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Air Force on target with recruiting, retention

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Air Force leaders' efforts to have the "right number of people in the right jobs" remains a challenge and so far, the Air Force is headed in the right direction, according to Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, the deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel.

The general was one of several senior military officials on Capitol Hill March 3 to testify before the House Armed Services Committee Personnel Subcommittee. They answered questions about recruiting, retention and end strength for the active duty, Reserves and Air National Guard.

Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., chief of the Air Force Reserve, and Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air National Guard, joined General Newton in answering questions from the subcommittee members.

"Over the last eight years, the Air Force Reserve has exceeded its recruiting goals," General Stenner said. "Our success in great part has been due to the accessions of experienced regular Air Force members upon completion of their active-duty commitments.

"Reserve Airmen are a cost-effective force provider, comprising nearly 14 percent of the total Air Force authorized end strength at only 5.3 percent of the military personnel budget."

General Stenner also stressed the importance of a combat ready force:

"The Air Force Reserve is first and foremost a strategic reserve, providing the Air Force with a surge capacity in times of national crisis," he said. "Since Desert Storm, Air Force Reserve Airmen have been continuously engaged around the world supporting ongoing contingencies, serving side by side with the joint team."

The general added that he hopes to broaden total force teams through association constructs. The basic model is an associate wing in which a unit of one component has primary responsibility for operating and maintaining equipment such as aircraft, while a unit of another component - whether Reserve, Air National Guard or active-duty Air Force - also operates and maintains that equipment.

The Air National Guard has met its recruiting goals for the first time since 2002, General Wyatt said. The Air Guard's 96.9 percent retention rate is the highest of all the services and components. General Wyatt said this is because of the way the Air Force cares for its civilian, officer and enlisted Airmen.

"The Air Force's strength lies in its people," General Wyatt told the panel. "Airmen look at the way we handle environmental responsibilities, salaries, bonuses, benefits and they like what we have to offer. They see the esprit de corps in the Air Force and they want to continue to be a part of it."

Air National Guard recruiting and retention programs play a critical role in supporting today's fight and how we posture our force for the future," General Wyatt added.

Despite a drawdown of the active-duty force in recent years, senior leaders are working toward an end strength of 331,700 Airmen. As of the end of January, the service is currently short 2,049 people of that target. Recruiting efforts, however, are being focused on not only meeting the goal end strength, but also putting active duty Airmen into mission-critical positions, General Newton wrote in his submitted opening statement.

For example, the Air Force needs more people in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as nuclear-related and special operations career fields, General Newton said.

"In the short term, to properly shape the force for these new and emerging missions, we are finding innovative ways of re-vectoring already-trained personnel and training new accessions," General Newton's statement said. "Our recruiting mission goes beyond finding the right numbers. It includes ensuring the right quality and right skills are present in potential candidates so they can effectively perform and support the Air Force's missions."

One key component of that effort is a renewed commitment to focus on diversity, General Newton said.

"We must focus on attracting and recruiting from all backgrounds so we can capitalize on the talent available in America's youth to represent the changing demographic landscape," he said. "Today, only 27 percent of the American youth population between the ages of 17 and 24 are qualified for military service. However, we will continue to apply rigorous selection criteria to those approaching the Air Force in order to effectively match future Airmen skills and attributes with our essential combat requirements."

General Newton outlined the "unique options" Airmen bring to the fight and why recruiting and retaining quality people is important.

"The Air Force must safeguard our ability to see anything on the face of the earth, range it, observe or hold it at risk, supply, rescue, support or destroy it, assess the effects and exercise global command and control of all these activities," General Newton said. "Our Airmen make this happen in support of the joint warfighter. Rising to the challenge isn't a choice; it's our responsibility."

(Tech. Sgt. Amaani Lyle contributed to this story)