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News > AF initiates voluntary limited loadmaster recall
 
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AF initiates voluntary limited loadmaster recall

Posted 7/11/2012 Email story   Print story

    


by Debbie Gildea
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs


7/11/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard loadmasters may be eligible to apply for a limited period recall to extended active duty, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced.

The loadmaster career field is chronically undermanned, said Senior Master Sgt. Marvin Daugherty, AFPC accessions branch superintendent. Initiatives are underway to increase loadmaster manning levels from 82 to 95 percent by fiscal year 2014, he explained.

"While those initiatives are designed to address long-term loadmaster manning, this recall will help us address immediate combatant commander needs," he said. "We expect to bring a total of 110 ARC loadmasters on extended active duty during FY12 and FY13. They'll serve in active duty flying billets until manning initiatives mature."

Eligible applicants must be master sergeants or below, be current and qualified on their major weapon system, have less than 16 years of Total Active Federal Military Service by the end of their extended active duty period, and have a current qualifying flying Class III physical, said Daugherty.

Tours will be one or two years, during which time members will be eligible for deployment. While on extended active duty, members will remain affiliated with their AFR or ANG unit and will return to that unit when their active duty assignment ends.

AFR members must have Air Force Reserve Command Operations Director approval before coming on active duty, Daugherty said. In addition, ANG members may not be ordered to active duty without their governor's consent and a written endorsement from their adjutant general or commanding general.

AFR and ANG loadmasters may apply for the program through Oct. 31, 2013. All application packages must include the appropriate approval memorandum and/or applicable endorsements based on the individual component; a flying hour summary; AF Form 942, Flight Evaluation History; AF Forms 8, Certificate of Aircrew Qualification (last two qualifications and last two mission evaluations); flight record summary, and the flying Class III physical. The specific application requirements are provided on the Air Force Personnel Services website.

Interested AFR and ANG loadmasters should contact their local military personnel section for guidance on preparing and submitting the application package. For more information about the program and other personnel issues, visit the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil.



tabComments
7/29/2012 6:33:38 PM ET
I think this is a great program for the reserve component 'Guard Bums'. Most of these individuals already deploy with Active Duty. I would definitely participate with this program. Sure guys are getting the boot from failing PT scores but those standards are across the board and no exceptions for any career field. There are programs for failing Airmen that are willing. I give the Air Force an A for utilizing their resources to get the mission done locally or OCONUS.
Eric, USA
 
7/25/2012 4:06:34 PM ET
I hate seeing all these calls for volunteers into undermanned fields then being told to stop wasting my time due to no possibility for CV waiver. If they need bodies to fill spots that bad and applicants are otherwise qualified it should be a non-issue to look the other way for a simple issue that does not even affect performance or job capability.
Davis, Langley AFB
 
7/20/2012 12:51:17 PM ET
It is a great job, but we beat-up our airman. I know many C-130 loads who have deployed 8-10 times in their first few years. Our schedules are brutal even when we are on home station: local trainig, TDYs and exercises like everyone else. Right now units are doing 4 on, 8 off and that's a break from what it use to be. And if a load gets kicked out because of a PT failure, that's his/her fault. You're in the military and expected to be in a shape other than round.
NS, JB MDL
 
7/20/2012 11:07:53 AM ET
Well, if they would allow color vision waivers, they would have one more loadmaster.
randall, Nellis
 
7/12/2012 4:34:05 PM ET
The Loadmaster Career is an awesome enlisted one for sure. But there is so much responsiblity that is accompanied by back breaking work caveated with danger constant evaluations and little time with loved ones that it becomes a pretty hard road to keep driving down. Same for our dwindling force of flight engineers.. Really these enlilsted aircrew technicians should have the opportunity to advance into a Warrant Officer status at some point in their career - bring the WO back and people will have the needed incentive to stay in such a fine and difficult career.
Chris, AL
 
7/12/2012 3:02:51 PM ET
Honestly they should just eliminate the initial filter courses in Lackland and make the survial classes into onstation CBTs. You'll meet your goal anyone who is not worthy of being a loadmaster will just get filtered out via pt test.
Michael, North Carolina
 
7/12/2012 2:57:08 PM ET
I would have to agree with CJK for anyone that retired in the last 5 years as it must be hard to find a good job position unless they had a most critical skill needed by many. I have been retired 22 years after serving 22 years and did go through a rough 4 years back in 1993 because the Berlin wall came down and thew cold war cooled off but do I regret retiring well not since the Phantoms retired powered by the J79 engines that became my second career and loving it. 64 hoping to live past 100
SNCO Ret 89, Ohio
 
7/12/2012 2:41:25 PM ET
I am a Retired at 20. I never once thought I made a mistake. Loved my time in, but was glad to leave at 20 years and 21 days active. Why work for 12 pay after 20? Get out and enjoy life.
Steve, GA
 
7/12/2012 9:48:56 AM ET
I find it funny that the Air Force is booting loads for pt but then come out with this. So much emphasis put on something that matters so little.
CP, AR
 
7/12/2012 9:38:49 AM ET
Most likely the reason they are so undermanned is that so many fail out in Tech school. And so many don't get another chance because everyone is so focused and decreasing the over-all manning of the Air Force.
Nicole, Holloman AFB NM
 
7/11/2012 9:25:38 PM ET
For all those retirees that got out of the USAF on Monday and realized by Tuesday that they should have stayed in until they were forced out. Most common problem affecting retirees Retired at 20 Remorse.
CJK, Oklahoma
 
7/11/2012 8:26:08 PM ET
Loadmaster is awesome job. I'm not sure why were having such a hard time filling our manning levels.Looks like you need to add a few more incentives. Letting retrainies give their choices of assingments and find out those assingments before they head to EUAC would be a start.
eh , Peterson AFB
 
7/11/2012 3:31:20 PM ET
They should offer a significant cash bonus to those that are eligible...
Chris, AL
 
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