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.
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,…