Force structure alignment means more positions at Peterson

  • Published
  • By Monica Mendoza
  • 21st Space Wing Public Affairs staff writer
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  In fiscal year 2011, under proposed force structure alignment, Peterson Air Force Base and its host unit, the 21st Space Wing, would get more security forces Airmen, have one dedicated civilian investigator for sexual assault crimes, set up a five-member fitness team to evaluate Airmen's physical fitness tests and increase its support in the warfighter and family program areas.

Air Force officials announced May 11 the proposed force structure alignment for FY 2011. The plan affects military and civilian personnel changes and aircraft assignments at Air Force bases and supports President Barack Obama's FY 2011 budget submission. Across the Air Force, the proposal affects more than 13,000 people including approximately 2,400 Active Duty members, 9,200 civilians, 1,300 Air Force Reservists and 220 National Guard positions.

"These initiatives will continue to make more efficient use of Air Force resources and savings to the American taxpayer over the long term," Gen. Norton Schwartz, Air Force chief of staff, said in a May 11 statement regarding the proposed force structure alignments.

Under the proposal, the 21st Security Forces Squadron would get an additional 10 positions. The 21st SFS is shifting how it polices, said Maj. Joseph Musacchia, the squadron's commander. The shift is toward an integrated defense of the installation, he said.

"The 21st SFS is receiving 10 additional bodies to better secure the garrison of Peterson Air Force Base," Major Musacchia said. The integrated defense plan is being developed now and will be ready to roll out this summer, he said.

Across the Air Force several programs were highlighted for expansion: fitness assessment cells, sexual assault prevention and response programs and warfighter and family services programs. Peterson will get five civilian positions to standardize testing throughout the wing and to balance health and fitness for Airmen. It will get nine civilian positions in support of warfighter and family services.

On Peterson, the Office of Special Investigations, 8th Field Investigations Squadron, will receive two civilian positions in support of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program. One investigator will be on Peterson and one will be at the U.S. Air Force Academy, said Lt. Col. Chuck Rinkevich, 8th Field Investigations Squadron commander. He plans to bring in experienced OSI agents for the new positions.

"We've not had positions in OSI dedicated exclusively to investigating sexual assault," he said. "This is going to be their primary focus -- to get them the background, the training and the expertise to be a specialist. What it will do for Peterson is it will provide a lot of continuity, one person who really is an expert."

Peterson's Sexual Assault Response Coordinator Jeanine Arnold said, "That's good news. It's a needed endeavor. I think (sexual assault) is an unusual crime, it's complicated. To have people who are specialized in that will be a real asset to helping us catch offenders."

One of the more complex pieces to force structure realignment is the conversion of contractor positions to Department of Defense civilian positions. For the Colorado Springs, Colo., area, approximately 271 contractor positions are expected to be converted to Air Force civilian positions during FY 2011, with at least 98 of those under the 21st Space Wing, said Charles Leaf, the 21st SW competitive sourcing program manager.

In April of 2009, the Department of Defense announced its intention to significantly reduce the level of contractor support in DoD support services over a five-year period and has programmed additional government civilians to perform this work.

The new government civilian positions will be filled through normal job hiring procedures, which currently means through the Office of Personnel Management vacancy announcements on the USAJOBS website. The wing is now working now to prepare for these upcoming conversions, Mr. Leaf said.