May 8, 2014, JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) – The Air Force will convene a fiscal year 2015 force management reduction in force board Oct. 1, 2014, to evaluate some captains and majors for continued retention, Air Force Personnel Center officials said May 6.
The RIF, combined with voluntary separation pay program and temporary early retirement authority options, is designed to reduce overages in Air Force specialty codes, to ensure Air Force compliance with congressionally mandated end strength while addressing current and emerging mission requirements, according to Col. Joe Atkins, the AFPC operations division chief.
“The board was originally scheduled for June 2014, but was rescheduled to prevent Airmen from meeting multiple boards in a short time span,” he said. “Since then, there have been some eligibility changes that Airmen need to be aware of. For example, the Air Force has removed some AFSCs because voluntary separations or retirements eliminated the need to reduce numbers in those AFSCs.”
Eligible year groups/competitive categories
Airmen eligible to meet the board include line of the Air Force and medical service corps captains in year groups 2006 through 2008; line of the Air Force majors in year groups 2001 through 2003; and medical service corps, dental corps, and medical corps majors in year groups 2000 through 2007 (computed by total active federal commissioned service date) in specified AFSCs, unless specifically excluded.
AFSCs and year groups vary depending on category, so eligible Airmen should review the matrices on the myPers website to determine if they are eligible.
The board will also consider LAF-judge advocate officers in the 2004, 2005 and 2006 captain year groups. LAF-J captain year groups are based on the year an officer was promoted to captain in the JAG corps or, if a prior-service officer, the captain year group an officer was placed into by the Air Force JA based upon service calculations.
VSP and TERA eligibility
Airmen slated to meet the RIF board will be eligible to apply for VSP and TERA. A new application window for both programs will open May 22-June 30.
VSP: Officers approved for VSP must separate by Dec. 31.
Officers must have more than six years of service to be eligible to apply for VSP. Applicants approved for VSP will receive 1.25 times the rate of full separation pay, provided they meet the minimum requirements of the program. Officers who are not selected for retention will be entitled to full separation pay.
TERA: RIF-eligible officers with 15 or more and fewer than 18 years of total active service are eligible to apply for TERA with a retirement date no later than Jan. 1, 2015.
Officers who are not selected for retention who have more than 15 years total active service, and more than eight years of active commissioned service by April 30, 2015, will be allowed to apply for TERA.
Eligibility exclusions
Some officers will not meet the RIF board, including the following:
– Officers with an approved date of separation on or before April 30, 2015, or who have an approved TERA retirement on or before May 1, 2015
– Officers who because of a deployment have an approved VSP or TERA separation date after April 30, 2015
– Officers on a promotion list as of the board convening date
– Officers with less than one year time in grade as of the board convening date
Critical program dates
May 9: Retention recommendation form accounting date (the officer’s senior rater is determined based on the unit the officer is assigned to on this date. RRFs must be typed and must be “wet signed”)
May 22: VSP/TERA application period starts
June 30: VSP/TERA application period ends
Sept. 25: Letters to the board must reach AFPC by 11:59 p.m.
Oct. 1: Board convenes
December: Selects/non-selects will be identified (dates to be announced)
Dec. 31: Separation date for officers approved for VSP (except those whose DOS has been extended to enable them to reach their six year and one day total active service date)
April 30, 2015: Separation date of officers who are not selected for retention
Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits
There will be no recoupment for officers who transferred Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits to family members prior to meeting the RIF board, or for those who transferred benefits prior to being approved for TERA or VSP. However, officers cannot transfer benefits after the board convenes or after they have been approved for TERA or VSP.
Transition assistance program, benefits
Officers who are not selected for retention, and those who are approved for TERA or VSP, should contact their local Airman and Family Readiness Center to schedule the mandatory Transition Assistance Program briefings.
For more information about the RIF board, as well as information about TERA and VSP, go to myPers. Select “search all components” from the drop down menu, enter “Force Management” and select the officer force management program link.