Like LinkedIn, but for Airmen

The Air Force in December is launching its own version of LinkedIn, giving airmen a chance to “define themselves” for new job opportunities within the service. The pilot program will combine traditional personnel data with opportunities for airmen to qualify their own characteristics, and let hiring authorities define what they are looking for and match with airmen, said Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso, the deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services, during an AFA-sponsored, Air Force event Wednesday in Arlington, Va. These matches will be compared with those from the traditional process to see which is better. The service is looking at “how do we think differently about matching people’s desires with [the need to fill] requirements in the Air Force,” while also attempting to make more airmen happy with their assignments. “It will be interesting to see how all of these ideas come together” and if the Air Force can build a “better assignment process than we have today.”