BRAC: The facts as we know them now

By Frank Laras
43rd Airlift Wing

The Air Force will transfer real property accountability of Pope to the Army as mandated by the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Law. The 43rd Airlift Wing will inactivate, as a result of the property transfer, and the Air Force will establish the 43rd Airlift Group to support en route operations on the newly established Pope Army Air Field. The target date for real property transfer is March 1, 2011, at which time the Inter Service Support Agreement will be signed, all support agreements concluded, and the transfer of installation support functions, from the 43rd AW to the Fort Bragg Garrison and the 440th Airlift Wing will be completed.

The Army and the Air Force will provide airfield support to Pope AAF based on the following:

• The 43rd AG, as a Fort Bragg tenant, will perform en route operations support to include mission command & control, aircrew management, aircraft maintenance, aircraft loading, aircraft fueling and supply.
• The 440th AW, as a Fort Bragg tenant, will perform airfield operations to include airfield management, weather forecasting, airfield tower control, airfield navigation and landing systems’ maintenance.
• The Fort Bragg Garrison, as the Fort Bragg host, will provide airfield support, security, and protection to include emergency medical and fire response, aircraft security and transient alert support.

The Fort Bragg Garrison, as the installation host, will also provide installation support and is responsible to execute the Inter Service Support Agreement in providing support to the Air Force tenants to include services, facility maintenance, and morale, welfare and recreation support. The individual Air Force major commands will provide reimbursement to the Army for services and support rendered by the Fort Bragg Garrison.

The Fort Bragg Garrison will assume installation support functions identified for transfer from Pope to Fort Bragg on Oct. 1. For all functions the Army is unable to accept on that date, the Army will develop a plan to assume the respective function(s) during the transition period no later than March 1, 2011. The transition period is from Oct. 10, 2010 to March 1, 2011. The real property accountability will transfer from the Air Force to the Army on March 1, 2011.

The Air Force is responsible for developing a synchronized bridging strategy for the specific functions the Army can’t assume by Oct. 1. The Air Force will retain the resources necessary to continue execution of these functions throughout the transition period. The 43rd AW will decrease in manpower numbers throughout fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2011 until reaching its post-BRAC end-state 43rd AG manpower number. The target date for the 43rd AG civilian workforce end-state is March 2011, and the target date for the 43 AG military workforce end-state is June 2011.

The 43rd AW will inactivate in Mar 2011; the 43rd Mission Support Group will also inactivate along with the 43rd AW and the 43rd Operations Group will be designated as the 43rd AG. The 43rd Medical Group will inactivate in Jun 10 and the 43rd Medical Squadron will be established in its place to provide medical and dental care for Air Force active duty members. Air Force active duty member dependants and retirees will receive medical care at the Pope Clinic by Womack Army Hospital providers beginning June 2010.

In summary, the Fort Bragg Garrison will obtain full operational capability of its ownership and support over Pope Army Airfield on March 1, 2011. The 43rd AW will inactivate and the 43rd AG will be established and operational in March 2011. Post-BRAC Pope’s airfield will be operated and managed by the 440th AW, while the 43rd AG will provide en route support, and the Fort Bragg Garrison will provide installation and airfield real property support, protection and security.