Air Force Civil Engineers in Joint Engineer Operations: Validating the Concept and Incorporating Lessons Learned
Abstract
This paper examines the recent assignment of U.S. Air Force civil engineers to joint missions, across the range of military operations, in order to forecast the feasibility and suitability of continuing this practice in the future. Air Force engineers have been extremely effective in joint combat support roles, since their substantial joint combat use beginning in 2004. Based on this success, their demand has grown and will likely grow beyond the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Air Force leaders have raised valid concerns with forces organized, trained, and equipped to support combat air power being overused for combat service support of the land component. Joint employment of Air Force engineers to an extent or in a manner that undermines their ability to support bed down and sustainment of air power assets would be problematic. In addition, issues spanning apportionment in global force management processes, roles and missions for Air Force engineers in the joint environment, and command relationships between service engineer units in joint operations should be further studied and where appropriate incorporated in joint engineer doctrine.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 23, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA513943
Entities
People
- John J. Allen Jr.
Organizations
- Naval War College