The Air Force definitely is not cutting enlisted aviator career fields—at least not in the near future—because the service says it’s short. USAF officials are encouraging airmen who may be in vulnerable career fields to cross train as boom operators, flight engineers, loadmasters, airborne mission systems, airborne battle management, flight attendants, aerial gunners, and airborne cryptology linguists. It needs to fill these jobs now.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.