Attrition: USAF Even Downsizing Lieutenants

Archives

May 24, 2006: Automation, reorganization and outsourcing have reduced personnel needs so much that the U.S. Air Force is even getting rid of lieutenants. That is rare, because the military usually needs lots of lieutenants in order to get enough people who will stick around to become mid-level career officers. Lots of lieutenants discover that the military is not for them, and get out as soon as they can (after three or four years.) But the air force has found that it has far too many lieutenants in fields like finance, personnel and public affairs. Thus it is allowing 846 lieutenants in those areas go, before their terms of service are up. The air force has encouraged many other lieutenants to switch to another field. But oftenofficers don't have the training to handle other jobs, or the desire to switch fields. All this is part of a major reduction in personnel in the air force, with some 40,000 people being let go in the next year.

 

X

ad

Help Keep Us From Drying Up

We need your help! Our subscription base has slowly been dwindling.

Each month we count on your contributions. You can support us in the following ways:

  1. Make sure you spread the word about us. Two ways to do that are to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
  2. Subscribe to our daily newsletter. We’ll send the news to your email box, and you don’t have to come to the site unless you want to read columns or see photos.
  3. You can contribute to the health of StrategyPage.
Subscribe   Contribute   Close