The Air Reserve Component Meeting the Demands of the 1990s

Abstract

With the end of the Cold War, the threat of imminent conflict diminished greatly. The United States, no longer immediately threatened by any nation, significantly decreased defense spending and reduced its military forces. However, the number of world crises warranting the use of military forces increased significantly in the 199Os. While the number of contingencies increased, the forces used to deal with them decreased, causing the remaining forces to operate at an extremely high tempo. The United States Air Force, more than any other US military service, uses its reserve component extensively in daily operations and short notice contingencies. The Air Reserve Component, which is comprised of the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve, is a part of nearly every significant Air Force mission. In fact, some specialized mission capabilities reside entirely in the Air Reserve Component. Consequently, due to the high operations tempo in the Air Force, the Air Reserve Component is called upon for unprecedented levels of participation. The time demand required of the individual reservist, particularly aircrew members, currently far exceeds historical levels. The success of the Air Force to accomplish its mission is linked directly to the ability of the Air Reserve Component to meet this high operations tempo This monograph describes the emergence of the Total Force Concept to illustrate how the Air Force structure developed. Next, it defines the current level of operations and personnel tempo. To determine if the operations tempo is having an affect on Air Reserve Component personnel, three retention areas are examined and compared to historical rates. The rate of separation prior to retirement eligibility, the rate of retirement when first eligible (within one year) versus later than first eligible, and the rate of affiliation to a Selective Reserve for officers separating from active duty are all analyzed for trend information.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 21, 1998
Accession Number
ADA356906

Entities

People

  • Richard M. Zink

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Cyber
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Airborne Warning And Control System
  • Business Administration
  • Combat Operations
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Employment
  • Flight Training
  • Military Aircraft
  • Military Pilots
  • Military Reserves
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Personnel Management
  • Students
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Military Mobilization and Reserve Forces Studies.