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Show HILL TOP TIMES Friday, July 25, 1986 C D Air Force doing well, assistant secretary says By Suzanne Boncel 2750th ABW Public Affairs n AFB, Ohio Wright-Patterso- The Air Force is now in the best shape it's been in since its beginning in 1947 and is at a time of transition with former leaders stepping down and new leaders stepping in. Those were the words spoken by Dr. Thomas E. Cooper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for research, development and logistics, during an address June 23 to the Dayton, Ohio, Chapter of the National Contract Management Association. Dr. Cooper said he was confident that Gen. Larry D. Welch's appointment as Air Force Chief of Staff and Edward "Pete" Aldridge's appointment as Secretary of the Air Force were moves that would ensure the Air Force's "good shape over the next few years." The assistant secretary also had some positive things to say about the Air Force's progress in the area of acquisition. He said the horror stories about the Air Force paying exorbitant prices for parts have become old news: "I think people are getting tired of having the pulley puller or the alien wrench and those sort of things dredged up again," he said. "People have begun to realize that the acquisition process is very complex, defying some simple arithmetic that would characterize it," Dr. Cooper said. "Even if we were as pure as Ivory Snow, 99 and 44100 percent, if you apply that fraction to the Air Force's yearly 5.5 milion procurement transactions it's inevitable that we're going to make a mistake once in a while," he said. Dr. Cooper believes that improvements in competition and buying more economical quantities have also taken some edge off the overpricing stories. He credits Brig. Gen. Gerald Schwankl, the competition advocate general, and the contracting community with promoting competition of 50 percent and said that hard work enabled Air Force to meet its goal for competition so far this year. He said sole source procurement is down to 8.5 percent and added, "Our challenge over the next couple of years is going to be keeping it at that level." Dr. Cooper also elaborated on the recommendations that resulted from the Packard Commission. "Part of what Packard recommended is, I think, very straightforward and simple to do. One is, he recommended that in the acquisition business, the Defense Department create a defense acquisition executive," he said. "That will be done. There's a position that will be created and the person filling it will be the senior civilian in the Defense Department at the under secretary level, directly responsible to the secretary of defense for all matters concerning acquisition. "Packard also recommended that the services have a service acquisition executive. We already have a service acquisition executive who's invested in my office. That position may stay in my office, or it may go to the under secretary's of the Air Force office. That depends on who becomes the next under secretary. But, I think this is a good idea... that we have a single focal point for acqui- Ogden, Utah 394-665- 0 i M J (AFLCNS) velopment. MS7 nnnrniAnE i Monday through Saturday, &00 AM, to 6:00 PM. "PLENTY OF PARKING" OFF-STREE- F-1- Dr. Cooper also hailed the Air Force as being in GOLD PAWN GUNS Shot Guns Rifles DiamondsGofd Money To Loan INSTANT CASH 2606 Wall Avenue tioned that extensive budget cuts could be costly. "You can see it the improvement in the quality of the morale of our people. You can measure it in terms of our exercises and recently over the sky in Libya. Flying hours are up, sorties are up and our accident rate is down. I say 'hogwash' to those people who say our equipment is too sophisticated. I think that's a direct testimony to the quality of our equipment." But then, there's the upcoming budget. In fiscal 1986, the Air Force budget request was $110 billion and Congress approved $95 billion, but Dr. Cooper thinks that after congressional debates the budget will be approximately $95 billion. "I can't in my memory recall a time when we requested less in a year than we have the previous year," Dr. Cooper said. He said the reduced budget could mean cuts in many areas, including manpower and readiness accounts, procurement accounts, and investment accounts. "My personal concern right now is that there's a great temptation when these cuts do come to cut flying hours, spare parts and perhaps even quality of life," Dr. Cooper said. He said the key would be in wise use of this money. "If we end up with $95 billion, I think we can still run a very fine Air Force, if we're smart." Dr. Cooper serves as the Air Force Acquisition Executive and is the chairman of the 6 Multinational Fighter Program Steering Committee. He is also the senior United States delegate to the NATO Advisory Group for Aerospace Research and De- sition." nnWASiVrCHGUNS&lOANSj m "the best shape it's been in since 1947" but he cau- ui cA i or- i Now's the time to get the Toyota you want. We've got a sales goal to meet, so we're dealing on every Toyota car, truck and van in stock. We've got the deals on your favorite wheels. Plus, incentives on selected trucks can save you even more. So jump on in before they're gone! factory-to-deal- BED TRUCK er eliir if - T "86 STANDARD That's jW : the next time we'll raise your rent you sign a 6-1- 2 month lease now! An Empire West Sun Community SunValley WE'RE DEALING! 2955 NORTH 400 WEST LAVTON. 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