Call to Action

Join ROA's Minute Man Movement by persuading Congress to sustain the Air Force's combat readiness.

Issue Background

In June, ROA launched its campaign to sustain the Air Force's combat readiness.

In a June 26 letter to ROA’s Air Force Service Section, Vice President Susan E. Lukas, a retired Air Force Reserve lieutenant colonel, urged members to take swift action and convince their elected officials to: 

• Assign modern fighter aircraft to reserve units losing legacy platforms;
• Fund aviation incentive pay parity;
• Fully fund the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account; and
• Ensure the concurrent and proportional fielding of equipment.

This campaign aligns with ROA’s effort to secure a follow-on mission for the 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. 

The full text of the letter is provided below:

Dear Air Force Reserve Service Section Members,

We write with urgency to echo the Chief of the Air Force Reserve Lt. Gen. John Healy’s warning: planned cuts to reserve fighter forces risk taking us out of the fight. 

With a current shortage of 1,850 pilots, including over 1,140 fighter billets, the Air Force cannot meet its mission without a strong, well-equipped reserve component.

Recent decisions are compounding the crisis. New pilots are being diverted to non-fighter roles, not due to lack of talent, but because we do not have enough jets or experienced instructors to support a full fighter pipeline. 

The fighter fleet has fallen to under 2,000 aircraft, down from more than 4,000 during the Cold War. 

This leaves insufficient training hours and limited aircraft availability. ROA and other defense analysts warn that without urgent changes, our ability to build and sustain a combat-ready aviation corps will continue to erode, beyond the point of no return. 

The reserve provides critical combat airpower. It flies 67 percent of all Air Force instructor sorties, yet it is increasingly sidelined in strategic planning. The 442nd Fighter Wing at Whiteman AFB, for example, faces divestment of its A‑10s with no replacement mission. 

ROA has proposed transferring F-15Es to reserve wings like the 442nd. This would preserve operational relevance and capitalize on the experience of our seasoned aircrews. Without such follow-on missions, combat-tested reserve units will dissolve, and the Air Force will lose irreplaceable experience and surge capacity.

We must act decisively, hence my message. I am urging every member of the Air Force Service Section, and all other ROA members who wish to support in this Total Force effort, to advocate for four essential priorities that will keep reserve pilots in the fight and strengthen the Total Force:

1. Assign modern fighter aircraft to reserve units losing legacy platforms. Units like the 442nd must receive follow-on missions with next-generation aircraft, such as the F-15EX, to remain relevant and fully mission-capable.
2. Fund Aviation Incentive Pay parity. Reservists flying side by side with active-duty counterparts deserve equal pay for equal work. ROA worked closely with Sen. Duckworth and other lawmakers to provide the Secretary of Defense with the authority to provide Aviation Incentive Pay parity for all reserve component pilots. Unfortunately, it has yet to be implemented. This must occur without further delay.
3. Fully fund the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account (NGREA). NGREA is the only dedicated source of funding to modernize Reserve Component capabilities outside the standard procurement cycle. Consistent, full funding allows reserve units to field relevant technology, close readiness gaps, and remain interoperable with active forces.
4. Ensure concurrent and proportional fielding of equipment. The reserve must not lag years behind the active component in receiving new platforms and systems. Delivering modern equipment at the same time and in fair proportion is essential to maintaining readiness, morale, and the credibility of the Total Force.

We cannot afford to delay. That is why I am urging you to contact your elected officials today. Ask them to support fighter follow-on missions, fund Aviation Incentive Pay parity, fully sustain NGREA and ensure concurrent and proportional fielding of equipment for the Reserve.

Make no mistake about it, the stakes are high. If we do not fight for these priorities now, we may not be in the fight tomorrow.

Sincerely,

Susan E. Lukas

Lt. Col., Air Force Reserve (Ret.)
Vice President, ROA Air Force Reserve Service Section

ROA Reserve Review: June 29, 2021: Susan Lukas sits down with Jack Du Teil to discuss Hazardous Duty Incentive Pay (HDIP) and Aviation Career Incentive Pay (ACIP)

For contact: Matthew Schwartzman / mschwartzman@roa.org