Air Force officials to begin involuntary phase of retraining for NCOs

  • Published
  • By April Rowden
  • Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) --  In order to rebalance the NCO force, more than 700 Airmen volunteered this fall to retrain through the NCO retraining program. However, more than 300 additional Airmen are needed to retrain to ensure all career fields are equally manned.

Phase II, which identifies non-volunteers for retraining, begins Dec. 14. Airmen have until Jan. 22, 2010, to submit a completed retraining package for the Air Force specialty code for which they are selected.

Any Airman identified to retrain and who fails to submit the initial retraining application by this date will be determined to have officially declined retraining and will be separated from the Air Force on their current date of separation.

"Airmen selected for retraining who have the necessary retainability cannot decline retraining," said Master Sgt. Dee Mathis, the superintendent of Air Force enlisted retraining at the Air Force Personnel Center here. "All Airmen identified as being retraining eligible must retrain or face separation under guidelines established for the retraining program."

The master retraining listing by AFSC and grade will be updated weekly on AFPC's virtual Military Personnel Flight. Airmen should click on the retraining button to view current information.

Phase II will end when retraining quotas are met, but not later than Feb. 1, 2010.

"This phase of the retraining program is necessary to help meet the needs of the Air Force by putting Airmen where they are needed most," Sergeant Mathis said. "We will work with those Airmen who are selected for retraining, as we would any retraining case, in order to make the transition as smooth as possible for the Airmen and their families while still meeting the needs of the Air Force."

For more information on NCORP, visit AFPC's "ASK" Web site and search the keyword "retraining." Airmen can also contact their MPS, career development section, their base career assistance advisor or the Air Force Total Force Service Center at (800) 525-0102.