AEDC inactivates group, squadron structure

  • Published
  • By Shawn Jacobs
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, Tenn. --  As part of a headquarters Air Force plan, AEDC inactivated its group and squadron structure June 25.

The Air Force directed the change from wings, groups and squadrons to directorates, divisions and branches.

The event occurred on the 59th anniversary of the AEDC dedication by President Harry Truman, which is also Gen. Henry "Hap" Arnold's birthday anniversary.

The formal ceremony, presided over by AEDC Commander Col. Michael Panarisi, recognized the inactivation of the 704th Test Group, the 704th Mission Support Group, the 704th Test Systems Group, the 704th Maintenance Group and squadrons of those units.

The flags and guidons of those organizations were furled and cased, as part of the military custom.

In his remarks, Col. Panarisi noted the "melancholy" nature of the day for many of the attendees.

"The reality is we're in the acquisition business and in the acquisition community, as it reorganized into number units, with squadron commanders, and then group commanders, it just didn't work out," Col. Panarisi said. "We're here today to return to an organizational
construct that will be much more familiar in the acquisition community, much more familiar to the teams that we serve."

Col. Panarisi said the restructuring will actually add flexibility to AEDC.

"Without squadron designations and group designations, the authority to reorganize and move missions around, move people around, is left at my level," he said. "As we see the need to adapt to an ever changing environment, we will not be hampered with a labor intensive and time consuming change request. In many ways, returning to a traditional organizational construct reflects a time honored tenet we hold dear ─ flexibility is the key to airpower."

At the same time, the commander tried to allay any fears that other major changes are imminent.

"Today we're going to inactivate the numbers, but the leaders are going to remain in place, the mission's going to remain in place, the organization's going to remain as it stands today, he said.

"Going forward, we are going to represent our capabilities with names that the rest of the acquisition community will recognize. As you leave today, don't make this out to be something bigger than it is."

The move follows an Air Force senior leadership decision to standardize the size of wings, groups and squadrons across the Air Force. Wings now must contain 1,000 or more members; groups, 400; and squadrons, 35.

With this reorganization, all of the Air Force Materiel Command's (AFMC) centers will see some changes. AFMC planners say the realignment is "manpower neutral," meaning no net gain or loss of jobs will occur.