General expects AEF return to steady state

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MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (ACCNS) --   The Air Force expects to return to its regular steady state deployment schedule under the Air and Space Expeditionary Force plan within the next several weeks, said the man whos responsible for running the system.

Speaking to military members and local community leaders during a visit here Jan. 9, Brig. Gen Anthony Przybyslawski said the Air Force expects to keep less than 10 percent of its total force on extended deployment tours lasting more than the planned 90-day rotation dictated under the AEF plan.

Those folks who are on extended tours are in critical career fields, including security forces members, air traffic controllers and civil engineer specialty services, the general said.

If another major conflict breaks out, the Air Force is ready to make a smooth transition from the steady AEF rhythm to support the high operations tempo that comes with preparing for conflict, the general said.

With all the lessons learned from a pre-Sept. 11, 2001, steady state to building up the forces for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and then peaking and providing more than 100,000 airmen for Operation Iraqi Freedom, he said. We are once again postured to be able to execute (our forces) in the same manner. Regardless of the threat, the Air Force can respond using the same battle rhythm it did to get through OIF.

As long as there is a conflict, the Air Force must be ready to respond in these cases, said the general.

The current environment in the world, as well as the global war on terror, requires the presence of the Air Force, said General Przybyslawski. As long as the war continues, the Air Force is committed to providing anything and everything it can to win this war.

The AEF battle rhythm helps people in uniform live a normal day-to-day life, but it allows them to quickly respond in an emergency he said.

Contrary to what people have said, OIF didnt break the AEF system, the general said. Instead it proved it works.

The AEF is a methodology and a battle rhythm. If theres no battle, the rhythm is low. If theres a battle, the rhythm is high, he said. It was never broken but provided a logical methodology to fight wherever the situation is.

When AEF Silver ends in mid-March, the AEF system will return to the normal 90 schedule starting with AEF-7 and -8.