JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
U.S. Service members from across Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, gathered for the 633rd Air Base Wing transformation ceremony at Fort Eustis, Nov. 2, 2015.
During the event, The 633rd Force Support Squadron absorbed the 733rd Force Support Division while the 633rd Logistics Readiness Squadron stood down, and was replaced by the newly activated 733rd LRS.
The merger and unit re-designation were part of a 633rd ABW realignment, which took effect Nov. 1, and aimed to enhance mission effectiveness and increase efficiency throughout the wing at both Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis.
Along with the formation of the 733rd LRS and expansion of the 633rd FSS, the realignment streamlined and reassigned various functions within the wing. These changes include:
- The 633rd Contracting Squadron will now report directly to the 633rd ABW headquarters.
-The deactivation of the 733rd Mission Support Division and reassignment of its functions, including:
- Fort Eustis port operations will now fall under the 733rd LRS.
- The Fort Eustis emergency management office will now report to the 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron.
- Fort Eustis postal and communication functions will now fall under the 633rd Communications Squadron.
- Previous 733rd MSD operations now fall under the 733rd Mission Support Group commander.
According to Jerrold Twigg, 633rd ABW chief of joint base integration office, the changes were part of a proactive approach to maximize the wing's mission capabilities and strengthen ties across both installations.
"This was our initiative to better align the wing's resources to maximize support for our mission partners and community," said Twigg. "This realignment will bring us closer to the idea, which began with JBLE's inception. We're starting to do these functions as 'one team, no fight.'"
Since the beginning of the realignment's planning phase, Twigg said the 633rd ABW decided to turn to its technical experts to find the ways to enhance its ability to serve the JBLE community and mission partners.
"We wanted to know how to do our business better, so we decided to ask the people who do the jobs ... the Airmen and junior civilian employees. This means the concepts that led to the integrations and realignments were developed by people within the organizations that provide the services," said Twigg. "Normally, when [the military looks] at processes, we start at the top and work our way down. This time, we brought in the subject matter experts from the various units, and asked them to determine the best way to provide our services."
The merging of support functions will pool resources from various units, which will give U.S. Service members and civilian employees more effective and efficient ways to complete their mission, said Twigg.
While the realignment aims to maximize JBLE's mission capabilities, Twigg said these changes will enhance fiscal efficiency, meaning money saved from eliminating redundant functions across JBLE will now allow wing leadership to invest in equipment and programs that directly serve both the JBLE community and the wing's mission partners.
"We have a responsibility to get the most out of every dollar that's spent on base operating support," said Twigg. "Every dollar we spend on base operation is a dollar we can't use to buy equipment our operating forces need. We can reallocate these resources into areas that provide services to our mission partners and community."
While these changes reduce the wing's fiscal redundancies, Twigg said the initiative was not directed from higher headquarters or intended to cut the budget, but rather find more efficient ways to reinvest the savings into the wing, meaning a larger budget for necessary equipment and personnel.
"We were after 'more for the same,' not 'the same for less,'" said Twigg. "Our goal was to get more from the same and roll it back into our installation."
Ultimately, Twigg said, the new alignment will posture JBLE to adapt to unforeseen changes in a variety areas, from fiscal uncertainty to mass deployments.
"These changes help posture [the wing] for the future," he said. "We wanted to take the best from the Air Force at Langley and the Army at Fort Eustis and bring all of JBLE's capabilities to bear."
The JBLE leadership team plans to reevaluate the realignment in May 2016, and again in November of the same year to ensure optimum efficiency and look into new ways to improve JBLE.