The Air Force on Wednesday launched its Fiscal 2012 Noncommissioned Officer Retraining Program to give about 900 second-term and career enlisted airmen the opportunity to shift from overage Air Force Specialty Codes to in-demand career fields that are short of personnel. Thirty AFSCs have been tapped for “retraining-out requirements,” meaning airmen in those fields can volunteer during the first phase of this initiative to change jobs. That’s an increase of five from Fiscal 2011, according to Air Force Personnel Center officials. Six specialties have “retraining-in restrictions,” which means that airmen in those fields are required to retrain in specific areas. Phase one runs through Aug. 6 for restricted fields and Sept. 16 for unrestricted ones. A second phase will immediately follow if there still is a need. (Randolph report by Jon Hanson)
Pentagon officials overseeing homeland counter-drone strategy told lawmakers that even with preliminary moves to bolster U.S. base defenses, the military still lacks the capability to comprehensively identify, track, and engage hostile drones like those that breached the airspace of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia for 17 days in December…