The Air Force Plans to Shut several Units Dedicated to Training Foreign Militaries, in a Bid to save Mmoney amid shifting Priorities across the Defense Department. Proposed Cuts identified in the Service’s Fiscal 2026 Budget request, would Hit Seven Squadrons and Foreign Military Education Programs on Multiple Continents that have Fostered International Partnerships for Decades.
The Plan is part of the Air Force’s Response to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s (R) February Directive to cut 8% of the Pentagon’s Budget for “Nonlethal Programs” and instead Funnel that Money into New Weapons Programs, Maj. Gen. John Klein, the Air Force’s Assistant Deputy Chief-of-Staff for Operations said in a Aug. 29th email. “The USAF made tough choices to eliminate specific units to free resources for critical readiness and modernization investments while balancing strategic objectives and available resources,” Klein said. “We are still committed to engaging with our partner nations to improve airpower capabilities that support [National Defense Strategy] priorities and ensure all of our allies and partners are well integrated.”
Former Members of the Uunits, however, Warn the Closures could be a Step Backward amid the U.S. Military’s Wider Efforts to Strengthen Ties with Partners and Allies as a Hedge against Growing Influence from Rivals Russia and China. “China is just salivating at opportunities like this, as are the Russians,” said Phil Morrison, a Retired Colonel who Commanded Air Advisors as Head of the 621st Air Mobility Advisory Group. “We should be pumping money into this enterprise, not pulling it away.”
The Squadrons’ Goal is to Strengthen U.S. Ties with Partners and Allies by Advising and Training their Air Forces.
Organizations on the Chopping Block include:
- The 571st and 818th Mobility Support Advisory Squadrons at Travis Air Force Base, CA,
- Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ, my last post.
- The 637th International Support Squadron, which manages English-language Training for Foreign Troops at Joint Base San Antonio, TX.
- The Aviation Leadership Program (ALP) at Columbus Air Force Base, MS. ALP is an Undergraduate Pilot Training Program for Foreign Students. The Program includes English Language Training and Studying U.S. Democratic Institutions and Ideals.
- The Inter-European Air Forces Academy (IEAFA) at Kapaun Air Station, Germany. IEAFA provides Professional Military Education and Technical Training courses for more than 300 International Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers every year in Leadership, Aviation Safety, and Air Base Defense, among other Topics.
- The 4th Combat Training Squadron (CTS) at Einsiedlerhof Air Station, Germany. The 4th CTS provides Joint Terminal Attack Controller Training for U.S., Allied, and Partner Troops. JTACs are Ground Troops Trained to Call-in-Airstrikes.
- U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa’s Combat Training School, also at Einsiedlerhof. The School provides Integrated Air and Missile Defense Training for Partners and Allies.
Closing theUunits would save nearly $8 million by cutting Pay for 65 full-time Civilian Jobs to “meet DOD overall funding reductions,” according to Air Force Request Documents. Congress would need to Sign-Off on the Changes for them to take effect. Members of the Security Assistance Community who spoke to Air & Space Forces Magazine, argue it’s a Small Price to Pay for Programs with an outsized Benefit to the U.S. military. “At the end of the day, for me, this is a big force multiplier, and it comes at a pretty low cost,” said a former Official with the 637th International Support Squadron.
The Air Force is still Hashing out the Details of how it would Wind-Down each Organization. For instance, the 4th CTS and Combat Training School will Shut Down by the end of 2025, said Lt. Col. Erika Yepsen, a Spokesperson for USAFE-AFAFRICA. Eliminating the Units would Disperse Hundreds of Troops to other Squadrons across the Air Force. But Klein stressed that the Air Force was Not Eliminating its Operational Advising Capability overall.
“The Air Staff is analyzing how to get the most of these capabilities in support of current priorities,” said Klein, who previously Oversaw the Service’s Air Advisor units as Commander of the Air Force Expeditionary Center. For Air Advisors in particular, He said, “we are shifting from a dedicated model … within the [mobility support advisory squadrons] to one where they use their expertise while embedded in units across the USAF. Our partnerships remain central to operations around the globe, and we will continue to maintain the air advising capability and expertise through this change.”
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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