In a major announcement on February 7th, the Air Force is now being forced to ask for 1,000 airmen to come back to service as a part of policy change. In a statement from LTG Caroline Miller, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services, said this is part of a larger problem. She acknowledged they were doing this in, “an effort to leverage the talents” of their retirees and mitigate “critical manning shortages.”
As LTG Miller added, the “program is a strategic enabler to embrace experienced talent, tapping into a valuable resource of retired members to fill critical roles to close the gap against our peer competitors.”
Targeting officers from Captain (O-3) to Lieutenant Colonel (O-5), they need bodies for Officer Training School or Squadron Officer School. Former enlisted in the ranks of Staff Sergeant (E-5) to Senior Master Sergeant (E-8) are also being encouraged to apply for the program. Launched with a long-term goal of solving the retention problems the Air Force is facing, the window will last just under two years, from Feb. 8, 2024, until Jan. 31, 2026.
Widely known as the branch with the highest standard of living and some of the most comfortable deployments, the Air Force could potentially fix this retention problem by taking prior service from other branches.
Many Soldiers and Marines would be happy to come back and finish their 20-year retirement by flying high with the Air Force. Sadly though, this is a program that they have had suspended for a few years now, and little has been said publicly about its return.
