The Air Force has converted its first group of non-union civilian employees to the new National Security Personnel System, which is still embroiled in a legal dispute with unions. An NSPS official said last week that the process to convert the 3,100 lucky individuals of Spiral 1.1 who work at the Air Force Audit Agency, Air Force headquarters, and Tinker AFB, Okla., “went very well.” The next group, Spiral 1.2, will be ushered into the system in October, followed by Spiral 1.3 in January 2007.
The United States Air Force is flying less than historic norms and funding for acquisition and readiness is on a path to further hollow out this too small and old force to that is incapable of sustaining an enduring combat air campaign.

