44th Fighter Group Faces Uncertainty

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Martha Whipple
  • 301st Fighter Wing
HOLLOMAN AFB, NM --  Wing and group leadership invited 44th Fighter Group maintainers to an open forum at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. Aug. 7.

Brig. Gen. Ronald Miller, 301st Fighter Wing commander, and Lt. Col. Scott Crogg, 44th Fighter Group commander, answered questions about the future and uncertainty of the Reserve unit here.

With the 44th FG facing a possible shutdown, uncertainty looms. Many Reservists uprooted their families and moved to Holloman in 2008 to build the unit, which officially stood up April 2010. The unit, which started out with a group of ten Airmen, has grown into a unit of about 200 Airmen assigned to six squadrons -- most of which will be affected by the mission change at Holloman.

The Air Force announced in July 2010 Holloman's F-22 fleet is moving to Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla. The move out of aircraft and jobs will begin January 2013. Reservist who are in positions that are moving have the option to move to Tyndall and stay in their positions, according to Crogg. The Reserve maintainers, who plan to stay at Holloman, face uncertainty.

"Uncertainty is tough," Crogg said. "When one door closes another one opens ... but it's hell in the hallway."

For now the 44th FG is waiting in the hallway for another door to open. Holloman's active-duty mission will transition from a combat command F-22 mission to an F-16 training mission.

Two F-16 training squadrons from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., will move to Holloman. It may be possible for maintainers to transition with the new mission here, but no decisions have been made yet.

"The Reserve command has a history of change," said Miller, who, in 20 years as a Reservist, served in two units that shut down and one unit that took on a new mission. "We are able to change, evolve and keep plugging along. As we are entering in to a period of uncertainty, there will be change."

Miller assured the Reservists, who packed the theater for the forum, the Air Force Reserve Command leadership is advocating for the unit.

"We see the value and experience Reservists bring to the fight," Miller said. "We also see the value in cost that we can save the Air Force. The Reserve unit works at one-third of the cost (in comparison to active duty). AFRC leadership is fully engaged in taking care of our Airmen."

The Reserve component accomplishes 20 percent of the Air Force mission at only four percent of the budget, Miller said. With 37 percent of the Air Force budget allocated to manpower, missions will be trimmed along with aircraft. Because of the AFRC cost-effectiveness, there will always be a demand for a strong and viable Reserve mission, he said.

Both leaders conveyed the same message: "There are no promises or guarantees" for Reserve maintainers.

There has been no "yes" or "no" given in response to proposals of continuing the "best Total Force Integration in the Air Force" and allowing Reservists to continue with the new mission at Holloman, Crogg said. The 49th Wing commander has been committed to the TFI and continues to fight to keep the Reservists here, he said.

In the meantime, Reservists will continue waiting in the hallway for another door to open. Crogg anticipates an announcement to be made sometime next year.

Even though uncertainty looms, both leaders pledge to provide Reservists with the tools they need to transition with the new mission or to transition into other jobs.