Cold-war freezer burn: today's AFB?

THE COLD WAR

Although the doctrine of nuclear counterattack has faded, the fortress model for AFBs has not changed since the end of the Cold War. Today, U.S. AFBs are independent 'cities' encompassing numerous services within their gates: banks, movie theatres, travel agencies, dry cleaners, bowling alleys, grocery and department stores, gyms, and fast food restaurants.

It is true that these bases met their Cold War objective of securing and providing for airmen and their families, but they had the unintended consequence of developing a military subculture socially, politically, and physically separate from the general civilian population. Although these AFBs have served the military well in the past, there is no longer the need for this type of basing in contemporary American society.

Active-duty bases grew during the Cold War to resemble self-supporting fortresses. ANG bases, however, have continued to support the mission while remaining small. This could be a direction for the Expeditionary Air Base of the future.

INTRODUCTION TO THE EXPEDITIONARY AIR BASE

The EAB represents a "stripped-down" version of the current AD AFB, with an overarching focus on operational efficiency and readiness by including only those facilities and infrastructure deemed necessary for the unit's mission accomplishment. The EAB becomes the airman's "office;' as he or she commutes to the base, conducts work duties, and commutes back outside the "gate" to his/her home within the community. All extraneous support services, 'overhead' facilities and infrastructure are located within the private sector in the local community.

Most EABs, because of existing civil runway infrastructure, will work a symbiotic relationship on existing national and regional civil airports. This model is currently being used at 72 ANG and AFRC units (Facts & Figures, 2003, 3) and meets mission requirements, with aircraft hangars for maintenance, required office space for supporting squadrons of the Wing, and sufficient square footage to support airbase security concerns. The EAB model does not include 'overhead' facilities such as the BX, commissary, recreational facilities, schools, or housing.

GEO-PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF AFB

The current AFB organizational structure does not properly distribute needed military presence across the country. A RAND study shows that only 13 states currently contain more than 75 percent of the AF Active Component installations (RAND, 2001, 18). As the size of the military continues to decrease, its presence in communities also continues to decrease. The continued segregation of today's AFB could ultimately affect society's tolerance towards military spending and participation in contingency operations.

The EAB distributes AF assets evenly across the United States and provides increased flexibility in meeting homeland defense needs. Governments have traditionally called upon the AF to provide reconnaissance or to airlift supplies and resources during national emergencies and disasters. ANG units also have traditionally offered resources during and after natural disasters, providing support with manpower, facilities, equipment, and by setting up command and control (C2) headquarters for local response coordination. The EAB would allow for more efficient and timely responses to emergencies and disasters by increasing the balanced distribution of assets across more communities.

SOCIO-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF AFB

The current AFBs have developed into self-sufficient fortresses manned by armed guards at each entrance and a patrolled fence outlining the perimeter of the installation. This has had the effect of significantly limiting the amount of interaction between AD personnel and the general population. Today's AFBs allow AD and their dependents the ability to work, shop, attend church, complete their education, access medical care, and participate in all social and recreational events without ever leaving the AFB to which they are assigned. Living their lives sequestered within the AFB has resulted in greater mistrust of the AF and its motives as the civilian population has increasingly limited understanding of the AF mission and culture. A SECDEF 2000 study found that today's military culture hinders the public's need to understand military combat effectiveness (CSIS, 2000, 26).

The embedded EAB fosters increased opportunities to understand and be understood by the public, and further intertwines military members with the people within that community (RAND, 2001, 14). Increases in daily interaction will improve understanding of similarities and differences between civilian and military cultures. Social and civic bonds will be developed and strengthened as members of each culture increase their interactions with each other. AF and civilian families will attend school and church together, develop friendships, and move through developmental stages with each other. AF spouses and their children will grow up, marry, and start families of their own in the local community.

From the AD perspective, this also serves to tie the sacrifices they make for their country to friends and co-workers to whom they are bonded in their community (RAND, 2001, 23). In times of conflict, when the nation calls upon its military members to put themselves in harm's way, there will be a closer bond within the community, bringing the war home to that local community.

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH

There is no longer a need for the current AFB structure. It is expensive, outdated, ineffectual, and does not serve the AF mission in the 21st century. As the AF continues down the road of consolidation, it will be facing further isolation, less understanding within our communities, and increased costs for technology. The Expeditionary Air Base Model is based on an ANG basing structure and embeds Air Wings back into local communities.

The EAB also encourages socio-cultural improvement by embedding, with the will of the people, members of the AF within each community, the foundation of our democracy. And finally, the Air Force should see increased political advantages not now seen with current AFBs.

The EAB synergizes the relationship among our military, supportive citizens, and supportive local governments, forging a solid foundation to meet and sustain our advantage in air and space power to take us into the future.

LT COL JOHN P. RUSSO, USAF

COPYRIGHT 2005 Reserve Officers Association of the United States
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