Air Force Reserve Update By Susan Lukas, ROA Air Force Service Section, National Executive Committee At the recent Reserve Forces Policy Board on December 9, 2020, Lieutenant General Scobee, commander of Air Force Reserve Command, said the Air Force Reserve has had a very busy year when responding to natural disasters. This year they doubled their Hurricane Hunter response by gathering data on hurricane conditions for NOAA. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance flies tropical storms, hurricanes and winter storms. According to the 53rd, the mission “. . . started in 1943 as a bar room dare, when two Army Air Corps pilots challenged each other to fly through a hurricane. On July 27, 1943, Maj. Joe Duckworth flew a propeller-driven, single- engine North American AT-6 "Texan" trainer into the eye of a hurricane.” This important Reserve mission saves lives by being able to provide the hurricane’s data conditions so NOAA can issue the right warnings to emergency response offices.

An Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter aircrew flies into Hurricane Douglas, the first hurricane in the Pacific this season, July 26, 2020, to collect weather data to assist the Central Pacific Hurricane Center with their forecasts. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, assigned to the 403rd at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, departed July 22 to conduct operations out of Barbers Point Kapolie Airport, Hawaii. (U.S. Air Force photo by Lt. Col. Marnee A.C. Losurdo)

This year’s hurricane season also required a strong response from the mesquite spraying mission because the wet conditions exploded that population which then became a hazard to cattle and people. According to the 910th Airlift Wing, “The heavy rains from the recent hurricanes have resulted in large areas across southwest Louisiana where mosquitoes can lay their eggs. The aerially disbursed products will be aimed at reducing the increasing number of mosquitoes, which can spread disease and also hinder recovery workers, resulting in less time in the field.” All of this was occurring while the Air Force Reserve supported the COVID-19 response. “During the COVID-19 outbreak, more than 1,700 Reserve Citizen Airmen were activated,” Lieutenant General Scobee said, “and within 48 hours, medical personnel were sent to hot spots in New York and New Jersey, carrying along with them much needed personal protective equipment, testing kits and ventilators. Their ability to rapidly mobilize and get people and supplies where they were needed saved thousands of lives, and provided medical Reservists with invaluable skills.” During the COVID-19 pandemic response ROA was able to get National Guard servicemembers placed on Title 32 orders when Jeff Phillips, ROA executive director, sent President Trump a letter titled, Title 32 Section 502f Support Letter to the President. ROA was also able to get constructive credit for a “good” retirement year included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, Sec. 516. “Inclusion of drill or training foregone due to emergency travel or duty restrictions in computations of entitlement to and amounts of retired pay for non-regular service.” This was an important provision because it ensures every Reserve Component service member will be credited with the points necessary for a “good” retirement year as a result of drill weekends being cancelled due to the pandemic.

(Members of the Michigan work during a drive-thru Covid-19 testing event in Sturgis, Mich., Sept. 22, 2020. The Michigan National Guard has partnered with a variety of state agencies to provide no cost Covid-19 tests to Michigan residents. (U.S. Air National Guard photo Senior Airman Tristan D. Viglianco) This year a strong effort to support reserve airmen resulted in several changes. For example, Lieutenant General Scobee said the AFR works hard to give airmen the pay status that best meets their needs and circumstances. The command continually looks for barriers that can be removed for service. There are now 10 Command Chiefs, 46 First Sergeants and 16 Chaplain positions put in place across the command to provide connection to the front line. Air Force Reserve communication efforts are also taking advantage of technology, “Chief Master Sgt. Timothy C. White Jr., AFRC’s command chief master sergeant, said he is looking to use the Air Force Connect app to make communications with Reserve Citizen Airmen more timely. “You spoke, we listened!” White said. “We understand the importance of timely, relevant information and I truly believe using the AF Connect app will get us one step closer to a more informed, better-connected Reserve.” There are also 268 finance billets being added to help pay airmen in a timely manner which will also remove any financial stress that could occur because of a pay delay. Another financial fitness impact is with TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) being extended in 2030 for all which will give relief to reservist who face the high cost of civilian health care programs. Lieutenant General Scobee explained, “Allowing Air Reserve Technicians access to TRS would eliminate some of the challenges and lapses in healthcare coverage that Airmen endure when changing statuses and deploying.” The Air Force Reserve Command sees this as a retention issue for their civilian technicians. ROA was instrumental in getting TRS passed for all Reserve and National Guard members. ROA also supports Veteran Status: Federal Hiring Preference for Reserve Component Members, as a way to ensure financial security with federal civil service employment. This is a no-cost legislative improvement that provides another employment avenue for Reserve Component families. Another approach by ROA for Reserve employment will be in the next 117th Congress. ROA is working to have HR 801 Tax Credit for Employers reintroduced so that employers can receive a tax credit for employing Reserve and National Guard servicemembers who deploy. The most pressing medical issue today is figuring out how to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to the Reserve servicemember because it requires a three-week period between the first and second dose. This presents a challenge for making sure servicemembers are in the right duty status for the second dose. The usual timeline for duty is a drill weekend that normally occurs every 30 days, in this case, annual tour or mandays may have to be used. On November 23, 2020, Government Executive reported, “Defense will distribute the COVID-19 vaccine directly to all of its personnel, both civilian and military. Department contractors, retirees and dependents of active duty personnel for all services but the Coast Guard will also receive the vaccine from Defense. The administration has not yet made a determination for Reserves and National Guardsmen.” ROA was the first association to immediately raise the red flag to the TMC Health Care Committee that the Reserve Component should not be delayed behind other populations that are not expected to deploy since they were deployed to support the pandemic. Several weeks later, a subsequent announcement put the Reserve Component on par with active duty for the immunization.

An Ohio National Guard member wears special gloves while practicing to pack glass vials in dry ice in preparation for when Ohio begins receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. About two dozen Ohio National Guard members have been working with the Ohio Department of Health to develop the logistics plan to receive and repackage the vaccine for distribution. Photo by: Courtesy Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine's office The discussion during the Reserve Forces Policy Board included the impact of the DoD budget continuing resolution and Lieutenant General Scobee explaining how it impacts contracts and training. ROA Resolution 20-05 Criticality of Funding for the Reserve Component calls for Congress to pass the annual budget and not rely on continuing resolutions as a way to fund DoD. ROA is looking forward to receiving more information from Lieutenant General Scobee when he provides his annual article for the ROA Reserve Voice Magazine which will be published in spring 2021.