The Air Force must cut 3,090 enlisted members by Sept. 30 to meet its 2007 force shaping goals based on last year’s higher than anticipated retention. To help reach the 3K cut, the service plans to roll back dates of separation—already used once this year—targeting airmen with less than 14 years or more than 20 years of service. Airmen caught in the new DOS web must exit the service by Aug. 1. The service also is offering two programs that waive service commitments to encourage some airmen to retire early or leave the service. It used the limited waiver of commitments last year to retire early some 524 master and technical sergeants, coming up short of its goal, so USAF has extended the window of opportunity to April 30 to apply. The other commitment waiver program targets airmen who have more than six but less than 11 years of service in a limited number of career fields.
The 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first standalone Reserve unit in the Air Force to get its own F-35s, welcoming the first fighter Nov. 5.