MPF explains newest force shaping initiatives

Published Nov. 20, 2006
By Staff Sgt. Amanda Savannah
Public Affairs

Vance Air Force Base, Okla. -- The 71st Mission Support Squadron, in a briefing Monday, clarified recent initiatives to force-shape the Air Force in fiscal 2007.
Although both enlisted members and officers are affected by force shaping, the tools announced July 26 were aimed primarily at reducing officer numbers.
"The enlisted force is currently in shape because we began the year already under end strength," said Maj. Wistaria Joseph, 71st MSS commander. "Eligible officers may now be force-shaped under are the Selective Early Retirement Board, Voluntary Separation Pay benefit or fiscal 2007 Force Shaping Board."
Line, chaplain and judge advocate general officers in the ranks of colonel and lieutenant colonel will be eligible for the SERB Jan. 8 to 19.
"We have excess officers in those ranks and as a result, the Secretary of the Air Force authorized a SERB to right-size those ranks," the major said. "Colonels are eligible if they have four or more years Time-In-Grade as of Jan. 8, 2007, and lieutenant colonels are eligible if they have been deferred from promotion two or more times." However, if these officers currently have an approved voluntary retirement date, are on a promotion list or are already scheduled for mandatory retirement in fiscal '07 or '08, they are not eligible. All active duty service commitment dates are waived for SERB eligible officers.
Applications are now being accepted for the VSP benefit. When applying, officers sign an agreement to serve in the Individual Ready Reserve for the duration of their military service obligation plus an additional three years. Those approved receive two times the rate of the standard involuntary separation pay, which means two times 10 percent of the applicant's monthly base pay on his or her Date of Separation, multiplied by 12 and then multiplied by the total number of years and full months of active service.
"Voluntary Separation Pay will be offered to line, chaplain, JAG and Medical Service Corps officers with more than six years but no more than exactly 12 years of completed service as of their requested DOS, who have completed at least five years of continuous active duty just prior to the requested DOS and are listed on the Air Force Personnel Center matrix as having a quota," Major Joseph said. The matrix is available at http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/retsep/ forceshaping/shape.htm. Officers in the Bio-medical Sciences Corps, Medical Corps, Dental Corps, Nurse Corps or Control and Recovery career fields are not eligible.
Applications should be submitted to the military personnel flight on an Air Force Form 780 annotating VSP. Major Joseph advised participants they should allow four to six weeks to receive word on their applications.
The fiscal '07 Force Shaping Board in March will consider 2004 Total Federal Commissioned Service Date-year group officers in overage career fields. The board will also consider judge advocates whose date of rank to captain was in 2003 and 2003 TFCSD line officers who weren't considered during the fiscal '06 board.
"Exceptions to this are chaplains, control and recovery, MSC, BSC, MC, DC and NC officers, who will not be considered," Major Joseph said. "Estimates indicate reductions in the 2003 and 2004 year group will need to be 930 officers."
Major Joseph also reviewed the other ongoing force shaping measures. On the enlisted side, the programs include the first-term Airmen's career job reservation program and the retraining program. Phase I, the voluntary phase of the retraining program, is projected to end this month. Phase II, the involuntary phase, will begin shortly after, targeting career fields that did not meet their target.
On the officer side, other force-shaping programs include voluntary programs for the '02 and '03 year groups, early retirement option for prior enlisted officers with more than eight years TFCS, assignment declination, Blue to Green or even employment with the civil service.
Officers applying for separation will not automatically be approved.
"Each functional area at AFPC will carefully review each package and make a final determination based on the overall needs of the Air Force," said Capt. Courtney Colby, 71st MSS MPF commander.