Proper Alignment for Flightline Maintenance: Creech Vs. McPeak

Abstract

After personally experiencing four organizational structures impacting flightline maintenance and only five years following a major Air Force reorganization, many Air Force personnel found themselves contemplating another potential realignment in 2008. Again, this realignment placed the reorganization of flightline aircraft maintenance, otherwise known as the aircraft maintenance unit (AMU), as a central consideration. Similar to previous considerations, this issue raised an emotional and controversial debate throughout the Air Force. Many sought wisdom and comfort from senior officers. In a number of instances, the only wisdom or comfort offered in public forums was the understanding the Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF) held the responsibility for training, equipping and organizing the Air Force to best serve the interest of the United States (US). Naturally the ?salute smartly? advice offered did not set well in the minds of many officers and senior noncommissioned officers. Many wanted to know the reasons behind the unexpected change in direction. Why had the previous Air Force chief moved to realign the tactical organization to the Combat Wing Organization only to see it being changed back to a structure that resembled the Objective Wing Organization of 1992 ? 2002? What happened to the need to align the organization due to frustrating experiences realized during the Air War over Serbia in 1999 back to the system established by Gen Creech? What happened to the need to balance fleet health with operational requirements and the need to have experts with Ph.D.s in both maintenance and operations? Finally, the question that resonated in the minds of many leaders is the question of what failed in the last five years for the Air Force chief to drive realignment.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA541156

Entities

People

  • Ray A. Lindsay

Organizations

  • Air War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Business Administration
  • International Relations
  • Maintenance
  • Maintenance Personnel
  • Military Force Levels
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Students
  • Tactical Aircraft
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.