USTRANSCOM chief stresses critical need for reserves
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- In a speech given to the North Carolina Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Annual Awards Banquet, Air Force Gen. John Handy, commander in chief of U.S. Transportation Command, and commander of Air Mobility Command, said now more than ever the military depends on the Guard and reserve to be an equal, and ready partner and participant not only in contingencies, but in day-to-day peacetime operations as well.
"The tremendous contributions our National Guard and reserves make to the defense of this great country is critical for this nation," he said. "Our citizen soldiers can't perform their great deeds for our country without the unqualified support of their full time employers."
Reservists stand watch in USTRANSCOM's Mobility Control Center alongside active duty shift members, which has become a model for similar units.
"Our younger active duty folks get the even greater bonus of being able to draw on the wealth of knowledge and experience that resides in our reserve components," Handy pointed out.
In Military Traffic Management Command, the Army component of US Transportation Command, 25 percent of our assigned Reservists have been mobilized, primarily to augment our regular security forces, and help cope with increased cargo loading operations.
Since Sept. 11, the Guard and reserve have stepped forward and answered the nation's call to arms with the utmost patriotism and vigor. Air Mobility Command has flown over 4,000 air refueling missions supporting combat air patrols over major cities and sporting events in the U.S. The vast majority of these were reserve component missions assisting in both homeland defense and global refueling missions.
"Our Air National Guard partners also picked up 60 percent of the homeland security quick response force taskings, without dropping any of their previous commitments to the Air Expeditionary Force," Handy said. "In fact, the Guard even added additional AEF tanker taskings and have helped take up the slack with our routine missions as well."
In a typical year Air Mobility Command calls on the Guard and reserves to supply about 1,400 members per day using around 450,000 man-days per year to meet mission requirements. Since last September, the command averages over 14,000 every day on active duty and used over 875,000 man-days to meet the surge in requirements for the war on terrorism.
In terms of cargo moved, after only four months, Operation Enduring Freedom now ranks third on the all time list of transportation operations.
"It falls behind the Berlin Airlift, which lasted 15 months, and the buildup and sustainment for the Gulf War. We could not maintain this operational tempo without the help of our citizen soldiers...and we appreciate the fact this level of participation doesn't come easily or without cost.
"Something I know all the employers here tonight can attest to," he went on, "is the impact of their employees 'adding another job' to their busy schedules can be substantial. We are well aware that most of our Guardsmen and reservists have as their first job-taking care of their families; the second-their civilian employer; and then we come along and add a third in the military. This doesn't come without a price...paid for with time away from loved ones and productive, civilian jobs while the member is engaged, fighting the nation's battles."
Handy addressed the whole audience by saying, "we are working hard to reduce the cost of participation of your valued employees and our precious assets. We are managing air mobility mission lengths where we can, trying to schedule shorter return times and shuttle itineraries instead of round robins. This permits manning the missions with volunteers instead of mobilization. In other words, we have given life to the phrase, One Air Force, One Fight.
"The value of our citizen soldiers is that we depend on them every single day," he said. "The United States military is charged with the duty to defend and protect our great nation. This is something we do in full partnership with our Guard and Reserve brothers and sisters. That partnership also extends to the civilian employers who also sacrifice so that they can serve. Together we have successfully taken the fight to our enemies and to those who would harm us and simultaneously provided humanitarian relief to an oppressed people.
"America's military might is unmatched in the world...and because of our unique capability, we are truly partners for good in the world," Handy said. "We are very, very proud of our association with you. We join a grateful nation in thanking the Guardsmen, the reservists, their families and their employers for all the wonderful things you do for our country every day."
"The tremendous contributions our National Guard and reserves make to the defense of this great country is critical for this nation," he said. "Our citizen soldiers can't perform their great deeds for our country without the unqualified support of their full time employers."
Reservists stand watch in USTRANSCOM's Mobility Control Center alongside active duty shift members, which has become a model for similar units.
"Our younger active duty folks get the even greater bonus of being able to draw on the wealth of knowledge and experience that resides in our reserve components," Handy pointed out.
In Military Traffic Management Command, the Army component of US Transportation Command, 25 percent of our assigned Reservists have been mobilized, primarily to augment our regular security forces, and help cope with increased cargo loading operations.
Since Sept. 11, the Guard and reserve have stepped forward and answered the nation's call to arms with the utmost patriotism and vigor. Air Mobility Command has flown over 4,000 air refueling missions supporting combat air patrols over major cities and sporting events in the U.S. The vast majority of these were reserve component missions assisting in both homeland defense and global refueling missions.
"Our Air National Guard partners also picked up 60 percent of the homeland security quick response force taskings, without dropping any of their previous commitments to the Air Expeditionary Force," Handy said. "In fact, the Guard even added additional AEF tanker taskings and have helped take up the slack with our routine missions as well."
In a typical year Air Mobility Command calls on the Guard and reserves to supply about 1,400 members per day using around 450,000 man-days per year to meet mission requirements. Since last September, the command averages over 14,000 every day on active duty and used over 875,000 man-days to meet the surge in requirements for the war on terrorism.
In terms of cargo moved, after only four months, Operation Enduring Freedom now ranks third on the all time list of transportation operations.
"It falls behind the Berlin Airlift, which lasted 15 months, and the buildup and sustainment for the Gulf War. We could not maintain this operational tempo without the help of our citizen soldiers...and we appreciate the fact this level of participation doesn't come easily or without cost.
"Something I know all the employers here tonight can attest to," he went on, "is the impact of their employees 'adding another job' to their busy schedules can be substantial. We are well aware that most of our Guardsmen and reservists have as their first job-taking care of their families; the second-their civilian employer; and then we come along and add a third in the military. This doesn't come without a price...paid for with time away from loved ones and productive, civilian jobs while the member is engaged, fighting the nation's battles."
Handy addressed the whole audience by saying, "we are working hard to reduce the cost of participation of your valued employees and our precious assets. We are managing air mobility mission lengths where we can, trying to schedule shorter return times and shuttle itineraries instead of round robins. This permits manning the missions with volunteers instead of mobilization. In other words, we have given life to the phrase, One Air Force, One Fight.
"The value of our citizen soldiers is that we depend on them every single day," he said. "The United States military is charged with the duty to defend and protect our great nation. This is something we do in full partnership with our Guard and Reserve brothers and sisters. That partnership also extends to the civilian employers who also sacrifice so that they can serve. Together we have successfully taken the fight to our enemies and to those who would harm us and simultaneously provided humanitarian relief to an oppressed people.
"America's military might is unmatched in the world...and because of our unique capability, we are truly partners for good in the world," Handy said. "We are very, very proud of our association with you. We join a grateful nation in thanking the Guardsmen, the reservists, their families and their employers for all the wonderful things you do for our country every day."
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