Air Force to save $1.2 million each AEF by prepositioning weapons

Published Feb. 4, 2009
By 1st Lt Lisa Spilinek
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE -- A new U.S. Air Forces Central logistics program is set to save the Air Force approximately $1.2 million every four months.

More than 3,000 Airmen who departed Iraq, Afghanistan and other U.S. Central Command-area nations last month or will depart this month were directed not to bring their M-16s or M-9s back with them to their home stations. Rather, they signed their weapons over to the Airmen replacing them.

Previously, almost all deploying Airmen would fly to their deployments and back with their weapons, which would cost the Air Force, on average, $106 per person round trip, said Maj. John McGuire, U.S. Air Forces Central logistics readiness chief.

Keeping approximately 4,000 weapons at deployed locations saves the Air Force airline baggage fees and makes travel a bit easier for Airmen already toting numerous bags and gear, said Senior Master Sgt. Darlington Cookey-Gam, USAFCENT logistics superintendent of deployed equipment. "It's a win-win for the Air Force and the individual."

Airmen assigned weapons upon arrival in the AOR are responsible for their accountability and safeguarding them throughout the duration of their deployment, as well as properly turning them over to their replacements at the end of the deployment cycle, Major McGuire said.

However, not all deployed Airmen are eligible to participate in the weapons prepositioning program. Those serving in security forces, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, explosive ordnance disposal, RED HORSE, and battlefield weather career fields are excluded, along with Airmen serving in joint expeditionary tasking assignments, Major McGuire said. The exclusions are due to career and duty-specific requirements.

January and February 2009 are designated as the beginning of Air Expeditionary Force cycle 7/8, during which new Airmen replace those who arrived in theater in September and October 2008 under AEF 5/6. January also marked the first time the weapons prepositioning initiative was implemented throughout the AOR. A test phase was conducted during the AEF 3/4 to AEF 5/6 changeover at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, that involved 1,000 M-16A2s, Major McGuire said.

The program's biggest hurdle, Sergeant Cookey-Gam said, was documenting the serial numbers of each weapon that was left in the theater and keeping track of transactions between members. This duty was accomplished by using standardized supply procedures by deployed logistics readiness squadron personnel with oversight by USAFCENT logistics leadership and the Air Force Logistics Management Agency.

Accountability information was passed on to the Air Force bases that originally supplied the weapons as well. Airmen who deployed with a weapon but were directed to leave it for their successor were issued a letter to provide to their home station armory, Major McGuire said.

Not every weapon in the AOR will be assigned to an arriving member. Logisticians have set aside a "safety stock" in the event more weapons are needed.

"We're putting a safety stock in there in case people we expected to show up with weapons show up without. Also, if new missions or units are stood up or move around the AOR, we'll have weapons available," Major McGuire said.

All of the M-9s and M-16s pre-positioned in the AOR are checked to ensure functionality.

Additionally, deployed Airmen who are assigned M-16s will personally sight their weapons using a laser boresight, which allows sighting to be accomplished without firing, Sergeant Cookey-Gam said. These tools take less than a minute to use and are distributed throughout the AOR. Some AOR locations can also support live-fire sighting.

The weapons prepositioning initiative is a result of feedback received by USAFCENT logistics personnel from deployed Airmen, Major McGuire said. The initiative was implemented using Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century principles, which call for Airmen to streamline processes and procedures and identify ways to reduce waste and redundancies.