The Air Force has notified 1,100 noncommissioned officers that they must retrain into shortage career fields or face separation as part of its Fiscal 2007 force-shaping plan. Officials said earlier this week that the service must shed some 8,000 officers by Sept. 30, 2007, but that it has the right number of enlisted personnel—but apparently not necessarily in the right jobs. Vulnerable NCOs must select a new career field by Sept. 18 of this year, or the Air Force will do it for them—or separate them. Officials say that last year’s NCO retraining effort was largely successful; they only forced out 36 individuals.
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.