Armed Services Committee Member Garamendi Discusses Beale Priorities with Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Commander
WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA), a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, met today with the Commander of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Agency, Major General John “Jack” Shanahan. Congressman Garamendi represents most of the servicemembers, reservists, and civilian staff who work at Beale Air Force Base near Marysville, a base with crucial ISR functions.
The two met to discuss the future alignment of the Air Force’s ISR mission within a newly established 25th Air Force command structure, Numbered Air Force (NAF), with its headquarters located at Joint Base in San Antonio, TX. Under this future realignment plan, Beale Air Force Base’s 9th Reconnaissance Wing will fall within the command structure of the 25th Air Force which ultimately reports to the Air Force’s Air Combat Command.
“This future command relationship between Beale’s 9th Reconnaissance Wing and Air Combat Command’s 25th Air Force will better align our nation’s critical ISR command and infrastructure to be effective supporting our brave servicemembers in dangerous situations overseas,” Armed Services Committee Member Garamendi said. “I’m proud to represent a community with such an important mission and will continue doing everything I can to make sure that Beale Air Force Base’s vital mission is well supported.”
The aim of this broader organizational consolidation of Air Force ISR organizations is to ensure that operational oversight of subordinate ISR units and missions falls within the Air Force’s long existing command structure. The traditional Air Force structure includes a middle headquarters element called the Numbered Air Force, which is focused specifically on operational employment of assets. The NAF element is between the Major Command headquarters, which focuses on organization, training, and equipping the force and a Bases’ Wing which conducts a specific national security mission.
The Airman and the community of Beale Air Force Base are unlikely to notice any difference in their day-to-day operations based upon this future command alignment. Their relationship with the 25th Air Force would only strengthen the ISR mission at Beale. This force alignment has no impact on Beale’s overall mission or existing manpower.