Close to 100 Percent on NCO Retraining: Air Force Personnel Center officials say the 2006 non-commissioned officer retraining program achieved 95 percent of its goal, making it the “most successful” effort to date. One thing that spurred NCOs to retrain into shortage career fields was the new Air Force policy that vulnerable individuals either retrain or get out. Some 36 NCOs who did not apply for retraining as requested now must separate from the service. Officials note that two of the 36 had been selected for promotion to technical sergeant but will not be able to pin on that rank.
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.