Logistical Support of Air Reserve Component Mobility Rainbow Units

One of the military's biggest challenges in maintaining its defense capabilities is deciding on the means to achieve the optimal force integration of its active and reserve components. While the Air Force excels in this area, meeting the continuing challenge includes adopting new approaches to organizing contingency operations. One such new approach is assigning a certain air mobility mission to a contingency unit composed of multiple ('rainbow') Air Reserve Component (ARC) forces. Recently the Air Force has begun testing the effectiveness of a contingency operation constructed with a rainbow matrix organizational design. Employment of such a mixed organization may hold promise, but it also poses some problems. In the logistics arena, these problems fall into the areas of command and control, continuity, and supply issues. This study uses Joint Task Force Shining Hope and others to explore the capabilities and limitations of command and control, continuity, and supply issues, and to highlight the impacts of these areas on mission accomplishment. When a contingency is composed of strictly matrix design ARC rainbow assets, special consideration needs to be made in all three areas if the unit is to meet mission requirements. Of particular concern are the influence of the volunteer force, and the beneficial effects on continuity that a Lead Mobility Wing format offers. The Air Force's exploration of new contingency unit composition and logistical support methods serve as important steps in achieving optimal force integration throughout the Department of Defense.Air Force Inst of Tech Wright-Patterson AFB OH School of Engineering and Management is the author of 'Logistical Support of Air Reserve Component Mobility Rainbow Units', published 2000 under ISBN 9781423587194 and ISBN 1423587197.