JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center achieved a key milestone in its development recently when the unit declared initial operational capability Oct. 1.
The declaration means AFIMSC has sufficient manning, resourcing and capability to begin transferring and conducting management of missions previously conducted at the major commands, two direct reporting units and six former field operating agencies.
Those missions include civil engineering, base communications, financial management, logistics readiness, ministry programs, operational acquisition, security forces and services.
Maj. Gen. Theresa Carter, AFIMSC commander, emphasized the word “initial” when she made the IOC announcement.
“This is a key step in our ability to deliver Air Force-wide support, but we’re still in the early stages of executing the missions transferring to us,” she said. “As we deliver transferred capabilities in the months ahead, we’ll continue to develop and improve processes that enhance the Air Force’s ability to be efficient and agile as we move toward full operational capability by October 2016.
“Our focus is on supporting commanders and making sure we provide the installation and mission support our Airmen and their families expect and deserve.”
AFIMSC, the sixth center under Air Force Materiel Command, has its headquarters at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The unit has 10 detachments collocated with major commands and the Air Force District of Washington that are designed to provide effective and efficient installation and expeditionary combat support capabilities to commanders and mission partners.
The Center is also the parent organization of these former field operating agencies: Air Force Civil Engineer Center, Air Force Financial Management Center of Expertise, Air Force Financial Services Center, Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, Air Force Security Forces Center and Air Force Services Activity.
The commander said the approximately 3,000 members of the unit stationed at nearly 80 locations across the world take their mantra of “warfighters supporting warfighters” to heart.
“We’ve been given a huge responsibility to shape how the Air Force conducts installation and mission support operations well into the future. We’re committed to getting this right,” Carter said. "The AFIMSC team will integrate programs across all installations and MAJCOMs, and we’ll be prepared to shift resources to meet Air Force priorities for both recurring and emergent requirements.”
The Air Force announced the establishment of AFIMSC in July 2014 to reduce overhead costs, increase efficiencies, eliminate redundant activities, and enhance the delivery of common installation and mission support capabilities at Air Force installations. The unit stood up provisionally in August 2014, officially activated April 6, 2015, with headquarters at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas.
For more information about the unit, visit the Web at www.afimsc.af.mil. If you have questions about AFIMSC and its operations, send an email to ask.afimsc@us.af.mil.