A number of current and former airmen discussed their thoughts on why women are leaving the Air Force during a panel discussion at the Joint Women’s Leadership Symposium in National Harbor, Md., on June 7. Speaking before some 150 service women and civilians, they cited wanting to start a family, bad mentorship, and loss of passion for the job, as some of the reasons women might give up the uniform, according to a June 8 release. “We are promoting (airmen) at a fast rate to try to keep the retention rates up, but we aren’t giving them the training that they need,” said CMSgt. Trae King, command chief for the 633rd ABW at JB Langley-Eustis, Va. Lt. Col. Tiaa Henderson, USAF policy integration branch chief, emphasized the importance of supervisors. Henderson noted she once shared a computer with a coworker who played Solitaire all day. “I could have been easily discouraged at the onset based on that supervisor,” she said. The panel included Henderson; King; Gail Lee, a former Air Force major; and Capt. Amanda Mason, a Reservist and founder of Project Enyo. (Report by Desiree N. Palacios)
Boeing’s receipt of the 10th lot contract award for the KC-46 Pegasus this week leaves just three lots left to complete the Air Force’s buy of the tanker, although a further buy of 75 additional aircraft as a “bridge” to the Next-Generation Aerial-refueling System (NGAS) seems increasingly likely.