Air Force Breakfast Session with Gen Reno

This morning, AFA was part of another great session of the Air Force Breakfast Series, where military industry professionals and media come together to hear top issues from Air Force leadership.

April’s speaker was Lt. General Loren M. Reno, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installations and Mission Support for Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

As far as tooth and tail goes, “logistics is more than tail” was a point Reno reiterated throughout the 30-minute session.

Gen Reno holds responsibilities of leadership, management and integration of Air Force logistics readiness, aircraft and missile maintenance, civil engineering and security forces, as well as setting policy and preparing budget estimates that reflect enhancements to productivity, combat readiness and quality of life for Air Force people.

During his session, Gen Reno covered his top three priorities, which for the most part fell in line with the top priorities of the Air Force as stated by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and the Secretary of the Air Force.

Presently, Gen Reno’s top three priorities:

1. Continue to strengthen the nuclear enterprise
2. Support the joint and coalition team to win today’s fight
3. Sustaining transformation

*To strengthen the nuclear enterprise, we much enforce the standards of precision and liability, he said, while improving culture of critical self-assessment and securing t he positive inventory control of nuclear-related materials.

*To fulfill Priority 2, he said we must provide resilient, refreshed and ready forces. With transitional programs and goals, the Airman’s shift from the combat mindset to the home life must be well supported.

*As for sustaining transformation, he put an emphasis on expeditionary combat support systems, which merge base level and wholesale logistics systems and deliver hard net-savings for the Air Force.

When asked about the flight line of the future, he said he saw even better partnerships than the ones we currently have with our contractors and industry providers. The expectations of contractors, however, will remain the same to him: they must fulfill promises and use their expertise to find innovative ways to reduce their costs/prices.

The Air Force is the U.S. military’s largest user of fuel and has been exploring alternative fuel sources and synthetic fuel programs over the past decade. Reno said they have now certified all of their engines to fly on the Fischer-Tropsch process, but the biggest issue holding them back is that there are no suppliers of great output here in the US. The F-T process has received intermittent attention as a source of low-sulfur diesel fuel and to address the supply or cost of petroleum-derived hydrocarbons. “We’re ready if industry makes it available,” he said.

They have also made great progress with a biomass-derived blend — half regular JP-8 jet fuel and half a fuel made from a nonfood flowering plant. But found the same problem with the lack of U.S. providers.

A challenge to industry?

The Air Force Breakfast Program is always a great opportunity for energetic dialogue with senior Air Force and Department of Defense leaders. Past speakers include Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley and General Gary L. North, Commander of Pacific Air Forces. The next session will be May 11, 2011, with Under Secretary of the Air Force Erin Conaton.