SWG
.
SUBJECT:
TO;
12 April 1957
Personnel Manning of the 4951st Support Squadron (Test),
Eniwetok, Marshall Islands
Commander
Air Research and Development Command
ATTN: Director of Personnel
Post Office Box 1395
Baltimore 3, Maryland
1, The purpose of this letter is to explain the opinion that
the present personnel manning system is inadequate to the peculiar
needs of the 4951st Support Squadron (Test) at Eniwetok, and to
request that you establish modifications to the system which will
permit. manning this unit more efficiently.
2.
It is vitally important that carefully selected and well
qualified replacement personnel for the 4951st are rrovided to the
4951st on schedule. It is a-small wit many theusands of miles
from its Headquarters, The manning has been cut to the bone. In
function and, therefore, there is an absence of flexibility, There
is no outside support available to take care of emergencies.
The
unit is at an extremely isolated 1lrcation, and the most vital concern of each man there is the date of his return to the ZI, Any
uncertainties which may exist with respect to svailability of
renlacements on schedule so that men can leave on schedule are a
source of low morale,
3. As of 1 April 1955 the 4951st (then the 4930th Test Group)
was authorized 62 officers and 533 airmen. In April 1956 the
authorizations were 55 officers and 498 airmen. The 4951st is now
authorized 17 officers and 186 airmen as a permanent UMD, It is
true that some reductions in functions took place along with these
drastic cuts in manpower, It can readily be understcod, however,
that the manrower authorizations have stesdilv been reduced to the
point where there is only one airman authorized for many of the key
If the key airman is not in place for duty,
parachute rigeer in the UMD,
don't cet ~epactked.
As an example there is only one
It he's not rresent, the parachutes
AFWL/ HQ
Toacel 1g p.l
ue
\p
jobs that must be done,
then the job is not accomplished.