Show of Support

Air National Guard Director Lt. Gen. Bud Wyatt and Air Force Reserve Chief Lt. Gen. Charles Stenner sat behind Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz in a show of unity during Tuesday’s House Armed Services Committee hearing as the service leadership outlined plans to reduce the reserve components. Donley said force structure changes outlined in the Air Force’s Fiscal 2013 budget proposal will “have a ripple effect on manpower.” As such, the service plans to cut 9,900 personnel between Fiscal 2013 and Fiscal 2017, including 3,900 active duty airmen, 5,100 Air Guard members, and 900 Reservists. “The leadership of both the active and reserve components has worked closely together in all decisions affecting the Total Force,” said Schwartz. Although not all the tough calls were made with unanimity, “we certainly were unified and remain unified in ensuring the Total Force vitality and retainability,” he added. Last week, in his keynote address at AFA’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla., Schwartz called for unity of the extended Air Force family “to ensure a future viable force.” (Donley-Schwartz prepared statement)