Firstly, I wish to personally thank all members of the Air Force MESSOP mustering for the outstanding contribution they have made to both their profession and to Air Force.

The decision to disband the MESSOP mustering has not been an easy one.

Based on the recommendations of two separate reviews conducted late last year, I considered the advice of the Air Force Workforce Planning Group, members of which have analysed the MESSOP Review and the Air Force Catering Review in detail.

I accepted their recommendations, and these were personally announced and explained in detail to you by CDRCSG, DPA and DLOGSPT, at Richmond on 12 March 2002.

You can now expect to be personally managed by your DPA Career Manager who will assist you in pursuing your options.

The MESSOP mustering will disband with effect from 31 December 2003, and the function will be performed primarily by an augmented COOK mustering, and several CLK, CLKSPLY, SPLR and GHAND positions.

Before the decision was announced several transition issues needed to be planned in detail.

The most important of these was to develop options for our extant 24 MESSOPs.

I directed DGPERS-AF to look into the conditions that might be offered to those current MESSOPs who wish to continue to serve by taking the opportunity to remuster.

The most obvious remuster options for MESSOPs are COOK and CREWATT, but members will be free to indicate a preference for any other mustering, subject to the normal suitability requirements. DPA staff handed out Election letters and conducted initial interviews at Richmond.

I encourage you all to thoroughly consider the complete range of remuster options that are available. You have all received letters detailing your options.

For those who elect remuster, transition arrangements will possibly occur ahead of the December 2003 timeframe - so as to not drag the transition on unnecessarily.

Those that do not wish to remuster will be offered voluntary redundancy as an option, the provisions for which will be advised by DGPERS-AF.

It is expected that Voluntary Redundancy provisions will be similar to those originally offered to STWDs under the DRP drawdown.

Let me say that the challenges of a constrained budget combined with the enormity of managing the DRP have caused much stress and turmoil for all of us. The decision I announce here is the final and enduring one for Air Force STWDs/MESSOPs.

ACAUST, COMTRG-AF and DGPERS-AF have been directed to implement this decision as quickly and smoothly as possible, but fairly, taking account of capability, training and personnel transition factors that serve both your best interests and that of Air Force.

These considerations will also apply to the new arrangements required for an augmented COOK mustering.

I sincerely hope most of you will choose a remustering option so Air Force can still benefit from your valuable skills and knowledge.

A.G. Houston

AIRMSHL

CAF

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