QUANTICO, Va. -- They don’t wear the uniform daily or serve in traditional Reserve units, but for decades Individual Mobilization Augmentees (IMAs) have remained an essential component of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations’ operational structure.
Throughout AFOSI, Citizen Airmen are embedded across more than 300 global locations, augmenting the agency’s active-duty mission by leading units, deploying as needed and bringing critical experience from their civilian careers in law enforcement, intelligence and federal oversight.
“Our IMA force is not just a bunch of part-timers,” said Col. Andrew Schad, AFOSI’s reserve advisor. “These are experienced professionals, often from places like NCIS, FBI, or the Department of Homeland Security, who walk in the door with security clearances, credentials and sometimes decades of investigative experience.”
With officer manning at 110%, AFOSI’s Reserve component isn’t just meeting the mission, it’s exceeding it.
“IMAs provide real-time operational support,” Schad said. “Many volunteer for [Military Personnel Appropriation] tours, long-term temporary orders. Right now, we have about 10% of our IMA force on long-term orders.”
While many Reserve units operate in a traditional group or wing structure, the IMA model is different. IMAs are assigned individually to active-duty units where they train, deploy and serve alongside their full-time counterparts.
According to Schad, the result is a force that is agile, scalable and deeply integrated into the day-to-day operations of AFOSI.
For the first time in more than 20 years, AFOSI’s IMA leadership has been elevated to the general officer level. Brig. Gen. Michael Mentavlos was confirmed by the Senate June 30 and will continue serving as mobilization assistant to the AFOSI commander, Brig. Gen. Amy Bumgarner.
The position, previously held by a colonel, was upgraded to reflect the increased scope and strategic importance of AFOSI’s Reserve component.
The promotion underscores the growing role IMAs play in shaping national security, total force integration and the agency’s alignment with broader Department of the Air Force modernization efforts.
“The IMA program has been around for decades,” Schad said. “It’s often described as a strategic insurance policy, a force that can surge when needed, especially during crises. After 9/11, many IMAs were mobilized or deployed. That core mission hasn’t changed.”
But in recent years, AFOSI’s Reserve program has gone far beyond a contingency plan.
These days, IMAs take on a critical operational role in both peacetime and contingency environments, volunteering for extended tours, deploying globally and even stepping into key command roles.
Colonel Bob Smolich is one of those leaders. A longtime AFOSI reservist and seasoned federal agent, Smolich filled in as deputy commander at AFOSI Headquarters last year.
With nearly three decades of combined active-duty and Reserve experience, and a full-time civilian role as a Senior Executive Service official at the State Department’s Office of Inspector General, Smolich didn’t hesitate.
“The command needed help,” he said. “I had a great team at State who could keep things moving, and AFOSI is home to me. So, I answered the call.”
He spent nearly five months in the role, an assignment typically held by a full-time active-duty colonel. Smolich brought not only continuity and leadership but also the kind of institutional knowledge that spans both military and civilian spheres.
“Coming into AFOSI after 9/11, I saw the total force in action, active and Reserve working seamlessly,” Smolich said. “That hasn’t changed. If anything, it’s gotten better.”
Smolich’s career trajectory tells the story of what AFOSI’s Reserve program enables.
For example, after starting active duty as a civil engineer, he transitioned to AFOSI, found a passion for fraud investigations, deployed to Baghdad and eventually left active service to join federal law enforcement.
Yet he remained in the Reserve, supporting the redesign of AFOSI’s strategic procurement fraud capability, implementing a model that recently achieved $1 billion in recoveries for the first time in AFOSI’s history.
“I never imagined I’d become a senior executive in two major law enforcement organizations,” Smolich said. “That growth was possible because the Reserve gave me the experience, the deployments, and the leadership roles that prepared me for everything that came after.”
But maintaining a high-performing Reserve force isn’t easy.
Until recently, IMAs faced chronic administrative hurdles like unresolved pay issues, gaps in training records and little centralized support, Schad said. Recognizing these barriers, Brig. Gen. Amy Bumgarner, AFOSI’s commander, established the Command Reserve Cell (CRC), an administrative support team dedicated solely to managing the needs of IMAs.
“Before the CRC, many IMAs were struggling to get help,” Schad said. “Now we have a central point of contact. I’ve spoken to a significant number of reservists, and the feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Readiness has improved, morale is better, and tours aren’t getting derailed by admin issues.”
The CRC has drawn attention at the strategic level, with other Air Force commands studying AFOSI’s model as a potential benchmark.
“It’s a simple idea, support the people who support the mission, but it took Brig. Gen. Bumgarner’s leadership to make it happen,” Schad said.
The strength of AFOSI’s Reserve force lies in its diversity, not just demographically, but professionally. Many IMAs are credentialed agents in their civilian careers, others are senior executives, business leaders, or legal and technical specialists.
Their real-world expertise brings fresh perspectives and mission-enhancing innovations.
For example, Lt. Col. Matthew Blake, a longtime IMA started his military career in the Army before transferring his commission to the Air Force. He was recruited by the AFOSI detachment in New York City more than two decades ago, while serving on the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in his capacity as a civilian federal agent.
“Back then, we operated mostly by word of mouth,” Blake said. “Now AFOSI tracks skills and experience in real time. For instance, if we need someone with undercover training that has experience in a particular region of the country, we can quickly identify them. That level of precision wasn’t possible 20 years ago.”
Blake is a retired senior executive from NCIS with more than 26 years in civilian federal law enforcement. He currently serves on orders as the AFOSI director of staff, having served prior to that on active duty as both a squadron commander, and as a deputy commander at the wing-level.
“After more than two and a half decades as a civilian federal agent, it’s my honor to now have an opportunity to give back more to the military,” Blake said. “The timing’s right, and with all that’s going on in the world, there’s definitely an opportunity to make meaningful contributions to our nation.”
For many reservists, the opportunities they get through AFOSI, such as deployments, multiple command roles, and strategic leadership participation are unmatched, Smolich said.
“Whether you’re a Special Agent, a squadron commander, or a senior executive, leadership is leadership,” he added. “And AFOSI gives you the chance to lead at the highest levels.”
As the national security landscape grows more complex and unpredictable, Schad said, AFOSI’s ability to surge, adapt and operate with depth will remain critical.