Services, mission support merger done at test bases

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt.Monique Randolph
  • Secretary of the Air Force Office of Public Affairs
WASHINGTON --  The merger of services and mission support squadrons at six Air Force bases is now complete. The new combined organizations, called "force support squadrons," are paying huge dividends through improved service to customers, better synergy between organizations and increased efficiency in processes and people. 

The merger, scheduled to begin Air Force-wide in January 2008 and continue over two years, will affect more than 15 Air Force specialty codes and occupational series in the manpower, personnel and services operations fields. 

"Laughlin [officials] volunteered to merge in order to exploit synergies within the two organizations and better manage programmed manpower reductions," said Maj. Thomas Ballard, commander of the 47th Force Support Squadron at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, the first test base to complete the merger. "Merging the two squadrons allowed us to face projected monetary and manpower cuts as a team, and provide more efficient and effective customer service. 

"Through analysis, we identified some areas of redundancy where the two organizations were concerned, and working together as a team, we've been able to nullify those redundancies," he added. 

Laughlin completed the merger March 5, followed by Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D., and Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., in April. F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., merged May 30, and Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, merged June 11 and 27, respectively. 

"These six bases were selected to enable a mix of leadership, demographics, major command and wing missions," said Col. Michael Gamble, chief of the Air Force Manpower and Personnel strategic plans division. "We also considered commander turnover so that we wouldn't prematurely end someone's command tour. Throughout this merger, we want to minimize the negative impact on civilian and military members." 

Laughlin not only has merged administratively, but physically, placing all military, civilian and non-appropriated funds personnelists together, said Major Ballard. This enables the three functions to more easily communicate with each other and stay on the same page with policies and procedures. 

"For our customers, the merger has been seamless as far as the services and products we provide," he said. "The real results are seen by our [squadron] members through the increased efficiencies the merger has created."