There is a flip side to the planned increases for the Army and Marine Corps that also has raised some concern within the Air Force. With the number of 18 to 20 year olds shrinking, said Maj. Gen. Frank Faykes, Air Force budget director, the competition for these young people will increase within the military and the private sector. He said that it would be tougher for the Air Force to hit recruiting goals in the future. However, Faykes insisted, “We do not intend to lower our standards in any way.” USAF plans to bring on 43,000 new recruits in Fiscal 2008.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent direction that the military services return to a more old-school approach to basic training—with instructors "tossing bunks" and "putting their hands on recruits”—will likely require the Air Force to rewrite policies for military training instructors it has modified over time to cut down on such…
