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Generals Rice, Stenner: AETC, AFRC partnership vital to mission success

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Clinton Atkins
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas --  Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., commander of Air Force Reserve Command, took some time to highlight the importance of the partnership between AFRC and Air Education and Training Command during a visit to the 340th Flying Training Group here April 4.

Stenner visited many of the Reserve units working with AETC to train and educate Airmen. More than 1,500 Reservists contribute to the AETC mission at 10 locations throughout the command.

"We're a very large part of the education and training mission at multiple locations and multiple airframes, the very front end of the undergraduate pilot training, and some of the things we're starting with, for instance, C-130 and F-16 training," Stenner said. "The Air Force Reserve Command is embedded throughout the different mission sets in significant numbers in the training role."

Adding to that claim, AFRC is expanding its role in the AETC mission by increasing its footprint. It's steadily building a presence in aircrew training at Altus AFB, Okla., and Little Rock AFB, Ark. Those reserve components are expected to reach full capacity by fiscal 2014.

"As requirements develop, we are going to continue to look at ways to participate (in order) to continue to make it an efficient operation," he said.

Stenner foresees a future where there is a Reserve component at each AETC base, which will allow the Air Force to better retain experienced Airmen looking to leave active duty.

"At Air Force Reserve Command, one of the biggest things I see us doing is being at every location that the active force is," he said. "Where the regular Air Force is, I want to be there, because there are trained and ready people in all the different missions I want to capture if they make a decision to do something different with their lives. I can capture that experience and we can continue to use those folks who are trained and ready and we don't have to start from scratch.

"When somebody makes a life changing decision and we are there as an Air Force Reserve on an active installation we can offer the individual an opportunity to continue to participate," Stenner said. "That's a very big efficiency because you can't replace a 10-year staff sergeant or a 10-year captain overnight. Those trained and ready assets are very necessary to continue the mission and in a part-time capacity, they are very efficient."

Stenner said the communication between the two commands has been great, which allows them to move forward together to resolve issues and be more efficient as a training enterprise.

"I think the partnership will continue to be strong and I think based on the requirements of any given year or decade as we evolve weapons systems I think there's a balance we'll have to strike - how much do we need in the regular Air Force, how much do we need in the Air Force Reserve - and as we evolve and develop more efficient ways to do business, those balances will change," he said.

In a time of fiscal constraints, AETC Commander Gen. Edward A. Rice Jr. said working together to achieve a common goal is good business.

"As AETC continues with its culture of cost consciousness it will become increasingly important to leverage any opportunity to expand our partnership with AFRC in a way that allows us to mutually benefit and further grow as major commands in the Air Force," he said.