ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — Air Force Reserve lieutenant colonels interested in becoming Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps detachment commanders have until April 15 to submit an application under the Voluntary Limited Period of Active Duty program.
Under VLPAD, opportunities to serve an active-duty tour for a period of three years and one day are being offered to Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members for certain Air Force specialties. During that time, selected Reservists will receive the same benefits as active component Airmen.
Right now the program has AFROTC detachment commander openings for lieutenant colonels at six locations:
– Detachment 10, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
– Detachment 12, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama.
– Detachment 15, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama.
– Detachment 60, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
– Detachment 310, Louisiana State University and A&M College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
– Detachment 470, University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska.
According to personnel officials, officers will not have return rights to their current Air Reserve Component position upon completion of their extended active duty tour, but Air Force Reserve Command will work with them to find a position when their tour is over.
Officers wishing to apply for a Reserve or Air National Guard position upon completion of their extended active duty tour must contact an in-service recruiter for guidance and procedures. Reserve officers are encouraged to submit a reserve officer development plan (R-ODP) in the Virtual Personnel Center every year in order for the applicable Air Force Reserve development team to provide vectors and help facilitate follow-on assignments.
In addition to AFROTC detachment commanders, other officer opportunities are available under VLPAD including AFROTC instructors, Air Command and Staff College instructors, remotely piloted aircraft pilots, and T-6 instrument simulator instructors.
Opportunities will also be available for enlisted Citizen Airmen in a variety of career fields, including maintenance, aircrew operations and command control systems operations.
The VLPAD program and several other programs are being put in place to help bolster the Air Force’s end strength from 312,980 to 317,000.
“Being selected for any of these special duties or career fields is a significant achievement for any officer or enlisted Airman,” said Lt. Gen. James Jackson, AFRC commander. “Not only are these opportunities helping our Citizen Airmen but they are also allowing us to assist in some critical, yet undermanned career fields across our Air Force.”
The article, “Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Detachment Commander Voluntary Limited Period of Active Duty Program,” located on the MyPERS website, has detailed information on VLPAD AFROTC Detachment commander openings, including eligibility criteria, the application process and medical clearance requirements.
The article can be found at:
https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil/app/answers/detail/a_id/31290/kw/VLPAD/p/16%2C17.
