Line of Effort: Mission Readiness

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Line of Effort: Mission Readiness

Published Dec. 9, 2023
Airman Magazine

"The Air Force and Space Force are incredibly capable, but we need to reoptimize the department for greater power projection and for great power competition. The war we need to be most ready for, if we want to optimize our readiness to deter or respond to the pacing challenge, is not the type of conflict we have been focused on for many years."

-Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall

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Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN): replaces the Air Expeditionary Force deployment model and ensures a sustainable force offering of Airmen and airpower to the Joint Force.

The Air Force must recruit and retain the force we need to fly, fight, and win. Today’s Air Force answers our nation’s call with an experienced corps of full-time and part-time officers, enlisted Airmen, and civilians. We must transform those superb available forces into a force more fully capable of winning against our pacing challenge.

The world remains a dangerous place where Airmen are leading efforts to monitor threats, deter aggression, strengthen our international partnerships, and help those in need. Ready, empowered Airmen are the foundation of our success, and we owe them the capabilities and concepts needed to deter tomorrow’s conflicts or prevail if deterrence fails. We are pairing efforts to give them more advanced weapons with new training and education programs that best prepare them for future challenges.

Photo by Nicholas Pilch

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jackielyn Morato, 60th Logistics Readiness Squadron individual protective equipment supervisor, processes Airmen through a personnel deployment function line at Travis Air Force Base, California, Sept. 26, 2023. Over 400 Airmen were the first on Travis AFB to experience the Air Force’s new deployment model, Air Force, Force Generation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Nicholas Pilch)

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AFFORGEN
Air Force Force Generation

AFFORGEN establishes a 24-month rotational cycle broken into four, six-month phases: Prepare, Certify, Available and Reset. Airmen and units build readiness through the prepare and certify phases, deploy during the available phase and reintegrate and reconstitute during the reset phase.

While Airmen in joint assignments do not typically support Air Force deployments, they could be tasked worldwide and should ensure they remain ready. Airmen assigned to the air components of combatant commands, such as Indo-Pacific Command or European Command, may deploy for operations and exercises within their specific CCMD’s area of responsibility. However, in some cases they may also be tasked to deploy outside of that AOR.

AFFORGEN will continue to evolve as Airmen deploy and provide lessons learned to their units. The Headquarters Air Force Lessons Learned Directorate, along with the Headquarters Air Force Directorate of Operations are the focal points for AFFORGEN-related lessons learned, studies, analyses, assessments, modeling, simulation and policy. In addition, the Air Force Expeditionary Center is responsible for developing a standardized way for commanders to coordinate training, share lessons and mentor their successors.

U.S. Airmen receive a pre-deployment briefing at Travis Air Force Base, California, Sept. 26, 2023. Over 400 Airmen were the first on Travis AFB to experience the Air Force’s new deployment model, Air Force, Force Generation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Nicholas Pilch)

First AFFORGEN deployers depart Travis AFB

Over 400 Airmen were able to deploy through the new Air Force Force Generation as they head out from Travis Air Force Base. These Airmen are the first on Travis AFB to be able to experience the Air Force’s new deployment model.

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Ready Airman Training and AFFORGEN

Ready Airmen Training (RAT) focuses on the knowledge, skills and abilities required of an Airman to survive, operate, and succeed across the full range of military operations, either at home station or deployed, while reinforcing a strong warrior ethos. RAT encompasses all cross functional training, from basic to advanced, required for worldwide contingencies. RAT serves as a baseline and institutes a continuum of learning for all Airmen, while being adaptable to each individual Airman’s experience level ensuring basic skills are maintained regularly throughout the AFFORGEN cycle.

Growing tomorrow's leaders today

In the face of constant environmental changes and geopolitical shifts, the Air Force Academy gracefully equips cadets with the knowledge and skills to effectively exploit topography and adapt to emerging challenges. Sustainability and resiliency principles are integrated to teach cadets about energy efficiency, renewable energy and other sustainable practices while preparing them to guard against potential infrastructure vulnerabilities.

Airman Magazine: Science and the Warfighter — How are research scientists helping the Air Force shape the next-gen Airman? (U.S. Air Force graphic by Travis Burcham)

Readiness through research

The Department of the Air Force’s scientific research organization, commonly referred to as AFRL, conducts cutting-edge studies and experiments in a variety of areas to include aerospace technology and science. Ultimately, the work they do is in support of total-force Airmen and Guardians worldwide.

Researching human performance

Dr. Candace Hatcher-Solis is a research biological scientist at the Air Force Research Laboratory and the team lead for Neurobiology of Cognitive Performance. Her research interests include neuromodulation and biomarker discovery for cognitive enhancement and stress resilience.

STEM initiatives

The Department of the Air Force’s need to accelerate technological development has been getting a great deal of attention, with leadership putting renewed focus on modernizing the Air and Space Forces.