Chief of Air Force Reserve approves changes to the Active Guard Reserve program

  • Published
  • Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs

The Chief of Air Force Reserve approved changes to the Active Guard Reserve program recently.

The Human Capital Management Leadership Team briefed Lt. Gen. Richard W. Scobee, Chief of Air Force Reserve, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., and Commander, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, providing viable options to meet end-strength requirements, as well as ensure readiness and lethality. Implementation of these changes are expected to occur September 2019.

Over the next three fiscal years, the AGR program will grow from 20 percent of Reserve full-time support to 26 percent. Therefore, the Human Capital Management Leadership Team was tasked to review current laws, policies and processes of AGR management to support the growth of the program and provide parity and longevity of other full-time forces.

Brig. Gen. Anne Gunter, Office of Air Force Reserve Personnel Director, Washington, D.C., worked with her Human Capital Management Leadership Team to ensure reservists have AGR opportunities as well as to improve effective manning and meet end strength for the Air Force Reserve.

"The Human Capital Management Leadership Team is aggressively working every day removing barriers and easing transition between statuses," Gunter said. "We have begun a comprehensive review of all AGR policies, processes and systems to ensure lethality and readiness to provide an agile, combat ready force."

The comprehensive review involved a working group of 30 Reserve Command members, across multiple functional communities, conducted a comprehensive review of the all AGR policies, processes and systems.  The group spent more than nine months conducting a continuous process improvement, mapping processes, identifying gaps, and finally recommending policy changes to the HCMLT. As a result, the group recommended four main changes to the program that Scobee approved.

The implementation of the new policy is expected to take place with the publishing of a new Air Force Instruction. "The changes are not drastic, but rather intended to streamline decision making and processes, have flexibility for different career field needs, attract and retain talent while developing those future senior leaders, both officer and enlisted," said Lt. Col. Karen Coltrin, Human Resources Business Integration, Washington, D.C., during a briefing to Scobee.

"The AGR Program offers Reserve Citizen Airmen another choice to serve in the Air Force Reserve that could better suit their needs and still meets the mission requirements," Coltrin said.

Details of all changes will be announced shortly, but Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center will send a message regarding changes to the AGR Review Board.  Since Scobee approved suspending the current AGR Review Board scheduled for April, ARPC's AGR management team will work to manage all pending career status applications.

Pending extension requests will not be impacted and will continue to route to the appropriate approval authority. ARPC will conduct an out-of-cycle AGR Review Board for members needing a career decision before new policies are implemented in September 2019.

Scobee's strategic priorities include: prioritizing strategic depth and accelerating readiness, developing resilient leaders, and reforming the organization.