The Air Force has been meeting goals as it expands its force of much-in-demand battlefield airmen, according to Lt. Gen. Roger Brady, deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel. The service is gaining new members for these critical specialties from a combination of cross training from other fields and external recruiting efforts. The Air Force also has started conducting some “prep coursework” to offset the high attrition rate as prospective recruits undergo the demanding training needed to enter one of the battlefield airmen fields, explained Brady. Consequently, he said, the recruits are better prepared for the grueling tests. (Learn more about “The Ground Warriors of Airpower.”)
The Air Force achieved its goal of recruiting 32,750 Active-Duty enlisted Airmen for 2026 five months ahead of schedule, military officials said this week—its biggest recruiting year in more than two decades.