BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- An individual Reservist voluntarily supporting the financial management office at Air Combat Command was named the FM field grade officer of the third quarter.
Maj. Jason J. Bishop, an Individual Mobilization Augmentee budget analyst assigned to Los Angeles Air Force Base, has been on loan to ACC since April, backfilling for deployed members.
Because of the manning shortage, the major command at Joint Base Langley-Eustice, Virginia, was looking for someone to take a lead role in the fiscal year 2017 budget build. Bishop stepped up to that task, matching over $4 billion to 9,000 requirements, across 34 wings and 300 organizations.
Prior to arriving at ACC, Bishop primarily worked in acquisitions; this meant learning all of the tasks and processes that go into making a budget for a MAJCOM.
“It has been a big career broadening opportunity for me,” said Bishop, adding that the big learning curve was also a win for his unit since he’ll bring home a whole new skill set.
The budget analyst said he learned of the opportunity to support ACC through the Volunteer Reserve System in ARCNet, which he checks regularly for active duty shortfalls that would be a good match for his skills and rank. The right fit can be hard to find, so when he does he makes the most of it. This prepares him for future opportunities. Once he received approval from his chain of command at LA AFB, he applied to ACC and got the job.
These opportunities are just the sort of thing he was looking for in 2010 when he no longer wanted to continue with the Air Force full-time but still wanted to serve. That’s when he made the move into the Individual Reserve, which he considers the best kept secret in the Air Force.
The Individual Reserve is comprised of IMAs and Participating Individual Ready Reservists (PIRRs).
IMAs are Air Force Reservists assigned to active-duty units and government agencies. They are managed by Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness and Integration Organization, located at Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado, and serve over 50 separate major commands, combatant commands and government agencies.
Unlike traditional Reservists, who are assigned to Reserve units that regularly perform duty together, IMAs work with their active-duty supervisors to create a custom duty schedule that helps their unit meet mission requirements. PIRRs are similar, though they are assigned to unfunded positions and participate for points towards retirement only.
As an IMA, Bishop said he gained the flexibility to choose whether to focus on his military or civilian life. It also gave him a measure of flexibility in his level of involvement. IMAs are only required to serve 24 to 36 days per year, depending on their position, but they can also volunteer, as Bishop did, for longer opportunities.
To learn more about the IMA program, visit www.arpc.afrc.af.mil/home/hqrio.aspx.