Air control squadron to go as part of force structure changes Published March 7, 2012 WASHINGTON -- Air Force officials released force structure changes and resulting manpower impacts from the new DoD strategic guidance and fiscal 2013 President's Budget Mar. 6. The fiscal 2013 President's Budget adjusts Air Force military end strength to 501,000, with net reductions of 3,900 Active Duty, 5,100 Air National Guard and 900 Air Force Reserve billets. According to the Air Force Chief of Staff, the Air Force's strategy is to apply resources to the people, programs, and systems that will best contribute to the new DoD strategic guidance. The Air Force is also announcing manpower changes on unit manpower documents resulting from the previously announced force structure reduction of 227 aircraft as well as additional adjustments not tied to aircraft. These changes primarily include the inactivation of a combat communications group and several air control squadrons, as well as right-sizing Air Force bands. At Eglin Air Force Base, the 728th Air Control Squadron will be decommissioned. Approximately 375 Airmen are currently assigned to the 728th which falls under the 552d Air Control Group at Tinker AFB, Fla. "Air Combat Command has determined that divesting the 728th ACS is the most feasible option based on considerations about standards of readiness as defined in the ACS Designed Operational Capability statement, said Ann Stefanek, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs. "The Eglin ACS was chosen over other active duty air control squadrons because it is not collocated with operational aircraft and live, air-to-air training opportunities are limited at Eglin." Stefanek said the changes will take place around the start of the new fiscal year (Sept. 1) and the length of the process depends on the time it takes to reassign military personnel through the normal assignment process. "We made a deliberate decision to avoid a hollow force by prioritizing readiness over force structure," Gen. Norton Schwartz said. "A smaller, ready force is preferable to a larger force that is ill-prepared because it lacks adequate resources." Achieving the right Active and Reserve Component manpower balance became a priority under the new strategic guidelines for the Air Force's future. Since then, the governors have been given an opportunity to provide input to the plan as Reserve Component force structure reductions directly or indirectly impact all 54 states and territories. "Our collaborative process with the Guard and Reserve yields a force with the most effective posture for surge capability and steady-state operational employment," the general said. "Achieving the right active and reserve forces mix is critical for meeting our forward presence, rapid response, and high rotational demands with a smaller force." "The Air National Guard will also internally realign its remaining manpower at units across the United States to properly source emerging force structure requirements and bolster readiness," explained Brig. Gen. Brian Neal, Air National Guard Readiness Center commander. "We will also repurpose manpower positions at Combat Readiness Training Centers, command and control units and flying squadrons." The realignment of military positions will improve our combat capability and ensure we are able to maintain our rapid response requirements as defined in Titles 10 and 32, Neal said. "Although we will retain fewer units available to deploy, we will maintain overall capacity and sustain command and control structure." To prepare for the FY13 end strength reductions, the Air Force is evaluating the entire suite of currently authorized force management programs to determine which ones will best size and shape the force to support force structure changes, explained William Booth, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Force Management Integration. "We plan to announce additional FY12 programs for the active component in the coming weeks, but neither the Air National Guard nor Air Force Reserve currently has force management programs scheduled for FY12 implementation." Additional questions concerning the 728th can be directed to Air Combat Command at 757-764-5007.