Originally Posted by
JTwift
The Army has the "luxury" of Warrant Officers. The Air Force is too stubborn to entertain that idea.
This has been addressed before. An enlisted member with USAF fixed wing turbine experience would have an even greater incentive not to stay for a flying career than a commissioned officer in the first place (the salary opportunity cost delta is even more lopsided in favor of the enlisted punching out), so it actually exacerbates the retention issue. Throttle up the initial obligation as a response, and now you have an outright recruitment problem, officer or enlisted. Non-starter.
You would also have to line up all services to dilute the payrates for fixed wing turbine in unison, especially in tacair, otherwise you have no leverage. Not gonna happen.