Edwards AFB News

Commander's Call explains changes coming to Edwards

  • Published
  • By Meredith Mingledorff
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Brig. Gen. Robert C. Nolan II, commander, Air Force Flight Test Center, called all personnel to the Base Theater Nov. 4 to discuss the future of Edwards Air Force Base in light of two major announcements made Nov. 2 by Air Force Headquarters and Air Force Materiel Command.

Air Force officials announced changes to the civilian workforce on the same day Air Force Materiel Command announced it would restructure its organization from 12 centers to five, streamlining processes and reducing costs within the major command. 

Nolan emphasized the responsibility of AFMC to continue its mission while meeting fiscal requirements to cut costs.

"Our mission areas are not changing," said Nolan. "Our four-star AFMC commander, General Hoffman, is still responsible for all of the mission requirements we have now: professional acquisition, support, logistics, research, depot maintenance, test and evaluation."

A challenging U.S. economy requires cost savings across the Air Force, and AFMC has made a deliberate decision to reorganize its centers in an effort to reduce overhead and realize manpower efficiencies. In the new center construct, the Air Force Flight Test Center will become the Air Force Test Center and assume responsibility for all test and evaluation for AFMC -- a role that is currently shared by multiple locations.

The most visible change at Edwards will be a reorganization of the two wings currently assigned to the AFFTC. The capabilities of the 95th Air Base Wing will be combined under the 412th Test Wing. This will change the current structure at Edwards from having two separate wing commanders -- one as the range operating authority, and the other the installation commander -- to a consolidated effort led by a one-star general in charge of both responsibilities.

According to Nolan, the intention is to do a patch swap from the 95th to the 412th. 

"This is a great thing," said Nolan. "We will standardize our processes; we will now standardize how we work. All we're going to do is case the flag of the 95th ABW. That does not mean we do not honor the service of the men and women of the 95th ABW. We honor your participation and what you do here for us. We cannot fly an airplane off this ramp without the men and women of the 95th ABW and we need you here today, and we'll need you here tomorrow."

Upon the scheduled transition the center commander's position will change from an O-7 billet to an O-8 billet. The general will be more concerned with policy and procedures, in addition to having responsibility for geographically separated units across the United States, changing the relationship with AFMC Headquarters and the 412th. This is why current leaders felt it was important to have a one-star general in charge of the day-to-day operations at Edwards.

In addition to the reorganization of AFMC and the wings here, manpower reductions were a primary topic of conversation at the commander's call. The Air Force Flight Test Center has been asked to divest of approximately 142 civilian positions, from base operations and maintenance support and developmental flight test and evaluation, to return the civilian workforce to fiscal year 2010 levels. According to base leaders the reductions are in positions and not necessarily people, as many of the positions targeted are not currently filled. In cases where positions are occupied reductions efforts are being made through early retirement options like the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, a program authorizing eligible federal employees to retire early. Nolan said he and other leaders have been working diligently to minimize negative impact to people and families.

"What we know today is 142 civilian positions have to come off of the manning document of the AFFTC. There will be lots of changes, but pay attention and ask questions. Out of 4,000 positions here at the AFFTC, 142 is not a bad percentage and does not change our mission. Our mission is not going away, and Edwards Air Force Base is not going away. We need the men and women here at Edwards to move this mission forward."

Nolan was joined by Col. Greg Schwab, commander, 95th ABW, and Col. Dawn Dunlop, commander, 412th TW, who reiterated this change will be a positive move for the entire organization.

"This is a deliberate method to take care of a bill we had to take care of, a deliberate way to go through this to make sure we preserve capabilities," Schwab said, "This is a positive thing. The Air Force is reinventing itself once again and that's a very good thing."

Schwab went on to address current members of the 412th, saying members of the 95th look forward to the partnership and making a seamless transition for the Oct. 1, 2012 change.

"This can be seen as a great move forward for the test and evaluation community," Dunlop said. "I think that the partnership we've seen between the 95th ABW and the 412th TW has been a great partnership and will continue to be a great partnership."

"The flight test center is the flight test center. We do this together," said Dunlop. "We look forward to moving this forward over the next year. We certainly want to make sure we do that in the right way -- to protect the mission to ensure the capabilities that the nation needs, and the people, the intellectual property that the nation needs continue uninterrupted."

"Our number one priority is safely and professionally executing the mission," she continued. "You have my commitment, as we do this and we continue to do it smartly, you will have all of the support you need at the command level to make sure we work these issues and ensure we don't impact your ability on a day-to-day basis to do the work we've asked you to do on behalf of the flight test center, and the Air Force."

"We care about the men and women, the intellectual capital, the experience that supports this enterprise," emphasized Nolan. "This covers everyone at Edwards Air Force Base. We're not being asked to do less mission. We cannot start doing things in a way that is unsafe. Our mission set is not changing. I want you to preserve as much capability for the United States Air Force as you can preserve and look out for one another. We're consolidating authority, and that is a good thing."

For more information on AFMC visit http://www.afmc.af.mil. For more information on early retirement visit http://www.opm.gov/Reduction_In_Force/vera/vera01.asp, and for up-to-date information on changes at Edwards, stayed informed through www.edwards.af.mil .