Gen. Michael Ryan, addressing the delegates to the Air Force Association National Convention and Aerospace Technology Exposition, described the sudden build-up of Air Force aircraft in the Gulf last September in response to Iraqi provocation as an example of a pop-up contingency, as are humanitarian actions. At the same time, the Air Force has been continuously supporting NATO operations in Bosnia and has been operating no-fly zones over Iraq since the end of the Gulf War, both examples of protracted contingencies.

"Since 1992, we've responded to multiple pop-up crises and yet remained committed to protracted operations around the globe," Ryan said. "On average there have been six to seven pop-up crises each year, with an average of 25 Air Force aircraft deployed in support of each of them. During this time, we've averaged approximately 250 aircraft deployed at any one time responding to protracted contingencies.

That pace of operations, combined with the erosion of military pay and benefits, has led to problems in retention. According to Ryan, it is becoming harder to recruit personnel when pay in the private sector is 14 percent higher than military pay. The problem is even more pronounced in the ranks of the technically skilled enlisted force. Retention of pilots is also suffering. By 2002, the Air Force is projecting a shortfall of 2,000 pilots. Current increases in reenlistment bonuses and higher bonuses for pilots are only stop-gap measures, Ryan said.

"We must continue to work on the incentives to serve, such as mission satisfaction and sustainable operations tempo, reasonable stability, family security," Ryan said. "We must also offer our service members competitive pay, comprehensive medical care, and a reasonable retirement.

The other side of the problem involves weapons systems across the Air Force. In fact, the readiness rates of major weapons systems have dropped by 10 percent since the Gulf War. Ryan cited three factors: the high operations tempo, the rapidly aging force, and shortfalls in funding.

"Our force structure is aging at a rate we have not experienced before. Next year the average age of United States Air Force aircraft will be 20 years old," Ryan said. "And even if we execute every program that we have on the books today, the average age of an Air Force aircraft in the year 2015 will be 30 years. That's why it's so important to stay on track with all of our modernization efforts, both in new replacement procurement, such as the F-22, the Joint Strike Fighter, the C-17, and in investing in revitalizing our older, but still critical aircraft, such as the KC-135 and C-5.

To help ease the operations tempo and help active duty, Guard, and Reserve personnel be able to plan both their routine training and family lives with greater predictability, the Air Force has devised a new way to organize to meet continuing worldwide contingencies.

The Expeditionary Aerospace Force integrates the Total Force active duty, Guard and Reserve in a way that helps provide more capability, stability and predictability, Ryan said. The Air Force plans to operationally link geographically separated units into 10 Aerospace Expeditionary Forces, or AEFs. Each will have the full range of capabilities, including about 250 aircraft. But only two of the 10 AEFs will have to be on call for 3 months out of every 15 months. That will allow for a manageable rotation and spread the opstempo across all 10 AEFs.

Our Air Force men and women have responded to our nation's taskings with great professionalism and skill. The've done whatever we've asked them to do and more," Ryan said. "Our air crews, security forces, maintainers, and all the professionals forward-deployed continue to put themselves in harm's way to accomplish their missions. We must never forget that during peace and war our people take risks daily.

Ryan recalled the Air Force's long history as an expeditionary force, from World War I and World War II to Korea in the 1950s and Vietnam in the 1960s. In the Cold War, however, the Air Force focused on a robust, forward-stationed force with a substantial forward infrastructure. Since the Cold War ended, the forward-stationed forces have been cut by 60 percent. "The world has changed, and we must also, Ryan said.

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