Patriot Express restructuring on schedule

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (USTCNS) --- The U.S. Transportation Command announced in January the phased restructuring of chartered passenger air services provided through the Air Mobility Command's Patriot Express. The phased changes are scheduled to begin in fiscal year 2005 and end in fiscal year 2008.

The FY05 restructuring initiatives are on schedule to begin next month.

“The gateway [for Patriot Express] at Atlanta will close October first,” says Margaret Leclaire, a deputy director at USTRANSCOM with oversight of the program. “Service to Rhein Main Air Base in Germany will end later in the year, and the frequency and size of flights to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Keflavik, Iceland will be adjusted to better meet requirements.”

Although the gateway servicing Patriot Express missions in Atlanta will close, a presence will remain with capabilities to provide service for Rest and Recuperation (R&R) mission support. Airports at Atlanta and Dallas/Fort Worth are used to facilitate returning troops from the U.S. Central Command Area of Operations.

Fiscal responsibility is the driving force behind the Patriot Express restructuring decision. The Patriot Express program costs the military approximately $67 million more annually than travel via commercial/General Service Administration City Pairs services.

Although known by different names, the services provided by Patriot Express have existed since the 1960s to provide regular chartered commercial air service to military and family members traveling to and from overseas duty locations.

“We are simply restructuring a service in favor of a more cost-efficient use of taxpayer money,” said Leclaire. “There are sufficient commercial airline seats available to all locations that are being phased out.”

Passengers eligible to participate in Patriot Express will have transportation services with greater options provided through commercial carriers, at competitive prices, with no additional costs to the individual, but savings to the Department of Defense.