Officials offer incentive pay at Creech Published July 17, 2008 By Master Sgt. Kat Bailey Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- Air Force officials have authorized assignment incentive pay, or AIP, for Airmen assigned to and performing duty at Creech Air Force Base, Nev., effective immediately. Airmen who meet the eligibility criteria will receive $300 AIP per month for the first 36 months assigned to a Creech AFB unit, and $750 per month for service beyond three years. Airmen should start receiving incentive pay within two pay periods retroactive to signing the written agreement. Air Force officials have had a significant challenge meeting the authorized strength at Creech and rely on temporary duty Airmen to meet the demands of an ever-growing unmanned aircraft systems operation. Officials in the office of the secretary of defense asked Air Force specialists to look at incentive options to help increase numbers at Creech. The operations tempo at Creech is ramping up quickly and will double in size in the next two years to support the more than doubling in the number of missions over the original program of record. A further major reason for the incentive pay is that Creech, located about an hour from Nellis AFB and north of Las Vegas, Nev., lacks many quality-of-life facilities including a child development center, base exchange, permanent fitness center or commissary, forcing Airmen to get services at local-market value. A lack of housing options, forcing Airmen to live a considerable distance from the base, was also a contributing factor. "This incentive helps offset the combined effects of a high ops tempo, austere duty location, lack of quality-of-life factors on base and immediate surrounding area, and the need to retain the skills for longer periods at this location," said Lt. Col. Lisa Pike, assignments chief at the Air Force Personnel Center's Joint Officer Management and Classification Policy Branch. The plan is to attract and retain Airmen for high operations tempo assignments at this developing location in a challenging environment. AIP is a flexible tool to ensure assignment stability for Airmen and continuity of expertise for the mission, said Colonel Pike. Creech personnel support and fly unmanned aircraft from the continental United States daily, engaging in combat operations and providing an unmatched aerial and direct attack capability to America's deployed warriors. This concept provides combatant commanders warfighting capacity while decreasing personnel footprint and logistics in theater. "The sum of many factors led to this incentive pay being offered...taking care of our people, mission effectiveness and readiness and enhancing assignment stability at this location," said Colonel Pike. Airmen must be permanently assigned to an Air Force unit or element at Creech and sign a written agreement for 36 or more months to receive the AIP. The AIP payment terminates on the Airman's departure date from Creech. AIP is not an entitlement and as such may be discontinued at any time. For more information, visit the AFPC "Ask" Web site; search for "Creech." You also can get more information through the 24-hour Air Force Contact Center at (800) 616-3775. Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link) View the comments/letters page