Air Force Academy Spending Off $177 Million In Fiscal '12

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From the Earlybird this morning with the source being Yahoo.com.

Assuming the source is correct, the part that caught my attention was

Total academy payroll — including military personnel, civilian employees and contractors — was $346 million in 2012, down $71 million, or 16.9 percent.

About 9,800 military members and civilians worked at the academy in 2012, a decrease of 590, or 6 percent. It wasn't immediately clear whether any of the personnel cuts hit the faculty.

Military personnel at the academy totaled about 5,700 in 2012, down 700, or 10.9 percent, from 2011. The total included 4,108 cadets in 2012, 315 fewer than in 2011.

9800 - 4108 = 4829. Understand that AFA has more requirements than a typical college, but more non-students on payroll seems odd.
 
From the Earlybird this morning with the source being Yahoo.com.

Assuming the source is correct, the part that caught my attention was



9800 - 4108 = 4829. Understand that AFA has more requirements than a typical college, but more non-students on payroll seems odd.

Most colleges do not have an active Air Base and the requisite force structure to support it (security, fire, maintenance, medical, etc).
 
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Most colleges do not have an active Air Base and the requisite force structure to support it (security, fire, maintenance, medical, etc).

But we can assume there is a bit of over-manning in certain areas. I mean c'mon haven't we all asked the question "what do you even do here?" question in our heads sometimes.
 
There is always this notion that units are overstaffed. Perhaps so, but clearly there are differences in what is required to staff a military academy than that of any normal university or military unit.
 
There is always this notion that units are overstaffed. Perhaps so, but clearly there are differences in what is required to staff a military academy than that of any normal university or military unit.

I don't disagree with you, but comes down to details. Need to trust but verify.

We can estimate

AFA Admin - 200
Teachers - 400 (using 10 t0 1 ratio)
AFA military training - 200
Security - 200
Maintenance - 100
Fire - 50
Food Support - 200
Air Tower Operation - 100
AAFES and Commissary - 200
Hospital - 200

sub total 2000 plus

I am sure I am missing a lot and under estimating in certain areas, but I have hard time believing close to 5000. What am I missing?
 
I don't disagree with you, but comes down to details. Need to trust but verify.

We can estimate

AFA Admin - 200
Teachers - 400 (using 10 t0 1 ratio)
AFA military training - 200
Security - 200
Maintenance - 100
Fire - 50
Food Support - 200
Air Tower Operation - 100
AAFES and Commissary - 200
Hospital - 200

sub total 2000 plus

I am sure I am missing a lot and under estimating in certain areas, but I have hard time believing close to 5000. What am I missing?

I think one thing to remember is that many of these positions, especially in the food service, commissary, AAFES, and Academy banking civilian positions are part-time so it makes the number of employees larger for each full-time equivalent position.

My guess is that your estimate for Fire Protection is low with the base having multiple stations plus the airfield.

Airfield operations is not included in your total other than the air tower. The Academy airfield employs a lot of staff and maintainers to keep the fleet of aircraft flying and the jump program running.

In addition to the actual cadet area there are 18,000 acres of Air Force Base to maintain. Two housing areas, elementary school, high school (plus teaching staff for the schools), auto shop, gas stations, banks, etc. Also, the prep school is on base with all of it's own staff. The solar power array has its own power plant and employees. Also, the sports facilities, stadium, and fitness center. The AOG building is on base with staff. The Falcon club caters events both at the club and in the press box reception area of the stadium. Rampart Lodge (the base hotel) has a large staff. Bowling alley, Burger King, Subway, Visitor Center, Gift Shop, Laundromat, enlisted club, officers club, Airman's Closet.....all with employees.

Just a few areas that I can think of.

Stealth_81
 
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I agree with Stealth, I don't think the number is insane. It is an AF base, and I know that for many AD operational bases, the civilian number is almost identical to the AD number. Plus, most bases do not have elementary/middle/HS on base.

Plus, for jobs on base, not all of them are FT. I.E. Commissary, BX, Class 6, Gas station, theater, TLFs, etc. are filled with a lot of PT employees, and that goes into the number.

People don't typically think of a base as a small town, but it is, and I think many people think of the base as a college campus. I am too lazy to investigate/google the amt of employees on their college campus....include the food court, the bookstore, landscapers, electricians, etc. My bet is they are around the same ratio of students to employees.
 
I wonder if the number of military includes TDA?

My DD reports that at USNA there are a boat load of ENS and 2nd Lt.'s just kind of hanging around because the various pipelines are clogged.
 
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