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LETTERS

Smart Ops worth the cost

Retired Lt. Col. Bob Kellas’ letter, “Advisory service a waste” [June 4], highlights his concern with dedicating funds to Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century advisory and assistance services. Lt. Col. Kellas is correct in noting that the Air Force has pressing financial needs for recapitalization and modernization. However, his assessment that funding contractor support for AFSO21 is wasteful misses the point.

AFSO21 is all about increasing productivity, key asset availability, agility, safety and energy conservation by eliminating waste. Our blanket purchase agreement is but one step in that direction.

AFSO21 awarded, through the Air Force District of Washington, a single BPA with a ceiling of $99 million. As a BPA, no money is obligated until there is a need for a specific task covered by the contract. The BPA allows individual organizations to fund and exercise options for training, advisory services or facilitation support without going through an independent, time-consuming and expensive contract award effort. As organic capability increases, the need will decrease.

However, with many complicated processes and a dearth of experienced process improvement personnel, the BPA allows us to tackle the tough issues that we might otherwise have to defer as we seek significant efficiencies across the Air Force. Some of those initial efforts have saved millions of man-hours in training and operations to offset manpower reductions of Program Budget Decision 720. Other efforts have drastically reduced the amount of downtime associated with major weapon system maintenance and put more airframes “on the ramp.” The BPA will allow organizations to accelerate their efforts to identify and eliminate waste and increase the overall combat capability of our great Air Force.

Brig. Gen. S. Taco Gilbert III

Director, Air Force Smart Operations

Rosslyn, Va.

Iran column missed target

Robert F. Dorr’s May 28 opinion piece [“U.S. needs unified, diplomatic approach to Iran,” Back Talk] suggesting we get cozy to the idea of “living with a nuclear-armed Iran,” continues his track record of irrelevant and idealistic commentary regarding world politics and U.S. policy. Whether intended or not, the appearance of such content gives Air Force Times an inappropriate perception of political slant. There are a number of other publications I could go to for that, whereas I look to this publication for informative articles pertaining to broad Air Force-related issues and happenings.

Keep Dorr’s and other opinion pieces focused on target.

2nd Lt. Stephen Ziegenfuss

Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.

Vets groups need members

Have there been any articles describing the value and benefits of veterans organizations? They are losing members by the thousands each day, especially from the World War II and Korean War eras. They need younger members recruited from active-duty ranks and those recently discharged. These organizations lobby for all of us. We need their support more than ever now.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Paul Timmer (ret.)

McMinnville, Ore.

Decals don’t assure safety

Retired Brig. Gen. Keith B. Connolly’s argument in favor of vehicle registration — and the associated decal — fails the logic test [“Issuing vehicle decals helps keep bases secure,” May 28, Letters]. He asserts that a “resourceful terrorist could obtain a fake ID card,” allowing said terrorist access to the base along with a vehicle to deliver a payload of choice.

I concede that it wouldn’t take much to create a reasonably accurate facsimile of the ever-present common access card, even with the multiple bar codes, magnetic strip and gold-plated contacts. I submit it would be challenging to create one whose bar code is properly encoded; but yes, with the right equipment, materials and know-how, it’s possible. Creating a fake dependent or retiree ID would be even easier.

But how much easier still to create a fake decal? I can gin up a full sheet of colorful stickers with nothing more than my inkjet printer and a decent desktop publishing program; heck, I could probably do it with good old Word or PowerPoint. And even the mild inspection given at the gate to our IDs far exceeds the cursory glance (or none at all) given to the decal on the windshield. I won’t even discuss used cars sold with the decals still in place. Thus is the whole process of registering the vehicle, validating insurance, checking driver’s license, etc., completely defeated.

Let’s hope also that our hypothetical terrorist does not try to attack the base during one of those periods when the base is not issuing decals, even to those who register their vehicles. Just look for the “No decal issue until XYZ” sign on the front door of the visitor control center — now that’s operational security.

Will taking away decals relax controls on base entry? Yes, to some extent. Will keeping decals make us more secure? No. The truly “resourceful terrorist” will not be stopped by a piece of colorful plastic. Instead, we have an extra layer of expense, delay and bureaucratic runaround.

Capt. Alexei Kambalov

Andrews Air Force Base, Md.