Before the rush starts, be advised that the retired pilots, navigators, or air battle managers the Air Force wants to return to service must be younger than 60 years of age and lieutenant colonels or below. The service has decided to recall retired officers as another way to aid it rapid expansion of unmanned aerial vehicle operators. That does not mean that these returning airmen will get to pilot UAVs, because the Air Force needs some of them to serve in rated staff positions. According to a Feb. 5 release, the service will recall the officers for 24 to 48 months and they could be subject to deployment but will not be eligible for aviator continuation pay. Able-bodied rated officers have until the end of the year to apply. The Air Force Personnel Center has more information.
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.