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AFCENT A1 streamlines pre-deployment requirements

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jeff Parkinson
  • Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs

The U.S. Air Forces Central Command's Manpower, Personnel and Services directorate (A1) recently developed and implemented new pre-deployment requirements for Airmen deploying to the AFCENT area of responsibility.

The new requirements, which went into effect March 21, significantly reduce the amount of training and paperwork required before deploying, saving valuable time for Airmen.

"It's really about giving Airmen time back," said Lt. Col. Robert Jackson, AFCENT A1 (forward) director at Al Udeid AB."The team at Shaw led the charge to streamline what had become a hodgepodge of often duplicative checklists," said Jackson. "They looked at what is critically important to get somebody deployed and chopped out the rest of the queap, unnecessary extras and nice-to-dos."

Col. Devin Statham, AFCENT A1 director at Shaw AFB, S.C., says the new process simplifies how we equip, train, and prepare Airmen prior to deployment.

Statham explained the new process reduces deployment checklists and instructions from 23 pages to nine. This eliminates the need for home-stations to create supplemental checklists, and eliminates the requirement for Airmen to obtain two separate verification signatures from different offices for the same training. It also extends the "shelf-life" of training, returning time to the Airmen, both at work and home. 

Previously, Airmen who had recently completed routine training such as Information Assurance or Law of Armed Conflict were required to accomplish the training again if they were tasked to deploy. In some cases this would require Airmen to complete the same computer-based training course within days of each other. The new process eliminates this time-wasting requirement.

"The most significant time savings were achieved by changing the requirements on when training expired," said Statham. "We decided that if an Airman's training was current when they deployed, then it will remain current through the duration of the deployment. No longer will Airmen have to spend time re-completing training because it will expire during a deployment."

"At the end of the day, this is about making sure our Airmen can focus their time before a deployment on what's important - spending time with family and loved ones - and not wasting precious evenings in the office completing CBTs," he added. "It's about taking care of our people."

"Airmen are under more demands now than ever," Statham added. "We need to be good stewards of their time and allow them to focus on the more important mission-impacting items while maintaining a good work-life balance."

While all Airmen will benefit from the streamlined deployment requirements, Airmen who deploy for less than 45 days for non-traditional deployments will see the greatest benefit. In these cases, Statham says most pre-deployment requirements will be waived entirely, except medical and foreign clearance requirements for specific countries.

"Most Airmen in today's Air Force can expect to deploy and we need to do right by them when they answer the call," said Lt. Gen. Jeff Harrigian, U.S. Air Forces Central Command commander.

"The high ops-tempo temp our Airmen experience downrange shouldn't be preceded by unnecessary requirements that don't help them become a better warfighter," said the general. "The best thing we can do for Airmen is to show we value their time and let them spend more of it with those they deploy to defend."