Air Force chief of staff visits Fairchild
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. (USTCNS) --- With a focus on people, standards and stability, Gen. Michael Ryan, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, discussed many issues with Air Force members during his recent visit here.
During his two-day tour of Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., Ryan had the chance to find out some of the concerns people here have and to let them know what he is doing about them.
One of the major issues Ryan addressed was the Air Expeditionary Force concept.
"Every day we train as teams, work as teams and it makes sense for us to deploy as teams," said Ryan. "Along with deploying as teams, AEF also lets people know when we need them to deploy and when they'll be home."
Both the people and the institutions need this predictability and stability, said Ryan.
Another benefit of AEF, according to Ryan, is that it puts back over 5,000 slots out to the wings, which will help with the personnel shortage the Air Force is having due to recruiting and retention problems.
"Despite the failure to meet our goal last year, we are holding our standards and we will not lower them," said Ryan. "I would rather be short personnel than have you working with people who aren't capable."
Along with adding more recruiter positions to bring in the best, Ryan said he is also working on keeping the best in the Air Force by working on quality of life issues.
Medical benefits, pay and retirement topped the list of things he is working on improving.
"We need to make sure that our hospitals are doing the job we and our families need them to do and that we are getting the right kind of care that is contracted from TRICARE," said Ryan.
"We will not allow our folks to have less than the best care."
Ryan also said he is working on fixing the pay gap between military workers and their civilian counterparts and making changes to the retirement system.
"Our folks need to know they can count on us after they have served their country, otherwise they have no reason to stay in," said Ryan.
Another thing people need to be able to count on are KC-135s, according to Ryan.
"The tanker force is needed worldwide and since we won't even be working on a new tanker until 2015, we have invested in upgrading the current tankers," said Ryan.
"Hopefully the new administration will follow up on the promise to continue investments in the Defense Department," said Ryan.
"We should be able to make a case that investments are well worth it."
Ryan also said that he told the president, "I will not send my people if their training and equipment isn't the best in the world."
The Air Force lost 10 percent mission capability due to an under-investment in spare parts and also because of aging aircraft, but $1 billion was invested into parts last year and investments will continue to be made so the Air Force can do its job, said Ryan.
Along with procuring money to invest in the flying force, Ryan is also working on investing more money in military construction and infrastructure.
"Because we are having to put so much money into spare parts, our infrastructures have suffered some, but we are working on turning this problem around," said Ryan. (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
During his two-day tour of Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., Ryan had the chance to find out some of the concerns people here have and to let them know what he is doing about them.
One of the major issues Ryan addressed was the Air Expeditionary Force concept.
"Every day we train as teams, work as teams and it makes sense for us to deploy as teams," said Ryan. "Along with deploying as teams, AEF also lets people know when we need them to deploy and when they'll be home."
Both the people and the institutions need this predictability and stability, said Ryan.
Another benefit of AEF, according to Ryan, is that it puts back over 5,000 slots out to the wings, which will help with the personnel shortage the Air Force is having due to recruiting and retention problems.
"Despite the failure to meet our goal last year, we are holding our standards and we will not lower them," said Ryan. "I would rather be short personnel than have you working with people who aren't capable."
Along with adding more recruiter positions to bring in the best, Ryan said he is also working on keeping the best in the Air Force by working on quality of life issues.
Medical benefits, pay and retirement topped the list of things he is working on improving.
"We need to make sure that our hospitals are doing the job we and our families need them to do and that we are getting the right kind of care that is contracted from TRICARE," said Ryan.
"We will not allow our folks to have less than the best care."
Ryan also said he is working on fixing the pay gap between military workers and their civilian counterparts and making changes to the retirement system.
"Our folks need to know they can count on us after they have served their country, otherwise they have no reason to stay in," said Ryan.
Another thing people need to be able to count on are KC-135s, according to Ryan.
"The tanker force is needed worldwide and since we won't even be working on a new tanker until 2015, we have invested in upgrading the current tankers," said Ryan.
"Hopefully the new administration will follow up on the promise to continue investments in the Defense Department," said Ryan.
"We should be able to make a case that investments are well worth it."
Ryan also said that he told the president, "I will not send my people if their training and equipment isn't the best in the world."
The Air Force lost 10 percent mission capability due to an under-investment in spare parts and also because of aging aircraft, but $1 billion was invested into parts last year and investments will continue to be made so the Air Force can do its job, said Ryan.
Along with procuring money to invest in the flying force, Ryan is also working on investing more money in military construction and infrastructure.
"Because we are having to put so much money into spare parts, our infrastructures have suffered some, but we are working on turning this problem around," said Ryan. (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
Follow Us On:
