Editor’s Note: The following is compiled from information from the Air Force Personnel Center, TRICARE, 355th Force Support Squadron, Airman and Family Readiness Flight, Veterans Affairs, the civilian personnel office and armed forces news services. For the complete story, go to the web address listed at the end of the story.
AF Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program updates released
Air Force officials released details on the fiscal year 2017 Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program Feb. 23. This year’s program consists of 80 Air Force specialties and continues the practice of offering larger sums of money initially up front.
The program is designed to improve readiness and capacity by targeting retention of experienced Airmen, especially those in operations, nuclear, maintenance, cyber, space, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and support career fields.
The 13 new Air Force specialty codes included in the fiscal 2017 SRB list represent critical and emerging career fields with high operations demands and low manning or retention, such as maintenance and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. The AFSCs removed from this year’s SRB list were no longer among those AFSCs with the highest needs based on analysis of manning, retention, and/or training costs.
According to Col. Robert Romer, the chief of military force policy for the Air Force, the criteria used to determine career fields eligible for re-enlistment bonuses includes current and projected manning levels, retention levels and trends, and the cost levels associated with training new Airmen.
“This year’s SRB list continues the Air Force’s focus on retaining key experience while we deliberately grow our force,” Romer said. “We are increasing our accessions and training pipeline to support the increased growth, but these new enlistees won’t be seasoned for some time. Retaining the experience we have is critical to maintaining readiness and training those new Airmen.”
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/1092538/af-selective-re-enlistment-bonus-program-updates-released.aspx
AF releases new guidance on civilian hiring freeze
The Air Force has released additional guidance in regard to the federal civilian hiring freeze implemented Jan. 23.
According to the official memorandum, the hiring freeze applies to all executive departments and agencies regardless of their operation and program funding. Military personnel are excluded. Some exemptions are permitted to meet national security mission and public safety responsibilities or to prevent essential services from interruption.
The Air Force recently released additional implementation procedures in support of a follow-on Feb. 1 memorandum outlining the implementation of the freeze. According to the guidance, all requests for personnel action received by the Air Force Personnel Center by Feb. 7 will continue to be announced, and referral certificates will continue to be issued.
If tentative job offers were given to selectees before Jan. 22, but with entry dates after Feb. 22, they will be notified of their pending status. Also, as of Feb. 7, AFPC is no longer accepting recruit/fill actions without an approved hiring freeze exemption signed by the Secretary of the Air Force.
Official guidance also calls for the implementation of a long-term plan to reduce the size of the federal workforce through attrition. The Office of Management and Budget, in coordination with the Office of Personnel Management, has been tasked to submit a plan by early May.
“The Air Force is dependent on a strong civilian workforce to carry out its global mission,” said Christine Armstrong, the Civilian Sustainment and Transition Programs Division chief. “We will continue to work closely with Air Staff to ensure the entire Air Force team receives up-to-date guidance as it becomes available.”
http://www.af.mil/News/ArticleDisplay/tabid/223/Article/1077949/af-releases-new-guidance-on-civilian-hiring-freeze.aspx