The letter comes in response to Hegseth’s directive to eliminate at least 20% of the Air Force’s active duty four-star general officer positions, in order to “streamline the leadership structure of the United States Armed Forces,” Husted’s office said Wednesday.
“AFMC touches nearly every aspect of the Service, providing Airmen with everything they need from uniforms to spare parts to nuclear-capable B-2 bombers. Its scope and responsibilities are vast, complex, and critical to supporting our warfighters and maintaining lethality throughout the Air Force,” the congressmen wrote.
Headquartered at Wright-Patt, AFMC manages an $81 billion annual budget and a global workforce of 89,000 people who research, equip and sustain Air Force planes, weapons and equipment. That figure represents more than a third of the Air Force budget, dispersed across multiple installations.
For decades, the responsibilities of what is now Air Force Materiel Command were executed by two different four-star commands: Air Force Systems Command and Air Force Logistics Command, according to the letter. The two were merged into the AFMC in 1992.
“This fact demonstrates the complexity and wide range of AFMC’s mission and underscores how a four-star general officer billet is necessary to effectively accomplish that mission,” the congressmen wrote.
Earlier this month, Gen. Duke Z. Richardson, the commander of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base announced his retirement, with his deputy, Lt. Gen. Linda Hurry, assuming the duties of commander.
Wright-Patterson is the largest single-site employer in Ohio, with more than 35,000 military and civilian employees.
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