The Air Force will likely have to resort to involuntary separation efforts to cut manning to authorized end strength levels in Fiscal 2015, Air Force manpower chief Lt. Gen. Samuel Cox told Senate legislators Wednesday. “The Air Force would prefer to reduce the force [over the next five years] through voluntary measures alone,” Cox told the Senate Armed Services Committee’s personnel panel on April 9. Given high retention rates, the Air Force plans to “accelerate” voluntary force management programs in Fiscal 14, he said. In FY ’15, however, the “military end strength reductions will require a more aggressive approach,” stressed Cox noting that the Air Force will add involuntary force shaping, reduction, review, and quality of force boards, on top of the FY ’14 voluntary measures. (Cox prepared testimony.)
As the Air Force readied for its June 21-22 strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, the service was also putting its Agile Combat Employment strategy into action, dispersing combat aircraft and Airmen from Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in preparation for a possible Iranian retaliatory attack. Some defense experts say…
