BEAR goes BOB

  • Published
  • By Airman Sondra M. Wieseler
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (ACCNS) --  Holloman AFB's Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources (BEAR) Base is currently undergoing changes that will enhance the unit's daily operations.

In May 2007, the first prototype was built for a new approach called BEAR Order of Battle (BOB), and BEAR personnel have been preparing ever since. It will bring many changes to those who have been doing things the "BEAR way" since 2001.

"BEAR was a 'one size fits all' approach requiring massive amounts of airlift - where BOB is an ala carte approach configured for 30 percent airlift and 70 percent surface lift," said Master Sgt. Nathan Daly, the BEAR non-commissioned officer in charge.

The mission of BEAR Base is to deliver deployable assets anywhere in the world. The 49th Materiel Maintenance Group accomplishes this mission by sending large, all-inclusive packaged capabilities, called Unit Type Codes, to deployed locations.

However, this method did not align well with the Air Expeditionary Force concept, said Master Sgt. Anthony Flores, 49th Materiel Maintenance Support Squadron.

The BOB approach calls for personnel to dismantle the 42 large UTC's into 2,025 smaller modular ones, said Sergeant Daly. This allows them to be ordered as needed and easier to deploy.

"Force Modules are like Lego's and snap together to reach the end goal for a given site," he said. "Not every deployment location requires that we bring everything."

BOB will also require less airlift and more ground transportation, which is more cost effective and causes less damage to shipments, said Sergeant Daly.

Air Combat Command is slated to review the new prototypes in August, and if they're approved, the 49th MMG will begin work on the rest of the UTC's.

Pending approval, the new BEAR Order of Battle approach will be implemented Air Force-wide, said Sergeant Flores.