I don't think so. This is much more an AF active duty undermanning problem with pilots in rated staff positions, deployments in rated staff positions, and postions in UAVs and new Intel aircraft.

There is a big effort in the AF to try to keep rated staff positions filled. So this is there effort to go after retired active duty pilots and retired reserve pilots to bring them on active duty. They have asked all employers of former and retired pilots to publicize this.

Heck a buddy of mine working as a senior engineer at Boeing (and a retired AF pilot) just got the message from his HR folks at Boeing.

This is an AF effort---not something just at FedEx. The AF is trying to get the word out to as many retirees as possible.