Words from the top Published Dec. 5, 2011 By Capt. Brittany Martin 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- In a time of change, Sheppard has been fortunate to have had both 2nd Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Leonard Patrick and 19th AF Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Solo hold All Calls at Sheppard Air Force Base in the past three weeks to discuss the way ahead. Coupled with Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley's speech at the Air Force Association's 2011 Global Warfare Symposium on Nov. 18, Sheppard is left with a thorough, if not a completely clear, update on the state of our Air Force and the future of Sheppard Air Force Base. "Our nation currently spends about 4.7 percent of our Gross Domestic Product on defense, which equates to approximately 19 percent of federal budget overall. So, while defense expenditures may not be the primary cause of the deficit, defense cannot be exempted from efforts to get our financial house in order," Donley said in opening the topic of future budget outlook. The Air Force's role in reducing spending is necessary, but no senior leader will claim that this time will not be tough. "Although it would benefit no one to down play the hard choices that confront us, neither should we paint a picture that is so bleak that our service members fear that the nation is turning its back on those who have served with such devotion and on the institutions that have kept our nation secure for generations," Donley said. In its quest to become more efficient, the Air Force identified areas that will result in $33 billion of savings; however, efficiencies will not be enough to meet the Budget Control Act's required $450 billion defense spending cuts over the next 10 years. "To get these savings, we will need to accept greater risk in some areas, terminate some lower priority programs, streamline others, continue driving efficiency in our operations, and make some tough choices about the core tenets of our national security strategy," Donley said. And while cuts affecting personnel seem to be a harsh measure, 35 to 40 percent of the Air Force budget is spent on personnel, so it must be considered. "Our obligation to those who serve is to ensure that the compensation and benefits they earn are sustainable for the Air Force over the long haul," Donley said. "Any potential changes to our military retirement system must be carefully considered to make sure we retain the highly motivated and experienced workforce necessary to execute the Air Force mission." While all areas are being analyzed and considered, Donley provided a list of key missions and capabilities that efforts will be made to safeguard: · Overseas forward presence · Improvements in Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) · Development of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs) · Air superiority through fleet modernization · Freedom of action in the space domain · The nuclear triad · Air Force contribution to U.S. Special Operations Command · Freedom of action in the cyber domain · Organic depot maintenance capacity · Use of Total Force "A lot of work lies ahead of us before we can expect strategic clarity," Donley said. "But as a general matter, we're looking ten years out to ensure that, in the midst of significant budget reductions, we stay focused on strategic priorities and continue to improve key capabilities." With these changes, 2nd AF will experience change but will not be dissolved. "Second Air Force is a value-added organization and will be for the near future," Patrick said. "We are the other 93 percent of training in AETC (Air Education and Training Command)." Patrick's biggest concern is if tech training "breaks," defined by the general as a cancelled class due to instructor shortage, a concern that the general said AETC Commander Gen. Edward Rice shares. Patrick identified three ways to save, saying that the word efficiency is being over used by senior leaders: be more efficient by doing something smarter, accept risk knowing that resources are coming, or stop doing something. One of the efficiency efforts is centralization, which the general said is positive if humans are left at appropriate points. "We will move to technology but leave people where needed," the general said. "As long as there's a human on the other side." For the 80th Flying Training Wing, Solo explained that part of the Air Force's consolidation will be to dissolve the 19th AF. While MAJCOM leadership is working to make the transition smooth, Sheppard can expect to see differences in the way it trains its pilots. "The goal and my commitment to you is to make it largely seamless," he said. "No doubt, this is a challenging time, but we will get through this. We have to innovate. We are looking at the way we train people, and it will have to be different in the future. It is forcing us to become better and more efficient." As the Air Force faces change and uncertainty, Patrick says the best thing that Air Force personnel can do is to watch what happens and be knowledgeable. And most importantly, take care of each other, now more than ever. The Air Force Comprehensive Airman Fitness Program with its four pillars of resiliency (mental, physical, social, and spiritual fitness) was patterned after the Army program. Patrick explained that when a crack appears, whether it is slipping performance by a traditional hard worker or unusual behavior, the Army will look at a person's family life and the morale and condition of the unit as a whole to find the cause of the crack. That is the level of effort that Patrick encouraged the audience to invest in each other. "Don't just come to work in the morning and go home at night," Patrick said. "Make it a family." Patrick pointed to the history of the Air Force as encouragement, showing that this is not the first time the Air Force has faced situations like this. "We've come out stronger, more efficient and more effective."