Air Combat Command looks for ways to ease burden of budget

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amy Robinson
  • Air Combat Command Public Affairs
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) --  Air Combat Command announced its plan to meet projected budget shortfalls and help cover costs of the Global War on Terrorism which includes curtailing non-critical activities and cutting up to 32,000 flying hours throughout ACC.

Currently, the Air Force’s fiscal year 2005 projected shortfall is an estimated $3.7 billion, with Air Combat Command being short $825 million in must-pay funds for the Global War on Terrorism, and operation and maintenance, said Col. David Goossens, the Air Combat Command comptroller.

Although a supplemental fund was implemented to help defray some costs from the Global War on Terrorism, it doesn’t completely cover all expenses, Colonel Goossens said.

To help reduce future costs and help repay the debt, Air Force leaders directed major commands to develop “slow-down” plans with existing funds. ACC responded with a plan to curb spending and reflow the remainder of the 2005 flying hour program, the colonel said.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. John Jumper approved more than $737 million in slow-down actions for ACC, including curtailing non-critical travel and purchases of non-critical supplies, and limiting contract purchases and services. ACC will also reduce facility projects, contract logistics support and depot maintenance.

Additionally, on May 15, ACC began applying the flying hour cuts which represent up to an overall 10 percent reduction from the command’s total fiscal year flying hour program. Cutting what could be up to 60 percent of the fiscal year’s remaining training flight hours will absorb approximately $272 million in GWOT debt. In reprogramming the remaining hours, ensuring combat ready forces will be a top concern.

“Our first priority is to protect AEF combat capability,” said Maj. Gen. Mike DeCuir, ACC Director of Operations.

In addition to protecting AEF deployers, General DeCuir explained ACC will try to “fence” several key units from flying hour cuts including F/A-22 units, test and training units, and recruiting units like the Thunderbirds.

“Although this fence may not guarantee those units will have 100 percent of their remaining flying hours, our staff will work to ensure they can complete flying,” said General DeCuir. “However, we may harvest excess hours from these programs.”

Units outside the “fence” will absorb the majority of the flying hour cuts, General DeCuir said. Units are reflowing their flying hour program to meet the ACC targeted stop-flying date of Sept. 16. Units are also being urged to “cut as hard as you can while maintaining this target regime.”

Even with making the flight training hours cuts, General DeCuir estimates units will still be able to preserve 60 to 80 percent of combat readiness using an orchestrated revolving “look-back” schedule.

Although cutting flying hours is challenging, the general said commanders have many options available to them.

“This reduction requires flexibility and teamwork,” the general said. “Everyone needs to focus on reducing the flying hours safely and efficiently.”