The Air Force's readiness has faced significant challenges after decades of high operational tempo, leaving personnel, equipment, and aircraft strained. To address these issues, the Air Force has introduced a new cyclical force generation model, known as Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN), designed to rebuild readiness, standardize deployment schedules, and provide a balance between operational needs and downtime for recovery and training.

AFFORGEN replaces the older Air Expeditionary Force model, which relied on assembling deployment packages from multiple units across the force. While this approach provided flexibility, it created cohesion and readiness issues due to personnel often meeting for the first time upon deployment. AFFORGEN’s phased approach—comprising Reset, Prepare, Certify, and Available to Commit stages—focuses on deploying cohesive units trained together, aiming to enhance performance and morale.

The transition to AFFORGEN, initiated in late 2022, has seen early progress but also significant hurdles. The Air Force has faced difficulty meeting deployment demands without overburdening personnel or compromising in-garrison staffing. For instance, the lack of a comprehensive assessment of minimum staffing needs for U.S. bases has led to gaps in fulfilling critical roles both at home and abroad. Notably, missions such as base security, nuclear deterrence, and air traffic control have experienced strain due to conflicting requirements between deployment packages and base operations.

Additionally, the implementation of AFFORGEN has only partially aligned with leading agency reform practices identified by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). While leadership has demonstrated commitment to the reform, efforts to manage and monitor the initiative lack clear goals, performance metrics, and comprehensive implementation timelines. For example, the Air Force has yet to consolidate its vast library of Unit Type Codes (UTCs), the building blocks of deployment packages, which currently exceeds 3,000 and complicates readiness tracking and deployment planning.

Efforts to align AFFORGEN with reform practices have included creating pilot programs, such as Air Task Forces (ATFs) and Deployable Combat Wings (DCWs), which aim to streamline deployments by reducing reliance on fragmented unit contributions. These initiatives show promise, but the Air Force still lacks a codified implementation plan that sets measurable goals and milestones. Furthermore, communication strategies have been inconsistent, initially relying on top-down briefings and emails, though more recent efforts have sought to engage personnel directly.

The GAO report underscores the need for the Air Force to issue an AFFORGEN implementation plan that includes outcome-oriented goals, a timeline with milestones, and performance measures. Such a plan would not only improve internal cohesion and clarity but also align AFFORGEN with successful models from other military branches, such as the Navy's Optimized Fleet Response Plan and the Army's Regionally Aligned Readiness and Modernization Model.

AFFORGEN represents a transformative approach to rebuilding Air Force readiness, but its success hinges on addressing structural and operational gaps. By creating a unified implementation strategy, consolidating UTCs, and assessing risks to in-garrison missions, the Air Force can better balance its dual responsibilities of domestic and global operations. These steps will help ensure that AFFORGEN delivers on its promise of improving readiness and preparing the force to meet future challenges effectively.

This blog post is for informational purposes only, based on publicly available information. It does not guarantee accuracy and should not be construed as legal advice. Always consult qualified professionals for specific guidance.