Air Force looking for pilots to return to active duty

[unhappycamper]

Air Force looking for pilots to return to active duty
By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Oct 25, 2008 6:47:52 EDT

The Air Force is trying to find out how many Reserve aviators would be willing to return to active duty and become pilots in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance jobs — just two years after some were paid to leave active duty early.

Lt. Gen. Richard Newton, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, sent a letter Oct. 3 to more than 900 members of the Ready Reserve to gauge volunteer interest.

Some volunteers would likely return to active duty for a limited time, according to the letter, while others could be allowed to serve as unmanned aerial vehicle pilots, manned ISR pilots and rated staff officers in the ISR community until retirement.

According to Air Force spokesman Capt. Mike Andrews, there is no set goal for how many reservists the Air Force wants to come back. “We have a significant shortage in rated officers in the near term, and hope the recall programs will help fill many of those requirements,” he said.

The recall letters were sent to 531 Individual Ready Reservists, 353 Participating Individual Ready Reservists and 31 chief pilots at various airlines. Volunteers are not being offered a financial incentive to return, Andrews said.


Rest of stop-loss article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/10/airforce_reserve_volunteers_102508/%2e

[goddess40]

1. McCain will be available soon nt