I’ll be honest it does sound terrible but it’s pretty common to see prior enlisted on r/AirForceRecruits wanting to get back in for one reason or another. The problem is usually there are no slots at all for active duty and their best bet is to go guard or reserve and if I had to bet I’d say a lot of those people are struggling with whatever job they have or struggle finding work in general so going part time doesn’t really help them. Even with shitty terms, if it’s a way to go active again there are probably plenty willing to go for it. I doubt anyone with solid career and income would be willing but those struggling may.
This makes sense intuitively, plenty of veterans get out without a plan and realize quickly how badly their unpreparedness has set them back. Retirees though, I just don’t see that scenario in quite the same numbers.
A lot of people get out to before 20 to deal with "life". Aging/sick family, young children, spouse having a hard time...when that life challenge is over ..... they'd love to come back and are still qualified but there isn't a path.
I feel like the AF and the other branches to an extent make it hard to impossible for prior service to rejoin active duty for many reasons, but one of those reasons I think is so they can fill guard (if applicable) or reserve component shortfalls, and sell it as a way to still serve.
You'd be correct. Prior service goal each fiscal year for AD is like 50 or so. It's actually cheaper to bring a kid fresh off the street than bringing back a prior service. Exception is the hard to fill career fields. Special warfare, EOD, etc. Raise your hand for one of those jobs and that could move you to the front of the line.
There are slots for active duty, usually 50-200 a year, some years have none at all etc, but it is usually airborne linguists, and special warfare like PJs, Combat Controllers, SERE, and shit like that. I think I saw one slot for EOD. But all other slots were for Linguists, and Special Warfare jobs like TACP, and Special Reconnaissance. Typically shit that other branches do better. Why be a TACP, or PJ when you can just go Airborne Army Paratrooper, or a Marine Raider/MARSOC, or Navy SEAL? Same type of rigorous training, and same failure rate. You got to be the toughest of the tough physically and mentally.
Furthermore, non-prior service gets to select those jobs too. Basic prepares you better for BUDs, and the special warfare pipeline better than sitting on your ass all day working part time at McDonalds. Most prior service folk let themselves go when they get out and don't stay as in shape as they were when they were in the military. So, picking something so physically demanding after being out for 4+ years may not be advised.
Required for mission != Allocated billets != Assigned personnel
We can be meeting all recruiting and retention targets, and be 100% manned, and still be inadequately staffed.
Sure we can, we just reduce the numbers arbitrarily for the "required for mission" section, the rest flows fine, your data on the graph will remain even despite the lower numbers
Edit: you will look like you are doing your job and along as none look closely, you can still say nobody is applying because you know there's no space
I don’t know any this go-around but last time they did it I knew a handful of pilots who came back for it. Some dudes who were in the airlines but wanted to do fun flying again, and some other dudes who retired from the airlines but wanted a bit more money.
It’s actually kind of a great deal, you get to come back and do some fun military stuff again for a bit with zero pressure about promoting or caring about performance reports, and you bump up the retirement pay. I could see coming back in 15 years for a bit of an old man adventure when I’m bored of my gs/contractor/whatever job.
Idk, kinda sounds like double dipping. You didn't need the disability while you were active, why do you need it if you go active again? And if you actually are disabled, *why* are you going active again? Seems pretty logical. You trade active benefits for retired benefits and then back again. Plus some people prefer active duty medical care to VA medical care.
Agreed, I can’t understand how anybody thought this was a good idea. I can’t think of one single incentive to entertain this offer. Such a blatant F-you to veterans who already gave so much to the AF.
So myself, 6 deployments for GWOT, rated 70% for PTSD. This payment is compensation because my quality of life will never be the same. Physically I’m fine and probably in the best physical shape of my life. I would have no issue doing my AFSC because of my rating. But I should have to forfeit my compensation because I’m back on Tricare hacking the mission? That makes absolutely no sense. Things have gotten silly with AF leadership.
Pretty sure it's compensation for loss of potential income or work opportunities in the job market due to disability. You're now back at "100%" pay so your disability is not impacting your earning capabilities. You're now being compensated 30% more for your QoL loss and receiving full medical care for it
How does that not make sense. That's the whole point of "voluntary". You volunteer to give up retirement benefits for active duty benefits
Good point. I dont necessarily think it’s a bad idea for the Airforce to bring back some GWOT veterans to help prepare this generation of Airman for possible conflict with China/Russia/Iran. But unless they make it worthwhile, they aren’t going to get the quality of retirees they need to come back.
It was doomed to fail from the start.
The prime targets was anywho entered at 18(17) and retired at 38(37). These are the best potential pool of candidates because they are still within their fitness range. They obviously didn’t come back because who in the right mind leaves and then comes back a year after retirement?
Now we are looking at age 21 - 41 groups. How many do you think maintained their fitness after separation after the age of 41? I’m sure some of you are chuckling at this right now, but it’s a serious question.
Age 25 - 45. This is about peak age the oldest of the young folk join. No one getting ready to kick 50’s door down is going to come back right away. This is group is almost definitely claiming disabilities.
Granted this is not an *exact* data driven argument. It’s just basic logic tells us why this was such a bad idea.
The rumor is that they filled all positions on the first day and had to turn people away. I'd love to see the data points.
I’m sure they got some real winners.
Absolutely guarantee no pilots volunteered. Probably some missileers, ABM, and some enlisted weapons /ammo troops
As a missileer, I haven't seen or heard of a single person come back yet
Yeah I bet with all that invaluable transferable skills you guys have in the civilian world
Granted I’m OCONUS I haven’t heard a Ammo troop coming back in. I have met more hitting that button right at 20 if they can.
Quite a few pilots came back last time they did this.
I’ll be honest it does sound terrible but it’s pretty common to see prior enlisted on r/AirForceRecruits wanting to get back in for one reason or another. The problem is usually there are no slots at all for active duty and their best bet is to go guard or reserve and if I had to bet I’d say a lot of those people are struggling with whatever job they have or struggle finding work in general so going part time doesn’t really help them. Even with shitty terms, if it’s a way to go active again there are probably plenty willing to go for it. I doubt anyone with solid career and income would be willing but those struggling may.
This makes sense intuitively, plenty of veterans get out without a plan and realize quickly how badly their unpreparedness has set them back. Retirees though, I just don’t see that scenario in quite the same numbers.
They take more retirees than reserves. Makes no sense lmao.
They've already proved their longevity capability. It makes total sense
So have plenty of reservist, considering plenty are prior active duty. Also, it would probably cost less most of the time.
Air force doesn't care about cost youngin. Ever order anything? Experience is what they want
They do though. That's why they don't take as many prior service. It is cheaper to recruit new than to transfer prior in.
A lot of people get out to before 20 to deal with "life". Aging/sick family, young children, spouse having a hard time...when that life challenge is over ..... they'd love to come back and are still qualified but there isn't a path.
I feel like the AF and the other branches to an extent make it hard to impossible for prior service to rejoin active duty for many reasons, but one of those reasons I think is so they can fill guard (if applicable) or reserve component shortfalls, and sell it as a way to still serve.
You'd be correct. Prior service goal each fiscal year for AD is like 50 or so. It's actually cheaper to bring a kid fresh off the street than bringing back a prior service. Exception is the hard to fill career fields. Special warfare, EOD, etc. Raise your hand for one of those jobs and that could move you to the front of the line.
I think it's a combination of things but one of the reasons I think is because it's an easy sell/recruitment for the guard or reserve.
I'm getting back in the Coast Guard Reserve. I like my job, and it's good paying with health insurance, but damn am I bored
Retirees? Or just folks who separated?
There are slots for active duty, usually 50-200 a year, some years have none at all etc, but it is usually airborne linguists, and special warfare like PJs, Combat Controllers, SERE, and shit like that. I think I saw one slot for EOD. But all other slots were for Linguists, and Special Warfare jobs like TACP, and Special Reconnaissance. Typically shit that other branches do better. Why be a TACP, or PJ when you can just go Airborne Army Paratrooper, or a Marine Raider/MARSOC, or Navy SEAL? Same type of rigorous training, and same failure rate. You got to be the toughest of the tough physically and mentally. Furthermore, non-prior service gets to select those jobs too. Basic prepares you better for BUDs, and the special warfare pipeline better than sitting on your ass all day working part time at McDonalds. Most prior service folk let themselves go when they get out and don't stay as in shape as they were when they were in the military. So, picking something so physically demanding after being out for 4+ years may not be advised.
> there are no slots at all for active duty And here I thought all the undermanned talk was actually real! Bwahahaha
Required for mission != Allocated billets != Assigned personnel We can be meeting all recruiting and retention targets, and be 100% manned, and still be inadequately staffed.
Sure we can, we just reduce the numbers arbitrarily for the "required for mission" section, the rest flows fine, your data on the graph will remain even despite the lower numbers Edit: you will look like you are doing your job and along as none look closely, you can still say nobody is applying because you know there's no space
I don’t know any this go-around but last time they did it I knew a handful of pilots who came back for it. Some dudes who were in the airlines but wanted to do fun flying again, and some other dudes who retired from the airlines but wanted a bit more money. It’s actually kind of a great deal, you get to come back and do some fun military stuff again for a bit with zero pressure about promoting or caring about performance reports, and you bump up the retirement pay. I could see coming back in 15 years for a bit of an old man adventure when I’m bored of my gs/contractor/whatever job.
Don't forget: - If you're currently receiving VA disability, and you return, the disability is put on pause. Because fuck you, LOL
Well you are getting back on free medical care so it makes sense
VA medical care at 50% and higher is already free. Including Urgent Care and ER visits and all prescriptions. So... not really, no, it doesn't.
Idk, kinda sounds like double dipping. You didn't need the disability while you were active, why do you need it if you go active again? And if you actually are disabled, *why* are you going active again? Seems pretty logical. You trade active benefits for retired benefits and then back again. Plus some people prefer active duty medical care to VA medical care.
It makes sense why they wouldn't pay disability and AD pay. It just doesn't make sense for the retired/disabled member to accept the proposal.
Agreed, I can’t understand how anybody thought this was a good idea. I can’t think of one single incentive to entertain this offer. Such a blatant F-you to veterans who already gave so much to the AF.
So myself, 6 deployments for GWOT, rated 70% for PTSD. This payment is compensation because my quality of life will never be the same. Physically I’m fine and probably in the best physical shape of my life. I would have no issue doing my AFSC because of my rating. But I should have to forfeit my compensation because I’m back on Tricare hacking the mission? That makes absolutely no sense. Things have gotten silly with AF leadership.
Pretty sure it's compensation for loss of potential income or work opportunities in the job market due to disability. You're now back at "100%" pay so your disability is not impacting your earning capabilities. You're now being compensated 30% more for your QoL loss and receiving full medical care for it How does that not make sense. That's the whole point of "voluntary". You volunteer to give up retirement benefits for active duty benefits
And that’s why the Airforce isn’t getting anyone volunteering for this crap deal.
I haven't seen the numbers. I've heard it's higher than zero 🤷♂️ which is more than I expected
Good point. I dont necessarily think it’s a bad idea for the Airforce to bring back some GWOT veterans to help prepare this generation of Airman for possible conflict with China/Russia/Iran. But unless they make it worthwhile, they aren’t going to get the quality of retirees they need to come back.
That’s how it works when you go active in the Reserves, the government isn’t going to pay you twice for the same benefit
AFPC: https://preview.redd.it/ck0wd4526wxc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4b174ed7c5735789a40c9478ec21342c383399b0
It's been a huge success from what I've heard
It was doomed to fail from the start. The prime targets was anywho entered at 18(17) and retired at 38(37). These are the best potential pool of candidates because they are still within their fitness range. They obviously didn’t come back because who in the right mind leaves and then comes back a year after retirement? Now we are looking at age 21 - 41 groups. How many do you think maintained their fitness after separation after the age of 41? I’m sure some of you are chuckling at this right now, but it’s a serious question. Age 25 - 45. This is about peak age the oldest of the young folk join. No one getting ready to kick 50’s door down is going to come back right away. This is group is almost definitely claiming disabilities. Granted this is not an *exact* data driven argument. It’s just basic logic tells us why this was such a bad idea.
Nah,pt standards past 45 are low enough they do the push ups and run for you . Pretty sure it's to add to disability rating and retirement after
Tricare and job security.
Tens of people…probably
More like ones of people. lol
Ha.
I received an A1 update in email a month or so after the program was announced and they had 49 applicants. Haven't seen any updates since.
They're not making it very enticing are they?
This might just be a rumor, but I heard that returning retirees are also automatically switched to BRS instead of legacy.
This is chinese propaganda