Air Force Materiel Command to Take Over USAF Sustainment

Beginning on October 1, 2006, the USAF has announced that Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) will assume responsibility for sustainment across the force, becoming the USAF executive agent for programming, budgeting and execution. In practical terms, it means that money previously allocated to each major command to cover costs such as fuel (a growing issue), replacement parts and scheduled maintenance will eventually be funneled into one central pot and managed by AFMC. The program used to be called the Future Financials Initiative, but was broadened to “Centralized Asset Management” (CAM) to reflect its widened focus.

The USAF’s CAM program is based on four pillars:

1. Centralized sustainment funding;
2. Enterprise requirements determination;
3. Performance-based logistics (buying capability versus buying items); and
4. Integrated wholesale supply and depot maintenance operations.

For instance During FY 2007/Spiral 1, the new Centralized Asset Management (AFMC-CAM) program office at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH will receive $5.5 billion previously allocated among the other Air Force major commands. It will assume execution responsibility for contractor logistics support, technical orders, sustaining engineering and aviation fuel. Over time, those responsibilities will grow to include programming and budgeting as well, then broaden to other areas.

See the US Air Force Link article “New system streamlines Air Force sustainment funding” for more on CAM , its schedule, and how it’s expected to work.