Air Force offers ACP program in fiscal 2005

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  • By Tech. Sgt. David A. Jablonski
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  Certain rated officers can request an aviator continuation pay bonus option under fiscal 2005 program guidelines.

A five-year, fixed-length agreement option is available to eligible pilots, navigators and air battle managers.

Other options have been offered in recent years, but were curtailed this year in light of current and forecasted inventory, retention and market conditions. Air Force personnel officials said only aviators that meet initial eligible criteria may apply.

The ACP program is a tactical retention program. It targets specific rated-officer demographic groups to stabilize the inventory, provide accurate forecasts and, ultimately, maintain the Air Force’s warfighting capability.

“The target groups of officers are highly trained, motivated and experienced individuals,” said Lt. Col. Harrison Smith, chief of the Air Force rated-force policy branch at the Pentagon.

“We’re offering them an incentive to influence their stay-or-go decision dynamic,” Colonel Smith said. “We know they’re talented individuals with options -- not just limited to major airlines -- at the point where they could leave the Air Force. We’re offering an incentive to temper their decision to stay a little longer in the Air Force.”

Officials said many aviators continue to serve out of patriotism, regardless of incentives. But the goal is to influence as many officers as possible.

“ACP is good for the individual (and) good for families of Airmen who are working harder than ever, fighting for the safety and security of America at home and abroad,” said Maj. Kevin Therrien, chief of rated-force policy for mobility forces.

Agreement values in annual pretax amounts are $25,000 for pilots, $15,000 for navigators and $15,000 for air battle managers.

Initial eligibility is the only eligibility category under the program. Aviators who were eligible for ACP agreement options in previous fiscal years will not be eligible to apply for a fiscal 2005 agreement.

Officials defined initial eligibility individually for each of the three groups.

-- Pilots whose active-duty service commitment for undergraduate pilot training expires in fiscal 2005 and who have a minimum of nine years of aviation service as pilots are eligible. Initial eligible pilots may request a five-year agreement. Payments will be made in annual installments unless pilots opt to receive 50 percent of the total agreement value in the first year. If the 50 percent up-front option is elected, the remaining 50 percent of the bonus will be paid over the remaining four-year life of the agreement in equal annual payments. Once a pilot determines the desired payment terms and enters an ACP agreement specifying those payment terms, the payment terms become fixed and cannot be changed.

-- Navigators who reach nine years of aviation service during fiscal 2005 are eligible. Payment terms will be made as annual installments paid over the five-year life of the agreement. Navigators are only offered an annual payment option, not the 50 percent up-front option.

-- Air battle managers who attain a minimum of six years of rated aviation service -- computed from the date they receive their wings -- in fiscal 2005 are eligible. Any active-duty service commitment for the initial aeronautical rating must be complete. Payment terms will be made as annual installments paid over the five-year life of the agreement. They are only offered an annual payment option, not the 50 percent up-front option.

This year’s program is more straight forward, officials said. About 650 pilots, 250 navigators and 110 air battle managers are affected and can apply if they have the retainability now. These are mainly senior captains and junior majors. There is a grace period in effect through Dec. 31 for officers who were eligible as of Oct. 1.

To learn more about the program, visit www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/acp.