Gradual Ramp Up at BMT

Manning among the military training instructor corps is at a “low point,” but Air Education and Training Command boss Gen. Edward Rice said he expects those numbers to “rapidly increase” every month from here on out. Speaking with reporters on Sept. 16 at AFA’s 2013 Air and Space Conference in National Harbor, Md., Rice said the Air Force is deliberating how to pace the build-up so as not to flood the MTI schoolhouse. “We’ve had some experience with that and, quite frankly, it hasn’t work out very well,” he said. He added, “We’re slowly building up the MTI workforce, so the steady state hasn’t been reached yet. In the interim, it’s more important for us to have at least two military training instructors per flight. In order to do that, we’re working some of our MTIs for longer hours, versus going shorter hours and having less coverage. We think we’re less vulnerable that way.” The goal, eventually, will be to have four MTIs, including at least one female—for every two flights at BMT. That will mean that 25 percent of the MTI corps working directly with the trainees will be female, said Rice. The changes were part of the recommendations made following the BMT sexual abuse scandal.