To the men and women of the U.S. Air Force:

We have heard your concern and frustration on the issue of additional duties that compete with accomplishing our primary Air Force missions. This memo documents initial steps in a longer process that aims to streamline demands on your time. Operational demands are at unprecedented levels, yet our force is smaller than it has ever been. In meeting with Airmen at installations around the globe, we have heard consistently that additional duties assigned at the unit level affect our ability to focus on core missions, which in turn impacts our readiness. 

We recognize these duties originate from a variety of sources, to include federal statutes, Department-wide policy, Air Force Instructions and wing and squadron requirements. In response to your concerns, we are establishing an “Airmen’s Time” task force to tackle and streamline these additional duties, as well as the complete set of requirements, functions, training and reports that detract from our core missions. 

As a first step in this initiative, we recently conducted a review of additional duties that originate in Air Force policy we control. This review sought to establish a framework to address this growing concern among Airmen by assessing each of the 61 duties identified under Air Force Instruction 38-206, Additional Duty Management. These duties are applied across the Total Force, and are typically not related to the core mission of our units.

Based on this review, we took steps to reduce the burden associated with the list of 61 identified additional duties. These duties are currently required at every unit, where Airmen must be designated and trained to perform these tasks even in organizations where they are not usually needed. The rules provide very little flexibility to commanders and often compound the burdens associated with required training. In several cases, we were able to eliminate the specific duty across the Air Force. 

In others, we modified the duty requirement to apply only to those units that require it or consolidated requirements to reduce demand on our Airmen. In other cases, we determined that the work belongs in the commander support staff or other work centers that do not require Airmen to be pulled away from their core missions. 

Consequently, we are working to re-establish the CSS as a core part of the squadrons that are large enough to warrant them. For squadrons too small to warrant a CSS, those duties should be accomplished by a Group or Wing-level CSS -- or not at all if the commander deems them non-critical. Currently, even in squadrons large enough to have a CSS, the positions are not fully funded.  However, as we move forward, we are committed to ensuring CSS requirements are funded and positions filled, as our budget permits. Until the new CSS decisions are implemented and CSS manning is healthy, commanders are empowered at all levels to consolidate CSS-assigned duties as appropriate, and-or discontinue non-critical duties beyond their ability to resource.

 We all must commit to making continuous improvements to reduce excessive demands on Airmens' time. Accordingly, this task force will institute accountability measures to ensure unit-level practices and Air Force Instructions are correctly revised to reflect these changes no later than Oct. 1.

Secondly, effective Oct. 1, the Inspector General shall ensure all unit inspections are conducted in accordance with these revised requirements. Additionally, beginning this fall, Headquarters Air Force will establish a screening process to review new policies in order to identify areas that create additional duties for Airmen in units. The goal is to prevent unchecked growth of these functions in the future.

 We also recognize that this effort is just a small, first step. The next phase of our review will focus on computer-based training requirements and the time impacts they have on our force. It will also focus on duties originating in law and DOD policy, identifying areas that can be eliminated, consolidated or streamlined. Additionally, the review will focus on how these requirements are impacting our most stressed career fields.

 You have our continued commitment to keep a steady focus on this challenge using the process we have now established. Our success in performing missions each day is due to the talent, skill and professionalism that you provide every day. Thank you for all you do.