The Air Force will hold an enlisted quality force review board May 5-16 to consider airmen for retention who have negative marks on their record, Air Force Personnel Command announced Jan. 3. Such negative indicators include airmen who are awaiting retraining due to disqualification, those awaiting discharge for cause, grade reductions, rank that is not commensurate with years of service, career field skill level that is not commensurate with grade, those who have a suspended Article 15 punishment, or have poor fitness assessments, states the release. The board will consider airmen with less than 18 years or 20 or more years of service as of Dec. 12, 2013, as long as they meet certain criteria. Airmen who have 20 or more years who are not selected for retention must retire by Oct. 1, states the release. Airmen with less than 18 years of service who are not selected for retirement must separate by Sept. 29. Lt. Col. Rick Garcia, AFPC retirements and separations branch chief, noted that airmen must apply for retirement. “It’s not automatically given,” he said.
Trainees in Basic Military Training and technical school no longer have the option to try alternate PT drills if they fail an initial assessment, according to a policy change the Air Force made in April. The move is part of a larger shift out of the classroom and into hands-on,…