Airmen will need to “bring their A-game” because “performance is No. 1,” under the new enlisted evaluation and promotion systems, said CMSgt. Brandy Petzel, chief of enlisted force policy on the Air Staff. Speaking Sept. 17 at AFA’s Air & Space Conference in National Harbor, Md., Petzel said the changes are meant to ensure that performance is weighted more heavily than other factors. “We have had the same promotion system for 45 years with no significant changes,” said Petzel. “Now is the right time” to improve it. The Air Force announced in July that sweeping changes to the enlisted force’s evaluation systems would be made in the next few years. Changes began in August and will take up to 30 months to be fully implemented, she said.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.