The Air Force has announced their active duty "Force Shaping" program for Fiscal Year 2007. The active duty Air Force is currently over-manned and plans to reduce its numbers by 6.5 percent, going from 282,822 members to 264,424 members by 30 September, 2007.
To meet this goal, the Air Force will once again reduce their recruiting goal for the year to 27,800 in FY 2007, which is down from the 30,750 goal for FY 2006. This makes the fourth year in a row that the Air Force has decreased their active duty recruiting goals. This means its going to be even harder to enlist in the Air Force during the upcoming year.
CJR Program. The first leg on the FY 2007 Force Reduction Program will require about 2,100 first-term airmen, serving in constrained (over-manned) AFSCs (jobs) to apply for a Career Job Reservation (CJR). Under the program, airmen must receive a "reserved slot" in order to reenlist in their AFSC. If a reserved slot does not become available within three months of their projected separation date, they must retrain in order to stay in the service.
Involuntary Separations. The second part of the plan involves involuntary early separation/retirement for certain enlisted members. This part of the program affects enlisted members who will have less than 14 years of service on March 15, 2007, or more than 20 years of total active military service on March 31. Individuals who fall into this category will be separated on March 15, or retired (if eligible) on March 31, if they possess one of the following Re-Enlistment Eligibility Codes (RE-Codes), or Assignment Availability Codes (AACs):
RE Codes:
2X -- Denied reenlistment
3D -- Declined PCS retainability
3E -- Declined training
4H -- Serving suspended punishment under Article 15
4I -- Control Roster action
AACs:
AAC 09 -- Declined to reenlist or extend for PCS/TDY retainability
AAC 10 -- Denied reenlistment
Enlisted members who are involuntarily separated under this part of the program, who have six or more years of service, are eligible for involuntary separation pay, at the 1/2 rate.
Enlisted members who are under investigation, undergoing other administrative discharge actions, court-martial charges, or any other UCMJ actions are not eligible for an honorable separation under this program. Also ineligible are airmen currently on probation and rehabilitation and those undergoing a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB). Airmen who's RE Code or AAC changes before the roll-back separation date will not be required to separate.
Active Duty Service Commitment (ADSC) Waivers. Technical Sergeants (E-6) and Master Sergeants (E-7) who are retirement eligible, with no more than 24 years of service can apply to have certain ADSC waived in order to retire. An ADSC is an additional amount of time that a member must serve on active duty because of promotion, special training, or accepting an assignment. To be eligible, the NCO must be serving in one of the following control AFSCs:
1C0X2, 2A0X1, 2A0X1A, 2A0X1B, 2A0X1C, 2A3X1, 2A3X2, 2A3X3, 2A5X2, 2A5X3A, 2A5X3B, 2A5X3C, 2A5X3D, 2A6X1A, 2A6X2, 2A6X3, 2A6X4, 2A6X5, 2A6X6, 2A7X1, 2A7X2, 2A7X3, 2A7X4, 2E0X1, 2E1X1, 2E1X2, 2E1X3, 2E1X4, 2E2X1, 2E6X2, 2E6X3, 2F0X1, 2G0X1, 2M0X1, 2M0X2, 2M0X3, 2P0X1, 2R0X1, 2R1X1, 2S0X1, 2TT0X1, 2T1X1, 2T2X1, 2T3X0, 2T3X7, 2W0X1, 2W1X1, 2W2X1, 3A0X1, 3C0X0, 3C0X1, 3C0X2, 3C1X1, 3C2X1, 3C3X1, 3E0X1, 3E0X2, 3E1X1, 3E2X1, 3E3X1, 3E4X0, 3E4X1, 3E4X2, 3E4X3, 3E5X1, 3E6X1, 3H0X1, 3M0X1, 3N0X1, 3N0X2, 3N1X1, 3X2X1, 3P0X1, 3S0X1, 3S1X1, 3S2X1, 3S3X1, 3V0X0, 3V0X1, 3V0X2, 3V0X3, 4A0X1, 4A1X1, 4A2X1, 4C0X1, 4D0X1, 4E0X1, 4H0X1, 4J0X2, 4M0X1, 4N0X1, 4N1X1, 4R0X1, 4T0X1, 4T0X2, 4T0X3, 4V0X1, 4Y0X1, 4Y0X2, 5J0X1, 540X1, 6C0X1, 6F0X1, 8C0X0, 8M0X0, 8P0X0, 840X0, 8S0X0, 850X0, 9S1X0
Note: The above list may change as retirements are approved. Interested individuals must apply before noon (Central Standard Time) on January 2.
Over 9,800 NCOs are eligible for this program, but officials are planning to approve only 750 ADSC waivers.
