Week 4: Demolish it!
Ava M -
Welcome back to week four of my senior project! This week, I got a closer look into the distinct responsibilities of the Mission Support Center compared to the Operations side of the Air Force. Now that the government is operating under a continuing resolution, the goal of gaining air superiority over China becomes significantly more challenging; especially with only $9.5 billion left in the budget for Mission Support Centers worldwide.
I asked one of the financial analysts I’m interning under, “Was the budget increase really necessary, or was the Department of the Air Force overexaggerating?” He replied, “We always make it work with whatever budget we’re given.” There’s an unspoken resilience in how the Air Force operates, even when resources are tight.
Mr. McDermott also reminded me that much of the capability discussion is classified, so I wouldn’t be told whether the U.S. or China would have air superiority in a real-world conflict. Interning at JBSA-Lackland, it’s definitely been a challenge navigating what I can and can’t access—but that also makes it even more exciting to be working on such a high-profile mission.
Due to the continuing resolution, we’re currently not allowed to start any new contracts. That means Mission Support Centers—especially Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center (AFIMSC)—have had to double down on existing issues. Since AFIMSC’s founding in 2019, our biggest challenge has been maintaining infrastructure: renovating facilities, keeping up military housing, and preserving basic operational buildings like offices and air plane hangars.
There are thousands of Air Force buildings globally that simply don’t receive enough funding to stay maintained. Even though modern infrastructure is a clear priority, congressional restrictions make it nearly impossible to reallocate funds. Budgets for food, dining facilities, and utility bills are “fenced off” by Congress—we can’t touch them. And if we did, we’d literally risk shutting off the lights at bases around the world. This affects many aspects of our Air Force soldiers and their day-to-day life. On military family housing, we don’t have enough money in the budget to ensure their living quality is up to par.
After years of trying, AFIMSC has reached a difficult but necessary conclusion: Congress will likely never provide enough funding to maintain every building we currently operate especially with the state of the White House right now. So now, the focus has shifted to demolishing structures that are no longer essential to the Air Force’s mission. This way, limited funding can be concentrated on the facilities that truly matter.
My job this week was to draft and send emails to installations around the globe, urging them to identify and begin the demolition process for any non-essential buildings. It was surprisingly rewarding—many bases were eager to reduce their maintenance burdens for the upcoming FY25 budget.
One highlight was emailing our base in Japan. Their team had the kindest and most timely response, and it honestly made my day. It’s little moments like that which remind me how connected and mission-focused everyone is, no matter where they are in the world.
I’m looking forward to sharing more next week!
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