The Air Force Reserve’s role doesn’t regularly include homeland defense. However, it sometimes joins the Air National Guard in that task. 

“There are instances where the Air Force Reserve has taken on that mission, especially right after 9-11,” says Col. Joe Viani, director of Aerospace Operations and Requirements for the chief of the Air Force Reserve. “Our guys from Homestead Air Force Base and Fort Worth Naval Air Station were actually flying CAP—Combat Air Patrol—until we came up with a consolidated plan. Our tankers—KC-135s and AWACS [Airborne Warning and Control System]—played heavily in that role to make sure the fighters had the gas they needed.”

According to Viani, the Air Force Reserve makes up approximately 14 percent of the total force mix, with the National Guard comprising around 20 percent and the regular Air Force filling out the remainder.

“We’re a comparatively small force, but with only 14 percent of the total force, we give a bigger bang for the buck—we bring about 20 percent of the total Air Force capability, and yet we have just 5 percent of the total budget,” he says.

When the Air Force instituted the concept of the Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) a few years ago, both the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve became integral components of the program. The AEF takes a modular plug-and-play approach to deployment, with various units of weaponry and personnel ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

“We call that term ‘rainbowing,’ ” explains Viani. “We can choose from any of our fighter units because we all train to the same model and standard. We just need to know the requirements: How many airplanes, how many aircrews, how many maintenance, and for what duration. Then we can just plug them in.”

Since the start of the global war on terrorism, the Air Force Reserve has deployed around 24,000 people to support that mission—roughly 30 percent of the selective Reserve. In Operation Iraqi Freedom, Air Force Reserve crews flew about half of all C-17 and C-5 missions and about 90 percent of all C-141 sorties. Some of the first crews to see action were the Air Force Reserve’s B-52 crews, who established new tactics with the use of the Lightning-2 pod, a precision weapons system. The Air Force Reserve’s A-10s also provided both CAP and Combat Search and Rescue support deep in enemy territory through the entire initial conflict. 

Viani notes because the Reserve is made up of citizen airmen, its members bring their individual areas of civilian expertise with them when they report for duty. 

“A case in point would be security forces,” he says. “We have security personnel who are homicide detectives, chiefs of police, FBI agents—and they bring that wealth of experience and knowledge to bear in AFFC or security forces jobs. Same with the pilots and aircrews—whether they work for airlines or industry, they bring additional experience to the Reserve.”

Citizen airmen face unique challenges, however. They’re forced to balance their duties as civilian employees with their family lives and Reserve obligations. 

“At any one time, you’ve probably got someone a little bit chafed at you,” adds Viani. 

Still, Viani says retention rates are near 100 percent, even with the recent increase in mobilizations and their duration. 

With more deployments, both the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve now boast a level of experience not seen since the first Gulf War more than a decade ago. When both forces’ worldwide humanitarian efforts are factored in, a picture emerges of highly trained and dedicated people who are ready and willing to do whatever is necessary at a moment’s notice.

“And I think we’re only getting better at becoming an integral player with corporate Air Force,” says Viani. “I think the Air Force is finding out just how capable the Air Force Reserve and the Air National Guard are. We have people with a positive mental attitude who want to accomplish the mission and do a great job.”