Air Force may recall up to 1,000 retired military pilots to address 'acute shortage'

http://abcnews.go.com/US/air-force-r...ry?id=50629597

The United States Air Force could recall as many as 1,000 retired military
pilots to active-duty service to address an acute shortage in its ranks.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday allowing the Air Force
to call back to service up to 1,000 retired aviation officers who wish to
return, the White House and the Pentagon announced.

By law, only 25 retired pilots can be recalled through voluntary programs to
serve in any one branch. Trump's executive order temporarily removes this limit
by expanding a state of national emergency declared by President George W. Bush
after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 as part of efforts "to mitigate
the Air Force's acute shortage of pilots," according to Pentagon spokesman Navy
Commander Gary Ross.

Secretary of Air Force Heather Wilson has said the service was short 1,555
pilots at the end of the 2016 fiscal year, including 1,211 fighter pilots.

To help make the pilot job more attractive, the Air Force expanded its aviation
bonus program in August and increased incentive pay earlier this month for
officers and enlisted crew members for the first time since 1999, according to
Wilson.

“We need to retain our experienced pilots and these are some examples of how
we’re working to do that,” Wilson said in a statement announcing the new
measures on Aug. 25. “We can’t afford not to compensate our talented aviators at
a time when [commercial] airlines are hiring unprecedented numbers.”

On Friday, the government announced it was going further with a recall of
retirees into active service.

"We anticipate that the Secretary of Defense will delegate the authority to the
Secretary of the Air Force to recall up to 1,000 retired pilots for up to three
years," Ross said in a statement Friday. "The pilot supply shortage is a
national level challenge that could have adverse effects on all aspects of both
the government and commercial aviation sectors for years to come,"




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