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News > AF announces 2012 aviator continuation pay program
AF announces 2012 aviator continuation pay program

Posted 3/27/2012 Email story   Print story

    


by Debbie Gildea
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs


3/27/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Air Force officials released the details of fiscal 2012 Aviator Continuation Pay program this week, with continuing focus on retaining highly-qualified manned and remotely piloted aircraft rated crew members.

The ACP program gives some pilots and combat systems officers the opportunity for a financial bonus in exchange for an active duty service commitment agreement, said Lt. Col. Gerard Ryan, the Rated Force Policy Branch chief.

"ACP is one of the programs we use to retain skill sets in the rated community," said Ryan. "Our focus is more than today or a year from today; we're working to develop the right experience and skills to support future Air Force and joint warfighter mission requirements."

There are five ACP options for eligible Airmen, ranging from a five-year agreement for initial-eligible pilots to a three-, four- or five-year agreement for uncommitted-eligible combat system officers trained as RPA pilots, he explained. Each option offers different payment amounts and installment terms, which are fully-explained in the ACP program announcement available on the Air Force Personnel Services website.

"Our goal this year is to influence retention in very specific mission areas based on forecasted shortages," Ryan said. "While the program is open to all initial eligible pilots, this year's program further incentivizes our critical shortages in RPA and fighter pilots with a 50-percent-upfront payment option. Uncommitted pilots with fewer than 13 years service and fighter (combat systems officers) who will complete their active duty service commitment this fiscal year are also eligible for this program."

The fiscal 2012 ACP program was developed with an eye on future requirements resulting from the recently announced force structure changes, said Col. Ken Sersun, the Military Force Policy Division chief.

It is one of many force management tools that enable leaders to develop balanced, trained and experienced forces composed of professionals in critical war-fighting career fields, said Sersun.

"It takes time and a significant monetary investment to train and develop our rated aircrew," the colonel explained. "Consequently, ACP is a program aimed at retaining critical warfighting experience."

For more information about the ACP program or other personnel issues, visit the Air Force Personnel Services website at https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil.



tabComments
4/1/2012 8:25:59 AM ET
Here are the facts. It takes a long time to train a pilot a longer time to train a fighter pilot and an even longer time to get that pilot experienced and through the upgrades. You cannot simply replace one pilot with another and the Air Force needs to retain that experience. In a perfect world they would only give the bonus to the exact people that it wants to retain but that is impossible. The only career fields I can think of that would be almost as difficult to replace are CCT and pararescue and I'm pretty sure they get a bonus also. True the Air Force turns away and washes pilots out of training you don't want pilots out there who don't make the cut. You can't just overload the pipeline because we don't have the capacity at pilot training or at the follow on training. Force shaping kicked out pilots too I'm sorry but it was a quality cut and if you got force shaped you can waste time blaming someone else or you can learn from the opportunity. The airlines have sta
Aviator, Deployed
 
3/30/2012 12:02:37 PM ET
There are currently 78 enlisted critical AFSC's with Selective Reenlistment Bonuses. If your crying about getting yours then cross train. Some of those reenlistment bonuses can reach 90K which is not that much less than what is being offered to rated officers.
Stop your whining, AF
 
3/30/2012 9:01:44 AM ET
Here is my problem with these types of payincentive. First have you ever met anyone who stayed or left the USAF because of a bonus I know many that were going to stay anyways that collected the retention bonus and I know many that were going to get out anyways so they took VSP. That applies to ALL AFSCs that I have been around in my career. Secondly in reference to this particular bonus people choose to be a pilot. Flight pay incentive pays etc should not be offered to a career field that has so many applicants that it turns them away.
Paul, Hanscom
 
3/29/2012 3:56:59 PM ET
Remember....pilots run the Air Force. The generals in charge will ALWAYS look out for the pilots. If you want to retain pilots the first thing to do is to INCREASE the active duty commitment for pilot training. That costs the Air Force nothing and will not reduce the number of pilots. Won't happen because pilots rule. The Air Force will cut the number of planes but keep the same number of pilots. How does that make sense
Jerry, Oklahoma
 
3/29/2012 2:52:00 PM ET
I want to congratulate the aviators who will be receiving this special pay. I'm glad that I was force shaped leaving a flightline maintenance unit even more shorthanded and someone else having to bear the extra burden of the workload that I no longer can accomplish. Rated and unreated pilots are what makes the Air Force a success they deserve the extra money Let's start making all aviators pay tax free They deserve it
Same, Here
 
3/28/2012 2:41:45 PM ET
Hmm...do more with less, right size the force, fiscal austerity, what is wrong with this picture? These bonuses were designed to retain personnel when there was a robust civilian demand for their skills. Last time I checked, the airlines weren't really hiring. Why are we still giving out ACP?
Unsilent Majority, Virginia
 
3/28/2012 10:24:45 AM ET
What about the rest of us who don't fly airplanes or RPA's Don't we also deserve money to help retain critical warfighting experience My career field has one of the highest deployment ops tempo in the Air Force
Non-aviator, Deployed
 
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