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307th Fighter Squadron Detachment 1

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Holly MacDonald
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  When looking out at the flightline, there is no difference between them. Reserve and active duty members at Shaw work together to support the 20th Fighter Wing mission.
An example of the Air Force total-force initiative is taking place at Shaw. The 307th Fighter Squadron is located at Langley Air Force Base. Shaw's 307th FS Detachment 1 is located near the heart of the base, the flightline. 

Detachment 1 started off as a fighter reserve associate test. The Air Force was losing experienced pilots and maintenance members to reassignments and separations. In 1998, Air Combat Command decided to try integrating five-level or higher qualified reservists with active duty members to increase experience on the flightline, said Master Sgt. Karl Bouie, 307th FS Det. 1 command support staff NCO in charge. 

In 2003, the FRAT was declared a fighter reserve associate program. In 2005, the FRAP was re-designated as 307th FS Det. 1. 

"The main mission is to support the 20th Fighter Wing and so far we've been doing that. It is a total-force initiative at Shaw, which appears to be working the way it was intended," Master Sgt. Bouie said. 

The 20th FW is pleased with the quality of the hand-picked members and the program's results, Master Sgt. Bouie said. 

The hand-picked members can serve full-time as an active guard reservist or part-time as a traditional reservist. A large majority of the 307th's positions are part-time.
AGRs receive the same benefits as active duty members. They work everyday in uniform and deploy with the unit they are attached to. 

The only differences between AGRs and active duty members are; AGRs are part of Air Force Reserve Command, instead of ACC, and AGRs typically remain at one base unless they volunteer for an assignment elsewhere. 

Traditional reservists still work with active-duty members during their one weekend per month and two weeks per year. TRs volunteer to deploy, unless there is a presidential recall. 

TRs are protected by the uniform services employment and re-employment rights act when they are activated. They are guaranteed their job with equal rank, pay and benefits when they return from their term of service, if it is under five years. 

The selection process for Det. 1 reservists includes: for maintenance, an interview by a panel of maintenance members, and for pilots, an interview with the commander and director of operations. The 20th FW leadership is also involved in the selection process.
"It is important to emphasize we aren't trying to recruit members away from active-duty. We want the ones who have made the decision to separate and still want to serve part-time," said Lt. Col. Stuart Ramsey, 307th FS Det. 1 director of operations. 

Selected pilots of the detachment serve as instructors and evaluators. Usually pilots are reassigned every two to three years, so the detachment pilots help keep the experience levels at Shaw, Lt. Col. Ramsey said. 

Reserve maintainers and pilots help with the continuity at Shaw. Especially during operation readiness exercises, it is nice to have extra manning from the maintenance members. The goal is to blend in with the active duty members. We want our detachment members to perform so well, no one can tell the difference between them and active duty, Master Sgt. Bouie said. 

Currently, Det. 1 has 10 maintenance members -- four AGRs and six TRs -- and seven pilots -- two AGRs and five TRs. 

The detachment still has four maintenance and three pilot TR positions open. Assignment listings and applications are located at www.AFRC.af.mil.