Air Force officials lift rated requirement for air liaison officers Published Jan. 7, 2011 By Master Sgt. Amaani Lyle Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Air Force officials announced here Jan. 7 the removal of the air liaison officer rated requirement, allowing any company grade officer, accession candidate or enlisted Airman the possibility of a career change. ALOs, once drawn strictly from fighter, bomber and air battle manager communities, now have the opportunity to apply to join the critically-manned career field in which they act as primary air power advisers to Army ground commanders, said Maj. Chris Wright, the ALO schoolhouse commander at Hurlburt Field, Fla. "More than ever, there is desperate need for ALOs to oversee execution of air operations in the ground commander's area of responsibility as smaller groups of ground forces continue to operate in a larger area of operations," Major Wright said. "As such, through their presence, munitions dropping, overhead monitoring or execution of aggressive transport or resupply missions, ALOs' support is vital." Major Wright contends ALOs have been the voice for air power at different echelons of ground command since their inception by the Army Air Forces in World War II and today's career ALOs will mold the career field into the 21st century. "Non-rated ALOs are Airmen, who while advising ground commanders, will ensure air-mindedness is retained, cultivated and properly incorporated into ground maneuver planning," Major Wright explained. "They are the linchpin to successfully synchronizing air and space power with ground force capability in an irregular warfare landscape." The second class of five non-rated ALOs recently graduated, and the pace will continue as service officials graduate one class per month for the next year, Major Wright said, adding non-rated ALOs can be mission ready in 12 months vice the average four years required to build a rated ALO officer. For more information, e-mail the career functional manager at A3O-AYJ.workflow@pentagon.af.mil.