidating flight-planning documents.

"This is a 319th ARW project," said Rohret. "Everyone from services to logistics contributed ideas and made it possible to bring this kind of leadership to the base."

For more information, visit the Grand Forks AFB Internet page at www.grandforks.af.mil or contact Maj. Joe Tegtmeyer at DSN 362-6614.

The ASWG 2000 Web page has a link to the AMC ASWG home page, which provides a comprehensive, easily referenced database listing the results of all closed and working issues. (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).

Aircrew Stability Working Group 2000 to begin May 24

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