New AF unit provides support to USAFE, AFAFRICA

A new unit officially opened its doors Oct. 1, 2015, to support installation management across U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa.

Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Detachment 4 currently consists of more than 70 people, has fulfilled all initial operational capability requirements, and is on track to meet the full operational capability goal of Oct. 1 of this year.

Planning for the detachment began in March 2014. The detachment now consists of five divisions: civil engineering, security forces, communications, financial management, and career field education and training.

The civil engineering section is responsible for constructing bases, operations and housing management. The security forces section is responsible for force protection and requirements and electronic security. The communications section is responsible for official mail, cyber infrastructure management and resources. The financial management section is responsible for financial services and financial analysis. The career field education and training section is currently responsible for the Major Command functional manager duties in the following Air Force specialties: civil engineer, security forces, communications, personnel, logistics and public affairs.

The detachment currently supports AFAFRICA requirements in the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility through its civil engineer division with base operations and its security forces division with force protection issues. However, that support could expand to other divisions in the detachment.

“The mission of Det. 4 is to provide globally-integrated and networked installation management support to USAFE-AFAFRICA,” said Wayne Sperry, AFIMSC Det. 4 deputy commander. “We are revolutionizing the way our Air Force supports bases as the war-fighting platform.”

The establishment of AFIMSC was part of the Air Force’s Future Air Force Organization Initiative implementing the July 23, 2013, guidance from the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force that, according to the Program Action Directive 14-04, directed Headquarters Air Force to “plan and present for decision a streamlined management framework within the Air Force regarding basic organization structures and business practices.”

“AFIMSC was established to provide centralized management of installation support, which means all the funding, all the requirements and all the programing underneath the Agile Combat Support Mission Area Plan (moved) into one center,” Sperry said.

For example, AFIMSC Headquarters will provide the centralized funding for MAJCOMs. This means the initial distribution of funds will go directly to the wings.

The establishment of AFIMSC and the detachment does not change the base support leadership structure or chain of command at the base level.

USAFE retained its Air Force Forces, Component MAJCOM responsibilities, and compliance with guidance on war-fighting requirements and priorities. The MAJCOM also kept its component staff to U.S. European Command, NATO and U.S. Africa Command responsibilities.

The biggest hurdle currently for AFIMSC Det. 4 is spreading the word so customers know who they need to call for support. AFIMSC has several informative efforts underway to help people. There is an AFIMSC phone book located at askafimsc@us.af.mil, AFISMC roadshows and base visits located at www.afimsc.af.mil, and installation commander update video teleconferences and briefings given at USAFE-AFAFRICA courses.

AFIMSC Headquarter reports to Air Force Material Command and is based at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. It is led by Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter. AFIMSC Headquarters is made up of a special staff, resources directorate, installation support directorate and expeditionary support directorate.

Other AFIMSC detachments are located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana; Peterson AFB, Colorado; Hurlburt Field, Florida; Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia; Scott AFB, Illinois; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

For more information regarding AFIMSC and the service provided by this organization, visit the AFIMSC’s home page at www.afimsc.af.mil.