IS THE AIR FORCE TOP HEAVY?

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 249, 18 July 1944, Page 6

IS THE AIR FORCE TOP HEAVY?

Press Article Questions

PRUNING SUGGESTED

Dominion Special Service. AUCKLAND, July 17.

At the present time a Government committee is touring the country io discover if men and women still in uniform are doing work essential for the efficient prosecution of tlie war, or if they can be released to civilian employment, states the "New Zealand Herald.” There are many Air Force officers and other ranks who freely admit, even strenuously advocate, the necessity for such an examination of the work they and thousands of their fellows arc, or are not, doing. However, they say the committee has little chance of complete success. The.v declare that within the Air Force there is a definite tendancy on the part of a number of officers to camouflage the lack of work which is characteristic of their own particular offices or sections. Tliey say that even if the committee docs manage to reduce th e service’s over-all establishment, the reduction will still fall far short of talit which should and could be made without interfering one jot with the tasks which really need to be done. One question which cries for an answer is whether the establishment being maintained in the Pacific Islands needs to be maintained at its present, size, the "Herald” continues. Another question is whether the air crews in the Pacific Islands and it must be realized that they form only a small fraction of the thousands which make up the total establishment —should be left where they arc. A third question is whether the. 000 officers and other ranks who are divided between tlie Northern and Southern Group headquarters in Auckland and Christchurch respectively could not be virtually disbanded tomorrow without loss of efficiency. A fourth question is whether the number of 1700 officers and other ranks at Air Headquarters, Wellington, could not lie cut in half without disturbing the efficient prosecution of the Air Force effort in this country and overseas. A fifth question is whether the remaining 30,000 or more officers and other ranks at the various air stations and depots throughout New Zealand could not be similarly reduced, not by hundreds, but by thousands. A sixth question is whether New Zealand need, or is wanted to, supply any longer the same numbers of air crews for the war in Europe as was the case before the invasion opened. Lack of Adjustment. There are other questions to which many serving personnel of the R.N.Z.A.F. would also like an answer, the “Herald” says. As with those which have just been tabulated, they all spring from the definite feeling of many airmen that their service is now T top-heavy, has not. readjusted itself to the changed conditions prevailing, and that they are only being kept in uniform for lhe purpose of filling an arithmetical establishment which in turn gives many officers the necessary excuse for retaining high rank. They claim that they do practically no work, and that the appointments they fill are themselves unnecessary. Whether the establishment in the Pacific is necessary is of considerable importance because a largo part of. the R.NZ.A.F. in New Zealand is designed as its foundation. One reacts upon the other. The question is answered by those officers and other ranks, who, having been there, say: “It is a gigantic and unjustified extravagance of men and money.” They tell enough strange tales to demand an answer to the question. They look at the flying squadrons, small in number and infinitesimal when compared with the American power, and they look at. the great, administrative growth which seems to be needed to keep these men in the air.

They look at the Corsairs, an American fighter costing about £27.000 each, which were bought this year, and they look at the Ventura bombers, costing about £OO.OOO each, and they claim that neither type should have been bought. They say that the Corsair, which was'designed as a carrier-based fighter, is now out of production. They say that, as the squadrons, loft behind by the advancing American forces, .are doing duties well below their capabilities—jobs of strafing Japanese ground targets on Bougainville—they should be given a now assignment more, in keeping with their powers. The critics of tlie Corsair purchase emphasized this point because they say that were it not for the extravagantly conceived administrative growth which has been attached- to the body formed by the operational airmen, the New Zealand squadrons’ fate would have long since been decided. Administrative Sect ions.

They suggest, that the squadrons should be absorbed by the existing and tremendous American organization in exactly the same way as the R.N.Z.A.F. squadrons and personnel in other parts of the world have been taken into the local R.A.F. organization. However, the.v say that if this were done,, the excuse for maintaining the administrative growth which is attached to the. squadrons would disappear, and this. in turn would react violently upon the New Zealand administrative system., reducing its size and causing many officers to lose their last excuse for retaining high rank. It is difficult to discover what proportion of tlie 30.000 and more officers and 'other ranks of file Air Force who arc stationed in New Zealand are engaged on duties which must lie fulfilled to maintain file New Zealand airmen in Canada, Britain and other distant theatres. Air Force officers estimate that, the proportion would be no more than one-third, or about. 10,000. How many more young New Zealanders have to be taken into the Air Force is equally difficult to estimate. However, it is known that Canada does not: want any more for some months and that invasion casualties have been so much lower than ’ was expected—combined with the fact that. Britain is almost saturated with airmen—that training periods in tins country have already been extended to restrict the present output. Just as obvious in all the matters discussed is Die interest of every taxpayer, tlie ‘‘Herald” says in conclusion. Over tlie past few yeni;s the Air Force Ims absorbed. on Budget figures, about: £70,00(1.000 of New Zealand money.. The size of lliis sum of money, even without the statements which are being made by responsible airmen, is surely sufficient to suggest to the Air Department that the country should he given a statement of accounts, a balance-sheet of what, has boon done and what has to bo done, a report explaining why Hie present establishment is considered Io be neeossnry. If it is not neeossnry. then tlm Air Department should follow the example, of the Army and reduce itself to dimensions .suitable for (he job which is left.