A look at Air Force FY14 Force Management: Programs Published Jan. 24, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Erica Rodriguez 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force is expanding its fiscal year 2014 Force Management programs to reduce the maximum number of assigned personnel to meet manning authorizations set forth by Congress through the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014, which call for an end strength of 327,600. According to MyPers, high retention rates have contributed to the Air Force exceeding its authorized end strength ceiling and are contributing to growing imbalances among skill sets and experience volunteers. In a recent visit to Langley Air Force Base, Chief Master Sgt. James Cody, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, spoke to Airmen about the force management measures being taken and how supervisors can better prepare their Airmen. "We're going to have to reduce the size of the force to a significant degree," Cody said. "We need to make sure our Airmen have the information they need to make informed decisions. Our frontline supervisors are a big part of that -- it's critical they help Airmen fully understand their options and refer them to agencies that can help." Already in effect, Fiscal Year 2014 Force Management programs have identified eligible Airmen who can voluntarily separate from the Air Force through programs that otherwise would not have been available to them. "There are quite a few different types of boards and voluntary programs for both officer and enlisted," said Master Sgt. Chris Norci, 17th Force Support Squadron first sergeant. "On the enlisted side of the house, the Quality Force Review Board will look at members with negative codes such as reenlistment or assignment availability. There are three Enlisted Retention Boards that will look at overage Air Force Specialty Codes by grade to determine who will be retained. No specific criteria as to what exactly will be looked for have been published, but commanders will have a chance to weigh in with a retention recommendation." More than 260 Airmen permanently assigned to Goodfellow, about 25 to 30 percent, are identified under force management programs. "Every Airman should periodically review their records and check their codes," said Norci. "If something seems wrong, raise your concern. Supervisors should be fully aware as to which of their Airmen are affected and be involved in this process. We have a duty to take care of our Airmen from the time they arrive to the day they leave service." Norci added that identified Airmen should attend the mandatory separation program, Transition Assistance Program, as early as possible since classes are filling up. He also encourages supervisors to carefully evaluate their Airmen, on their yearly review. "It's important to learn that each evaluation really does count," he said. "Raters should give each annual report its due diligence and rate their Airmen as fair and as honestly as possible. Whether it's developing Airmen for special duty or deciding who to retain, we should leave little doubt for our leaders when they make the hard choice on where to place and when to keep our best qualified Airmen." Below are programs and their descriptions occurring now and through the first half of the year. - Chief Master Sergeant Voluntary Retirement Phase. The voluntary retirement phase identifies targeted Air Force Specialty Codes and the number of chief master sergeants needed to retire. During this phase, chief master sergeants may apply for retirement before the Chief Master Sergeant Retention Board based on the eligibility criteria outlined in the chief master sergeant Retention Board Personnel Services Delivery Memorandum. Those opting for VRP must separate by January 2015. - Temporary Early Retirement Authority. (Voluntary) TERA authorizes officer and enlisted Airmen as of July 31, with more than 15, but less than 20 years of total active federal military service to apply for early retirement with a reduced amount of retirement pay. TERA will be offered to qualifying Airmen who are not retained. Retirement eligible Airmen, 20 or more years, who are not retained, will have the opportunity to apply for normal retirement. Retirement pay is based on years of service ranging from 38.4 percent to 48.506 percent of base pay. Members who choose TERA must separate by August 2014. - Date of Separation Rollback. (Involuntary) Enlisted members may be discharged within 12 months of the end of their term of service based on prescribed criteria. The purpose of the DOS Rollback program is to accelerate the DOS by up to a year, for Airmen who have declined to obtain service retainability for assignments, training, retraining or Professional Military Education. - Enlisted Voluntary Separation Pay. Enlisted VSP applies to Airmen on the active duty list with six or more years but less than 20 years of Total Active Federal Military Service. Airmen may apply for VSP before the enlisted retention board, not to include the Quality Force Review Board or Senior NCO Retention Boards. Airmen may apply for VSP if they are in an overage AFSC and grade, which includes Airmen who are eligible to meet an enlisted retention board. Members who choose VSP must separate by September 2014. - Selective Early Retirement Board. (Involuntary) This program applies to officers on the active duty list in grades of lieutenant colonel and colonel. Colonels with at least four years time in grade and lieutenant colonels who have not been selected for promotion to the next higher grade at least twice and who, in either case, are not on a list of officers recommended for promotion are eligible. Officers can only be considered by the SERB once in any 5- year period. Officers will be considered by the SERB within competitive categories, similar to a promotion board; total number of officers recommended for retirement cannot exceed 30 percent of the eligible population by grade. - Officer Voluntary Separation Pay. Officers on the active duty list with six or more years total active commissioned service and less than 20 years of total active federal military service. Reduction in force eligible officers may apply for VSP before meeting the board. Eligible officers are not entitled to receive VSP based solely on submitting an application. Policy stipulates that all VSP applications be reviewed and only those meeting the needs of the military service be approved. The next article in the series will cover more programs occurring later in the year. For more information on force management, force shaping, reduction in force and other personnel programs, visit the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil.
