USAF misses recruiting goal…
09-12-2023, 07:32 AM
#1
Perennial Reserve
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USAF misses recruiting goal…
Some excerpts:
NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland -- The Air Force will, as expected, miss its active-duty recruiting goals for the first time since 1999, Secretary Frank Kendall said during a conference here Monday.
"We're almost to the end of the fiscal year, and the expectation is we're going to come in short about 10%," Kendall told Military.com during a media round table, adding that the service plans to address long-standing recruiting issues in an effort to improve next year. "I'm overall encouraged by where we are in recruiting, but we still have a lot of work."
The last time the Air Force did not reach 100% of its recruitment goal was 1999, according to the Air Force Recruiting Service. That was when Millenials -- who were born between 1981 and 1996 -- first began to reach the age of service. In 1979, the Air Force also missed its goals when Generation X began to become of age to serve, according to a 2002 research paper from Air University.
"We're almost to the end of the fiscal year, and the expectation is we're going to come in short about 10%," Kendall told Military.com during a media round table, adding that the service plans to address long-standing recruiting issues in an effort to improve next year. "I'm overall encouraged by where we are in recruiting, but we still have a lot of work."
The last time the Air Force did not reach 100% of its recruitment goal was 1999, according to the Air Force Recruiting Service. That was when Millenials -- who were born between 1981 and 1996 -- first began to reach the age of service. In 1979, the Air Force also missed its goals when Generation X began to become of age to serve, according to a 2002 research paper from Air University.
The Air Force Recruiting Service has told Military.com in the past year that less than 10% of the young population is interested in serving in the first place -- 50% can't even name all the military service branches.
09-12-2023, 08:12 AM
#2
Prime Minister/Moderator
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I think the root problem is our education system. We need to take it back from the extremist wingnuts who have somehow appointed themselves the arbiters of our societal philosophy. Yes, that's the parents' and voters' fault for letting it happen in the first place.
09-16-2023, 02:16 PM
#3
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And pilot training goal…
“FY22 pilot training production was 1,276, down from 1,381 in FY21 due to continued challenges with civilian simulator instructor manning levels, T-6 supply shortfalls and T-38 engine overhaul delays,” Faske said.
Slower-than-expected repairs to the engines used on the T-38 Talon jets have limited the number of aircraft for more than a year that can be used for daily training missions. T-38s are the Air Force’s sole intermediate aircraft for teaching airmen to fly fighters and bombers.
“It has not gotten worse, but it has also not gotten better. It’s pretty much stagnated where it is,” said Maj. Gen. Clark Quinn, commander of the Nineteenth Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. “The government is looking at perhaps doing some in-house … parts production to try and help facilitate getting them back healthy.”
Slower-than-expected repairs to the engines used on the T-38 Talon jets have limited the number of aircraft for more than a year that can be used for daily training missions. T-38s are the Air Force’s sole intermediate aircraft for teaching airmen to fly fighters and bombers.
“It has not gotten worse, but it has also not gotten better. It’s pretty much stagnated where it is,” said Maj. Gen. Clark Quinn, commander of the Nineteenth Air Force at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. “The government is looking at perhaps doing some in-house … parts production to try and help facilitate getting them back healthy.”
09-16-2023, 02:37 PM
#4
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that's because the training enterprise re-capitalization is broken. But that's redundant as the usaf-wide capitalization process is broken writ large. Defense contractors are not friends of national security from where I sit.
09-17-2023, 05:32 PM
#5
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Those T-38's were old when I flew them in 1981. The T-7 Red Hawk is going to replace them, Boeing delivered the first one to the Air Force this past week.
They mentioned Civilian Sim Instructors, I wonder if the T-1 (aka BeechJet) Sim training is farmed out?
Also, the Army missed it's recruiting goal by 25%.
The Post Vietnam GI bill covered 90% of aircraft rental cost. In 1976 I remember a Vietnam Vet in my Guard unit who was getting his Commercial rating. He was flying a Piper Arrow that back then rented for $40/hr and he only paid $4/hr.
Maybe they should bring that back, kill 2 birds with one stone kind of thing by helping with recruiting and getting more pilots qualified for their ATP.
They mentioned Civilian Sim Instructors, I wonder if the T-1 (aka BeechJet) Sim training is farmed out?
Also, the Army missed it's recruiting goal by 25%.
The Post Vietnam GI bill covered 90% of aircraft rental cost. In 1976 I remember a Vietnam Vet in my Guard unit who was getting his Commercial rating. He was flying a Piper Arrow that back then rented for $40/hr and he only paid $4/hr.
Maybe they should bring that back, kill 2 birds with one stone kind of thing by helping with recruiting and getting more pilots qualified for their ATP.
09-18-2023, 09:19 AM
#6
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Since coming out of the Cold War the USAF has gutted pilot training bases and squadrons by more than 50% and gone from 130+ fighter squadrons to roughly 50, while the world has only gotten more dangerous and Ops tempos have continually increased. In true USAF fashion, they are now reacting to the issue by doing “more with less” to try and solve the problem under the guise of “innovation” like VR goggles, self study, and simulator events to reduce timelines/flying experience necessary to graduate pilots and increase thru-put. Shocked-face that it isn’t an instant smashing success 😲 This problem was created over 3 decades… it’s not going to get fixed in just a couple years.
09-18-2023, 09:41 PM
#7
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Originally Posted by Panthertamer79
Since coming out of the Cold War the USAF has gutted pilot training bases and squadrons by more than 50% and gone from 130+ fighter squadrons to roughly 50, while the world has only gotten more dangerous and Ops tempos have continually increased. In true USAF fashion, they are now reacting to the issue by doing “more with less” to try and solve the problem under the guise of “innovation” like VR goggles, self study, and simulator events to reduce timelines/flying experience necessary to graduate pilots and increase thru-put. Shocked-face that it isn’t an instant smashing success 😲 This problem was created over 3 decades… it’s not going to get fixed in just a couple years.
Can’t get the job done? You’re fired and we’ll find someone who can. Getting “more done with less” isn’t so much an adaptation than a mandate. A large portion of readiness is pencil whipped.
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