Air Force Chatter

 This past week, the Air Force announced that they would probably miss their yearly goals for 2023 recruitment by 10-percent....for active-duty.  In the Guard/Reserve....it's up to around 12-percent.  

Reason?  They don't go into a lot of detail or explain the problem.

Resolving this?  Well....it's just odd.  

First, the tattoo rules are going to be seriously relaxed. 

Second, if you were drug-tested and failed on marijuana....they are now ready to consider 'second-chance' options.  They don't really detail how this would work.  My humble guess is that you'd agree for 'treatment', monthly tests to show your dedication, and some rehab therapy for a year or two.

Third, the BMI/weight stuff?  It appears to be going to a slightly relaxed state.  Don't get excited...I doubt if they'd allow more than half-a-inch extra on BMI or five pounds more weight for the max level.   

My view?  The minute they hit better numbers....this whole policy will be reversed, and folks will be standing there in frustration.  So I doubt that the changes will do much to get enlistments back up.

At the pace of things for 2024?  I would make a humble bet that they progress from a 10-percent miss....to a 15-to-20-percent miss.  

Adding more resolutions in 2024?  Yeah....I would imagine there's a group of twenty-odd people trying to dream up something that would get a couple of thousand more people into the recruitment office.  College funding or bonus activity?  That probably will come next.

It wouldn't shock me if they started to offer a $80,000 college fund if you agreed to six years of service.  It also wouldn't shock me if they offered up a $20,000 TSP-retirement fund start-up situation if you agreed to four years.  

But here's the thing....isn't this recruitment problem a crappy long-term situation...probably lasting for an entire decade?  I'm suggesting in five years....that they'd be routinely missing 30-percent of their goal, and unable to fill 50-percent of squadrons to full manning.  

It is a curious problem....with no real ability to fix.