Department of Defense budget sets AFRC changes

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ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The Department of Defense budget request for fiscal 2015 includes a number of proposed changes for the Air Force Reserve.

If enacted into law, the DOD budget request would increase the number of Reserve fighter wings equipped with F-16 fighters, create a classic associate B-1 bomber group, increase the number of Reserve KC-135 tankers, inactivate the Reserve airlift wing at Pope Field, N.C., retire the A-10 fighters, and inactivate the Reserve's E-3 AWACS classic associate group.

Major changes in Air Force Reserve structure include:

· Beale AFB, Calif. - Add eight KC-135 Stratotankers to the 940th Wing and inactivate the 583rd RED HORSE Squadron.

· Dyess AFB, Texas - Activate a B-1B Lancer classic associate group.

· Whiteman AFB, Mo. - Retire 27 A-10Thunderbolt II aircraft and replace them with 21 F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 40) aircraft in the 442nd Fighter Wing, tentatively scheduled for 2018.

· Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. - Retire 28 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and replace them with 21 F-16 Fighting Falcon (Block 40) aircraft in the 924th Fighter Group, tentatively scheduled for 2019.

· Little Rock AFB, Ark. - Convert Detachment 1, 22nd Air Force to the 913th Airlift Group equipped with 10 C-130J Hercules aircraft.

· Peterson AFB, Colo. - Reduce the number of C-130H Hercules from 12 to eight in the 302nd Airlift Wing.

· Dover AFB, Del. and Travis AFB, Calif. - Will each convert four C-5 Galaxy aircraft from the active inventory to the backup inventory.

· Keesler AFB, Miss. - Inactivate the 403rd Civil Engineer Squadron.

· Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska - Inactivate the 477th Civil Engineer Squadron and 477th Security Forces Squadron.

· Joint Base Andrews, Md. - Inactivate 459th Security Forces Squadron and 459th Civil Engineer Squadron, but retain the explosive ordnance disposal flight.

· Joint Base Charleston, S.C. - Convert eight C-17s from the primary inventory to the back-up inventory.

· Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. - Convert eight C-17s from the primary inventory to the back-up inventory.

· Pope Field, N.C. - Inactivate the 440th Airlift Wing.

· Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station, Pa. - Inactivate the 911th Civil Engineer Squadron.

· Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. - Inactivate the 42nd Combat Communications Squadron. The proposed authorized end strength for the Air Force Reserve in fiscal 2015 is expected to decrease 4.7 percent from 70,400 to 67,100 authorized reservists.

"The vast majority of our people serve locally on a part-time basis, and force structure changes pose significant challenges for reservists," said Lt. Gen. James Jackson, commander of Air Force Reserve Command. "I will ensure that Reserve leaders at every level are doing everything they can to help reservists through the transition."