March 13, 2014, WASHINGTON (AFNS) – Late last week, Air Force officials initiated a strategic pause to all force management programs to fully evaluate potential changes to the timing, composition and eligibility criteria for each program based on budget adjustments and early lessons learned.
“Complex strategies are rarely perfect from their inception but evolve as new information and feedback allows them to be refined and improved,” said Lt. Gen. Sam Cox, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. “The same is true of the Air Force’s current force management programs.”
During the pause, the general encourages eligible officers and enlisted Airmen to continue applying for the Temporary Early Retirement Authority and Voluntary Separation Pay programs. The current TERA application window remains open to March 26 and the VSP application window is open to May 1.
“Today, in some specific categories, the applications are being fully processed and approved; for other categories we are very close on final programmatic decisions and delegated decision authorities which will allow us to finish processing applications and begin notifying Airmen of the status of their applications,” Cox said.
Each application will be evaluated on its own merits within each particular Air Force specialty code, grade and year group. Cox said decisions will focus on the needs of the Air Force mission and take into account such factors as remaining active-duty service commitment, pending assignment and commander recommendations.
“When we first announced our force management programs, we noted the dynamic environment would certainly result in changes as we balance being responsive to Air Force needs with remaining fair, understandable and transparent for our Airmen,” Cox said. “Clear and quick communication of any future changes to the field will be a continuing priority.”
Cox said Airmen should continue to reference official Air Force sources for the most up-to-date information on force management programs. Official news regarding these programs is published to www.af.mil and www.afpc.af.mil.
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