Airmen who were not previously eligible for voluntary separation might be eligible now, officials announced on April 7. Officers from 33 Air Force specialty codes by year group and enlisted airmen from seven AFSCs by grade are now eligible to apply for the program, while officers from 70 AFSCs by year group and enlisted airmen in 178 AFSCs by grade are no longer eligible to participate. “The changes are the result of already approved retirements and separations, as well as adjustments to the overall manpower requirements,” said Col. Joe Atkins, operations division chief, in an ACC release. Atkins reminds those who wish to apply that eligibility does not guarantee approval, and that approval is contingent on Air Force mission needs.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
