Air Force officials announced plans to eliminate about 9,000 civilian positions as part of the Defense Department’s overall effort to increase efficiencies, reduce redundancies, and cut overhead. Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a memo last year directing the services to stop civilian growth from going above Fiscal 2010 levels. As a result, the Air Force conducted a comprehensive strategic review to determine whether civilian authorizations matched the Air Force’s priorities. It revealed some imbalances, according to a release. Specifically, the Air Force needs to grow by roughly 5,900 positions in acquisition, the nuclear enterprise, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. However, it needs to reduce management, staff, and support positions by approximately 9,000. “We clearly understand the turbulence these and future reductions will cause in the workforce,” said Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz. “We are making every effort to use voluntary measures to achieve reductions whenever possible.” One of the biggest changes will take place at Air Force Materiel Command—one of the largest employers of civilians in the Air Force. About 1,000 overhead positions will be eliminated there. (See also Big Changes at AFMC from the Daily Report archives)
The Government Accountability Office wants the Air Force to explain who will run bases when wings deploy under the service’s new force generation model along with several other unanswered questions, saying the concept is long on vision but short on details.