News

Force shaping board meets in 2006

October 28, 2005
Master Sgt. Mitch Gettle
Air Force Print News

Board
meets in Texas

RANDOLPH AIR FORCE
BASE, Texas – In an effort to right size and shape its future force,
Air Force officials approved an annual board to evaluate officers for
continued service at their three-year point. The board will be part of
the service’s force management program.

The first force shaping board is scheduled to convene at the Air Force
Personnel Center here April 3, 2006.

The board will evaluate active duty line officers in the 2002 and 2003
accession year groups – except officers with less than two years
current active service or 15 or more years of active service as of Sept.
29, 2006.

The board’s objective is to shape the future force by retaining
officers the Air Force needs to develop as future leaders. The board will
make its determination based on the information in the officers’
central selection record and Retention Recommendation Form.

The central selection record includes:

— Officer selection brief,

— Officer performance reports,

— Decorations,

— Letters of evaluation. Permanent change of station students (such
as those at intelligence school or attending the Air Force Institute of
Technology) will not have a completed Retention Recommendation Form. Instead,
their host wing commander will complete a letter of evaluation outlining
the officer’s training program and performance.

— Letter to the board. Board-eligible officers are authorized to
submit a letter to the board to provide additional information relevant
to the board decision process that is not included in any other documents
in the central selection record.

— Retention
Recommen-dation Form: The first O-6 or GS-15 in the officer’s chain
of command will write a nine-line narrative and make a recommendation.
The senior rater will review the form and either concur or non-concur
with the initial reviewer’s recommendation. The senior rater will
also provide a mandatory ranking on all officers in their unit by accession
year group and Air Force Specialty Code.

A general officer is scheduled to visit nearly every base to further explain
the board process and how it fits into the service’s overall force
management program. Likewise, they will ensure Airmen are aware of the
current voluntary separation initiatives.

Air Force leaders had hoped to reduce the line officer corps through a
robust voluntary Force Shaping Program.

The program continues to offer interested officers the following separation
options, which may also include a waiver for recouping education costs.

Voluntary Separation Programs

— Limited Active Duty Service Commitment waivers: This program allows
individuals to separate before the expiration of certain active duty service
commitments.

— Air Force Reserve Palace Chase

— Air National Guard Palace Chase

— Army Blue to Green

Opportunities exist for Airmen to continue to serve their country through
federal civilian employment.

On March 1, these voluntary initiatives close to FSB eligible officers
as the personnel center will no longer accept separation applications
from these officers.

For more information about the board and volunteer separation opportunities,
visit the AFPC Force Shaping Website, at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/retsep/shape.htm,
or call the Air Force Personnel Contact Center at (800) 616-3775.

  

WASHINGTON –A force shaping board will convene in 2006 and continue to meet annually to properly shape the officer corps to meet emerging Air Force needs.

Instituted by the Air Force, the board will be a regular aspect of force management and development in the future.

Authorized by the Secretary of the Air Force, the board convenes at the Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base in April.
Force shaping efforts started in 2004 and evolved in an effort to meet congressionally mandated fiscal year end strength requirements and maintain a balanced force.

“The force shaping board is another aspect of our force management and development,” said Brig. Gen. Glenn F. Spears, Air Force director of force management policy. “We must have a balanced force of officers and enlisted Airmen to meet the missions of today and tomorrow.”

The Air Force began fiscal year 2006 with a force imbalance. It was under strength by approximately 6,000 enlisted and over strength by approximately 3,000 officers.

A current excess of nearly 4,000 officers – primarily from the 2000 to 2004 commissioning years – make worse the imbalance and has a long-range impact on the effective development of the officer corps and the ability to access sustainable numbers of enlisted Airmen. Despite an aggressive voluntary force shaping campaign, the Air Force has
not achieved the balance of officer to enlisted Airmen through existing voluntary means.

Congress recently gave each service secretary increased authority to proactively manage their junior officer corps through force shaping efforts.
“The Air Force values the service and sacrifice of all Airmen who volunteer to serve, and separating officers is a difficult decision that we do not take lightly,” General Spears said. “This first force shaping process will ‘select-in’ approximately 7,800 line officers commissioned in 2002 and 2003 to continue to serve in our active Air Force.”

Eligible officers may continue to apply for voluntary separation until March 1, 2006 using the force shaping initiatives already approved.

Subsequent boards will consider officers commissioned three years earlier. For example, the 2007 board will evaluate officers commissioned in 2004.
“We value the service of all our Airmen,” General Spears said. “Voluntary force shaping initiatives, and the force shaping board, are key aspects of our force management and development.

“Our Airmen have many opportunities to serve – in the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard, as Air Force civilians or in the Army,” the general said.
“We encourage Airmen in the affected year groups to pursue those opportunities to continue service to our great nation.”

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