AF Reduction in Force

Colleges and Universities A-Z Air Force Academy - Colorado Springs
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<p>3/25/2010 - WASHINGTON – Air Force leaders announced March 25 an expansion of force management measures designed to bring the service closer to its authorized funded end strength. Fewer Airmen than anticipated applied for voluntary programs offered under Phase One of the force management program initiated in November of 2009. This has prompted expanded programs to encourage more Airmen to apply for separation or retirement by Sept. 1, 2010, or earlier.</p>

<p>Both officer and enlisted accessions will be reduced to meet mission requirements. Voluntary and involuntary initiatives also will be implemented as appropriate. Eligibility for these programs will vary by Air Force Specialty Code and years of service to ensure the Air Force has the right balance of skills needed to meet current and future mission requirements.</p>

<p>“Air Force retention is at a 15-year high,” said Brig. Gen. Sharon Dunbar, director of force management policy. “While this is tremendous testament to the dedication of our great Airmen, we now have more Airmen serving than our authorized, funded levels. We also have a number of career fields over-manned at the expense of other critical and stressed career fields. The challenge before us is to keep our force both sized and balanced within authorized, funded levels.”</p>

<p>In an attempt to limit the impact to Airmen who are currently serving, Air Force officials will adjust accessions. Decisions to reduce accessions will be based on career field manning and future growth.</p>

<p>Expanded officer measures include waiving active-duty service commitments in targeted year groups; waiving all but two years of commissioning commitments for Air Force Academy and ROTC graduates as well as waiving their education and scholarship recoupment costs.</p>

<p>This phase of the force management program also involves a Selective Early Retirement Board. The SERB will consider for early retirement Air Force colonels with four or more years time in grade and lieutenant colonels deferred for promotion at least twice. This board will convene July 19 to 23 to identify those who must retire by Jan. 1, 2011.</p>

<p>Officers with more than six and less than 12 years of commissioned service in specific career fields and year groups will be offered voluntary separation pay as a means to encourage their transition from active-duty service. Should this incentive fall short of encouraging the number of transitions needed, a reduction in force board will convene in September to identify officers for transition by April 1, 2011.</p>

<p>A force-shaping board also will convene at this time to identify officers with less than six years of commissioned service in designated career fields and year groups for continued retention or separation.</p>

<p>Officials said if the current retention environment continues, personnel reduction actions will continue beyond fiscal year 2011.</p>

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<p>not a good thing to hear when you’re about to graduate from usafa in the next few years.</p>

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<p>Honestly, I don’t think this will affect current cadets very much. I can’t imagine they’re going to start waving our service commitment, and by the time that runs out, retention and RIFs may have changed completely.</p>

4

<p>Actually it is good news for the cadets that will be entering shortly. The reason why is there is a mandate of % of Field to company, what they are saying right now is they are top heavy. What you will see is field grade promotion boards will speed up with a lower promotion rate so they can do a 2 and out scenario. Thus, in a few yrs the balance will be back in proportion. </p>

<p>Now I will bet because of the economy many will not take the volunteer separation at first, but if it turns out to be like in 92-93, at the very last minute they will see the writing on the wall and take it. Back in 92-93 they got rid of 95% that did not have a full commissioning, I am not sure, but that means the 6,7 yr AD officer marker is very vulnerable. Regs require Reserve commissions to be cut before full commissions.</p>

<p>Finally, realize they said in certain fields, that means not everyone. I know for a fact that they are offering positions to pilots who separated from the service yrs ago. We know one that left in 04 and is now an IP (just started a few months ago). Another that left in 01 and is now training to be a UAV pilot. They don’t pull guys back that left that long ago unless they are way undermanned. Both are coming back as Majors. (Irony, had they stayed, they would have been probably up for SERB, since they would be in those yr groups)</p>

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<p>Who is in danger?</p>

<p>Air Force Specialty Codes and year groups (2006, 2007) eligible for force shaping board:</p>

<p>Space and Missiles
Weather
Aircraft maintenance
Force support
Operations research analyst
Behavioral scientists
Chemists
Special investigation</p>

<hr>

<p>Voluntary Separation Pay/Reduction in Force eligible (1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004):</p>

<p>Space and missiles
Weather
Aircraft maintenance
Communications and information
Force support
Chaplains
Behavioral scientists
Chemists
Financial management</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.stripes.com/articleasp?section=104&article=68922[/url]”>http://www.stripes.com/articleasp?section=104&article=68922&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Stealth_81</p>

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<p>It’s funny, my chemistry teacher (She is an AF chemist and a major) was about to PCS to Patrick. She just got notice that the RIF may hit her (she is part of that year group). They need a 30% reduction in her group and she is one of three in the chem department at risk. My adviser is another one in the same group. I may be impacted soon by this!</p>

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<p>I posted over on [United</a> States of America Service Academy Forums - Powered by vBulletin](<a href=“http://www.serviceacademyforums.com%5DUnited”>http://www.serviceacademyforums.com) that I thought CE , MS and AF would be the target areas. I also felt, but did not say weather. I can see Chaplains being hit, but then again because we attended Church on base and it was packed even for non holidays I am kind of shocked. I think if the CHaplains get hit it is because they are going to ask the “churches” to take over and leave one or two to deploy with the troops. When I say the churches, I mean a non-military priest/pastor/rabbi/Imam be contracted to conduct services on base/post.</p>

<p>Aircraft maintenance is also a non-shocker. Pilots will step out of the jet to a non-flying duty, they can easily make this a position for fliers. However, I must admit I disagree with that philosophy. This has been tried 2x in the past 2 decades and it always becomes a problem. Just because you spend your life flying and understand the needs of getting them delivered does not mean you can understand the difficulty of delivering. Many MX people have lived their career and know the system, we need to understand and respect that they are 2 different entities. Cannibalizing a jet is not an easy feat!</p>

<p>Behavioral scientists…heck I didn’t even know there was such a career field! Also wondering how they are still existing since most dentists and PA’s are contracted, not military!</p>

<p>Chemists…again…I would have thought they are contracted, especially since our SIM instructors and SPs are! Heck, some of our FTU instructors are too!</p>

<p>Here’s the one that I did not see on the list and I question…JAG. I understand the need for JAG officers, however, if you pick up any AF Times and read an article about a military member being prosecuted, you will also read they are being defended by a non-military attorney. Are we wasting $$$ for JAG regarding defense? Should the AF say we have too many attorneys? I appreciate JAG and our DS would love to be one, but I must admit, I thought it was insane that my damage claims from my moves had to go through TMO and JAG! JAG is needed, but if I had a say as a military spouse how to re-spread the wealth it would be to A&F (DMV for the common folk) and JAG…it would be A &F. Bullet and I used the perks of JAG. We have wills, living wills, trusts, and called for legal advice all throw them…G bless the military. They are great! However, I can also state that I never waited any time to meet a JAG officer. Now compare that to the fact that the military cut the medical and when Bullet was not an operational flier our DS waited 36 hours to get his broken arm casted at the age of 13! </p>

<p>The AF is like any other business it will feel growing pains, and reinvent themselves. Looking at this list I would say Maintenance is a mistake to be placed on a RIF. Maintenance Officers have a special bond because they are the same team, none of them are the ones that make “pay + flight pay”, when you replace them with fliers, it upsets the apple cart. The officers are seen as one of them(fliers), meanwhile they are not accepted by the fliers. They live in no mans land and that makes it harder on them to perform. Additionally fliers are officers and they are in charge of officers for the most part (DO, ADO, Flt CCs. Weapons, Sched. etc). Maintenance is more enlisted less officers, it is hard for the flier to transition to a enlisted majority.</p>

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<p>yup, i spoke before i read the thing on the personnel website. looks like it wont affect academy grads too much in the near future… at least not yet.</p>

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<p>Drawdown: Force to be cut by 6,000 airmen</p>

<p>By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Apr 13, 2010 5:38:52 EDT</p>

<p>Nearly 6,000 active-duty airmen — enlisted and officers — will be cut loose in the next two years because so few are leaving on their own to enter the tough civilian job market.</p>

<p>The drawdown, coupled with the delayed commissioning of hundreds of ROTC cadets and severely curtailed recruitment goals, should allow the Air Force to return to its congressionally mandated active-duty end strength of 332,200 by the start of fiscal 2012. Active-duty end strength at the end of February stood at 335,500. The number is projected to be 336,500 by Sept. 30, the end of fiscal 2010, if the service does not implement the cuts.</p>

<p>Air Force officials estimate the service would have to find nearly $200 million from existing accounts for salaries and benefits in 2010 alone if it does not begin trimming the ranks. They still expect to have additional personnel costs because of the phasing-in of the drawdown but could not give a dollar amount.</p>

<p>The drawdown is one of three reductions outlined to Air Force Times by Brig. Gen. Sharon Dunbar, the Air Staff’s director of force management policy. Those measures will:</p>

<p>— Pare down the officer corps by 1,373 and the enlisted force by 4,376; the numbers do not include expected retirements and separations.</p>

<p>— Postpone until 2011 the commissioning of the 737 ROTC cadets who graduate this spring.</p>

<p>— Hold back enlisted recruitment by 2,681; recruits with delayed entry agreements are not affected.</p>

<p>The service intends to make the reductions through voluntary and involuntary separation programs but will not resort to the involuntary programs until it sees how many airmen leave on their own, Dunbar said.</p>

<p>Voluntary programs such as asking the service to waive service obligations or requesting a transfer to the reserves or Army are available now. Airmen vulnerable to being cut will be notified by their commanders, she said.</p>

<p>The top uniformed leader, Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, announced the reductions to airmen in a letter dated March 25.</p>

<p>“Please know that Secretary [Michael Donley] and I have carefully considered every option, but in the end, arrived at the conclusion that these force management initiatives are necessary,” Schwartz stated. “We must operate within our means.”</p>

<p>The Air Force knew it had too many airmen last fall, Dunbar said, and tried to address the high retention by asking officers to leave early and moving up separation dates for enlisted airmen already heading out.</p>

<p>About 3,700 airmen needed to take the options, but only 654 — 80 officers and 574 enlistees — signed up for early exits. In addition, more airmen decided to stay on active duty.</p>

<p>Today’s plan is similar to the one the service used to bring down active-duty end strength from 372,000 in 2004 to 328,000 in 2008.</p>

<p>The Air Force still feels the pains of that drawdown.</p>

<p>Several officer career fields targeted for cuts then, such as intelligence, security forces, public affairs and civil engineering, are now labeled as “stressed” — there are not enough officers to fill home base and combat zone requirements without resorting to frequent deployments.</p>

<p>Career fields targeted now, according to Dunbar, are considered overmanned after the service looked at how many officers are needed to do the job and long-term health of the career field.</p>

<p>Despite cutting some Air Force Specialty Codes, many career fields are understaffed, Dunbar said. The Air Force continues to offer retention bonuses to pilots to meet the growing demand for airmen to fly remote-controlled airplanes.</p>

<p>The new cuts will not change the selective re-enlistment bonus program, Dunbar said. Changes, however, could come later this year for AFSCs exceeding their retention requirements.</p>

<p>Some specifics on the drawdown programs:
Enlisted</p>

<p>— Airmen in overmanned AFSCs who want to leave before the end of their four- to six-year contracts will find service commitments waived for up to two years.</p>

<p>— Airmen who have been denied or have declined re-enlistment and have no more than 13 years of service or more than 20 years of service will be required to separate by the end of August. The service estimates about 1,500 airmen are affected.</p>

<p>— Technical school students, not long out of basic training, with poor grades will be discharged instead of having a second chance and retraining into another career field.</p>

<p>— Airmen who want to join Air Force Reserve Command or the Air National Guard can choose the Palace Chase program, which requires only one year of service with the Reserve or Guard for every year left of the active-duty commitment. Programs in the past mandated airmen to serve at least two years for every year left of active-duty commitment.
Officers</p>

<p>— Officers commissioned in 2006 and 2007 — most of them lieutenants — and serving in overmanned career fields will have the option to leave with waived service commitments or face a force-shaping board with the power to dismiss officers with the evaluations. The service will not have to convene the board if 41 airmen volunteer to leave.</p>

<p>These officers do not qualify for separation pay because they have fewer than six years of commissioned service.</p>

<p>— Officers commissioned in 1998-1999 and 2002-2004 now serving in overmanned AFSCs will be eligible for voluntary separation pay. The VSP will be worth twice the involuntary separation payment that is based on their rank and years of service. For example, a major with 12 years of service will qualify for about $188,500.</p>

<p>Officers in the vulnerable AFSCs who do not take VSP could find their careers judged by a reduction-in-force board and then told to leave the service. The RIF boards will not be convened if enough officers — 585 — volunteer to exit. Officers told to leave by the board qualify for involuntary separation pay.</p>

<p>— Retirement-eligible lieutenant colonels and colonels can request a waiver allowing them to retire with just two years in grade instead of three years.</p>

<p>— About 685 lieutenant colonels passed over twice for promotion to colonel and 486 colonels in year groups 1981-1984 with four years in grade can volunteer to retire or face having their records reviewed by selective early retirement board in July.</p>

<p>The Air Force needs up to 30 percent of those officers to retire by January.</p>

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<p>Ways to trim the force</p>

<p>From asking for volunteers to ordering airmen to leave, the Air Force has several ways to cut its end strength. A sampling of the programs:</p>

<p>Blue to Green — Airmen can apply to join the Army and serve in jobs that match their Air Force duties and rank.</p>

<p>Date of separation rollback — Enlisted airmen ineligible to re-enlist or nearing retirement can leave earlier.</p>

<p>Force-shaping boards — Aimed at lieutenants who lack the career protection of other officers, these boards are used to select which lieutenants from overmanned Air Force Specialty Code year groups must leave the service. These young officers do not qualify for separation pay. Lieutenants facing review by the board can volunteer to leave.</p>

<p>Reduction-in-force boards — Among the harshest options for officers, these boards meet to decide which officers will be ordered to leave. Often the Air Force uses the threat of RIF boards to persuade officers in overmanned career field year groups to leave voluntarily rather than have their records reviewed by the board, typically composed of colonels and general officers.</p>

<p>Palace Chase — This program eases the transition for enlisted and officers from active-duty service to the Guard and Reserve.</p>

<p>Restricted accessions — The service cuts the number of new enlisted airmen and officers brought into the service.</p>

<p>Selective early retirement board — Usually aimed at officers already qualified to retire, these boards can require officers to retire sooner than they wanted.</p>

<p>Service commitment waiver — These waivers free airmen to leave the service without having to pay back education, training or permanent change-of-station costs.</p>

<p>Time in grade waiver — These waivers are used primarily to allow retirement-eligible lieutenant colonels and colonels to retire with just two years in their final rank instead of three years.</p>

<p>Voluntary separation pay — This payment is typically offered to midcareer officers, primarily captains and majors, as an enticement to leave before they become retirement eligible. The amount of pay varies based on such factors as the officer’s base pay and how much money the Air Force believes is needed to convince an officer to forgo retirement benefits. In 2007, VSP was roughly equal to three years’ base pay.
Who’s out</p>

<p>Air Force Specialty Code and year groups that could face a force shaping board if not enough of the officers agree to leave:</p>

<p>13S Space & missiles — 2007</p>

<p>15W Weather — 2006</p>

<p>21A Aircraft maintenance — 2006</p>

<p>38F Force support — 2007</p>

<p>61A Operations research — 2006`</p>

<p>61B Behavioral scientist — 2006</p>

<p>61C Chemist/biologist — 2006-07</p>

<p>71S Special investigations — 2006-07</p>

<p>———</p>

<p>AFSC and year groups eligible for voluntary separation pay. If not enough officers take the incentive to leave, the service will stand up a reduction-in-force board for:</p>

<p>13S Space & missiles — 2002-04</p>

<p>15W Weather — 1998-99, 2002-04</p>

<p>21A Aircraft maintenance — 1998-99, 2002-04</p>

<p>33S Communications — 1998-99, 2002-04</p>

<p>38F Force support — 1999, 2002-04</p>

<p>52H Chaplain — 1998-99, 2002-04</p>

<p>61B Behavioral scientist — 2002-04</p>

<p>61C Chemist/biologist — 1998-99, 2002-04</p>

<p>65F Financial manager — 1998, 2002-03</p>

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<p>Whoa! This is a lot to think about - for current cadets, active duty AF, and those considering military careers (or majors to study with an eye to military). This mother was glad not to see Physics listed there. </p>

<p>Looks like we’ll have to have some more serious talks before commitment.</p>

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<p>Looking at the commissioning yrs of 98-99, I am sure they will not be placed into a RIF board, but kicked out if they are passed over 2x for O4. They did that back in 96 with people who did not get promoted.</p>

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<p>How many people get passed over twice for O-4? That can’t be a large percentage…</p>

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<p>Actually, federal law mandates the discharge/retirement of officers “…twice deferred for promotion to the next higher grade.”</p>

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<p>Flieger, but isn’t there the rule if you are passed over 2x after 16 yrs in service you can stay to 20?</p>

<p>I must say that because Bullet was never passed over I am not up to date on the exact details, but I thought that was a fact. For example, enlist and then go OCS you could be an O3 up for O4 at the 16 yr pt and even passed over you will get to stay. Meanwhile the AFA O4 would be booted because they don’t have 16 yrs in.</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>It changes if the AF is top heavy the O4 promotion rate is lower because there is a mandate of Flag to Field to Company %. </p>

<p>In the mid 90’s the O4 board was 60% even for fliers, and the board didn’t meet to the 10/11+ yr marker. In the early 00’s, the rate was 80%+ and met at the 8/9 yr marker.</p>

<p>I remember back in 95, after the RIF of 93 a FWIC pilot who had a Silver Star got passed over and he was flying the STRIKE EAGLE, the newest jet on line in AK. They had a 60% promotion rate. What killed him was that he did not have a Masters or any PME in residence. He flew his entire career and those squares not being filled was his make or break.</p>

<p>You cannot predict 10 yrs into the future, just make sure to always review your file and have the officer squares filled at the earliest opportunity. WIC (was FWIC) helps, so does TPS, but it will not save you if only 60% are being promoted. You won’t know the promotion rate as a lowly captain for your board until you come up to the board.</p>

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<p>Hey Pima!</p>

<p>Actually it’s in Title 10 that if an officer (NCO’s too) have 18 years of GOOD SERVICE (creditable: active, ANG, Res) then they are afforded “sanctuary” and are allowed to continue to their 20th year. If they have 19 good years, they can go to 21.</p>

<p>Then they’re retired. Hence the “separated or retired” part of my statement. I should have made that part clear.</p>

<p>The actual verbage is couched in “legalese” and is HARD to pull out of Title 10. Eventually you can find all of the references and you’ll see that it applies to ALL services, as well as Reserve and Guard.</p>

<p>But here’s where it starts…for those interested in continuing the search:</p>

<p>Title 10, Subtitle A, PART II, CHAPTER 36, SUBCHAPTER III, § 632 A:
(3) if on the date on which he is to be discharged under paragraph (1) he is within two years of qualifying for retirement under section 3911, 6323, or 8911 of this title, be retained on active duty until he is qualified for retirement and then retired under that section, unless he is sooner retired or discharged under another provision of law.</p>

<p>Steve</p>

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<p>Oh, Pima, forgot this…</p>

<p>“…Flieger, but isn’t there the rule if you are passed over 2x after 16 yrs in service you can stay to 20?”</p>

<p>Last year I had the extremely sad duty of handing a Meritorious Service Medal and an Honorable Discharge to one of my officers. He was a Major with…watch this…</p>

<p>17 Year, 11 Months, 23 days of service on his discharge date.</p>

<p>Want to know HOW this happened? You and Bullet will understand it…it’s spelled in 3 letters: </p>

<p>PME</p>

<p>Steve</p>

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<p>1000% agree.</p>

<p>Cadets and newly commissioned officers need to understand that PME IN RESIDENCE is different then PME IN CORRESPONDENCE for promotion purposes.</p>

<p>Even at the early stage of SOS “IN” will make a difference for O4. DG will make a difference.</p>

<p>These schools should never be seen as a slacking time, they need to be seen as a foundation for their next promotion regarding their PRF. Don’t go to SOS or ACSC thinking “I can just slide by”. The fact that you are DG will show up on your OER for the incoming base. The commander is going to see your entire record, and if Maxwell says you are DG for SOS than you enter with a leg up. The same is true for DG at FTU. </p>

<p>Think of making rank like getting into the AFA. You will always meet a board, be scored and the highest score wins. Why don’t candidates get an apptmt even with 4 noms? BECAUSE they didn’t fill all of the squares! </p>

<p>PRFS are not the same as OPRs. It is important to understand the difference between the 2. OPRS are the foundations for your PRF. PRFs are your make or breake. If your foundation is weak (no PME, no Masters, no Leadership) than you can’t expect a strong PRF.</p>

<p>Flieger. thanks for the clarfication for some reason I had 16, but 18 makes more sense.</p>

<p>I am pretty sure Flieger will agree PME is an **ABSOLUTE MUST AT EVERY RANK **, however, it is also an ABSOLUTE MUST FOR A MASTERS at the O5. Importance is to realize back in the mid 90’s Masters was not masked for O4, if the AF goes back to that plan and you waited to get a Masters after O4 for the O5 board you can find yourself on the short end of the stick.</p>

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<p>For an officer, PME is LIFE or DEATH: period.</p>

<p>For active duty, it’s been that way for as long as I can remember. For the reserves…it’s now becoming that way (actually for about 3 years now it’s pretty much been that way). The guard is different but moving in that direction.</p>

<p>Used to be in the guard EVERYONE made Lt Col if they were “popular” in the unit. Now though…PME is rearing its head. I work with ANG unit and their state version of AFI’s states that officers/NCO’s that do NOT have “requisite PME” for the grade they are being considered for promotion to, are INELIGIBLE for said promotion.</p>

<p>And they attach a copy of that regulation to each and every PRF that is submitted if the officer has NOT completed the requisite PME!</p>

<p>I expect that within 2-5 years, ALL the services (AD, ANG, RES) will be that way.</p>

<p>And NOW…even the reserves are talking Masters Degrees…</p>

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<p>Flieger/Pima/Bullet, can you talk a little bit more about PRFs? Google tells me that that stands for Promotion Recommendation Form, but the details are largely lost on me (and most other cadets, I bet). Really, the only thing I think I know about them is that they boil down to definitely promote, promote, or do not promote. It’s funny how little we know about how the AF really operates with the amount of time they spend teaching us the applicable military curriculum…</p>