Air Force leaders announced a change Feb. 20 to the officer reduction in force board, or RIF, originally scheduled to convene June 16 at the Air Force Personnel Center. 

Air Force officials are adjusting the timing of the board until later in calendar year 2014 due to legal limitations governing RIF boards. The delay is necessary for the Air Force to meet required force management reductions but prevents Airmen from having to meet multiple boards in a short time span. The remaining officer and enlisted force management boards have not changed as there are no legal limitations impacting the timing of those boards.

The delay moves the RIF board into October with separations effective no later than April 30, 2015. 

“When we initially announced these force management programs in December, we knew the dynamic nature of the programs would result in some changes,” said Lt. Gen. Sam Cox, the deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. “While the change is necessary to ensure we operate within the law, it was equally important for us to keep our word and minimize the impact on Airmen.”

Changes to the scheduled RIF board date will result in changes to the eligible population. Some officers initially eligible to meet the June board will no longer be eligible as adjustments are made to year groups. Likewise, some officers who were not initially RIF eligible could now be eligible. 

In keeping with previous policy, all eligible officers will still receive at least six months’ notice prior to meeting the board. Specific details are being finalized and further guidance will be published by AFPC officials in the coming weeks.

Because the vast majority of officers remain eligible regardless of the board date, the voluntary separation pay, or VSP, application window will remain open to all officers in an overage Air Force Specialty Code or year group as indicated on the force management matrices.

Officers who have already submitted a VSP application in anticipation of being eligible for the June RIF, will have the option to withdraw their application if they are no longer eligible. The officer temporary early retirement authority application window remains unchanged.

For more information on force management, force shaping, reduction in force and other personnel programs, go to the myPers website.