Volume 48, No. 11, June 29, 2006
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Training units, such as RAAFSALT, will come under the new FEG as part of the “Rebalance our Air Force” project.
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AIR Force will make way for a major reorganisation when Training Command becomes a Force Element Group (FEG) on July 1.
The new FEG will come under the command of Headquarters Air Command, and is just one of many big changes ahead for Air Force as part of the “Rebalance our Air Force” project.
The project was initiated by CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd earlier this year to better deliver Air Force’s capability while also maintaining a sustainable work/life balance.
As part of the rebalance activity, Combat Support Group is planning a significant reorganisation to better manage combat support tasks, and other FEGs will look at better ways to do business.
A Capability Rebalance Team (CRT) was established to manage the project, headed by GPCAPT Mike Bennett, Director Planning and Capability Support - Air Force.
“The last few years have seen a major increase in tempo for Air Force, with involvement in and support of operations, disaster assistance and recovery,” GPCAPT Bennett said.
“In addition, we are introducing new platforms and replacing others. This continuing high operational tempo and introduction of new capability results in increasing pressure on our people.
“The men and women of the Air Force have risen magnificently to the challenge, albeit at a significant cost, however, the current tempo has become the norm so it is vital to make sure the Air Force workforce can sustain our current activity level in the longer term.”
He said in line with this, the CRT’s first task was to identify the full scale of the gap between current workforce and tasking. The next step was to provide options and recommend solutions to rebalance the Air Force in the shorter term and restructure in the longer term.
“The main aim was to align workforce and tasking to bring into balance the tasks being placed on the men and women of the Air Force,” he said.
The Air Force Senior Leadership Team is now looking at ways to implement actions to rebalance workforce and tasking, and once approved, the changes will be implemented to provide rapid relief to tasking in the field.
“While there will be some turmoil resulting from this progress, the end result will be a better alignment of workforce tasking and better work/life balance for everyone in the Air Force,” he said.
If you have practical ideas about actions that can reduce the overtasking facing your unit, email airforce.rebalanceteam@defence.gov.au.
