The Obama administration is finding out that not even six-figure bonuses can keep experienced military pilots in the Air Force — they just want to fly.
Because military budget cuts have restricted fighter pilots’ flight time, they’re turning down the Air Force’s $225,000 offer for a nine-year commitment, according to the Air Force Times.
“If you’re not flying your F-22 because it’s grounded, you might as well go fly something else,” acting Air Force Secretary Eric Fanning said.
Only a few pilots have taken advantage of the bonus since it was offered in June, Fanning said. Much like the number of Obamacare enrollees, no specific number was provided.
The Air Force Times reported:
The Air Force cannot compete with increasingly lucrative offers from the private sector, Fanning said. Private airlines are facing a large number of retirements in their pilot ranks and are going after Air Force pilots to fill their cockpits. That, combined with recent groundings of Air Force squadrons and fiscal uncertainty, is making it difficult to get long-term commitments from pilots in exchange for the bonus.
“They aren’t taking it because they aren’t flying,” Fanning said. “They don’t know what their future is.”
Pilots have become “bored” ever since their squadrons have essentially been grounded, according to Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh’s Nov. 7 testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“That doesn’t mean they’re planning to leave the Air Force, but it certainly means they are keeping their options open, at a minimum,” he said.
That attitude has filtered down to enlisted personnel, who want to find something “a little more exciting” now that their squadrons aren’t flying, Welsh added.
Thirteen fighter squadrons were grounded in fiscal year 2013 because of sequestration. Many of the remaining squadrons have had their flying time cut back, leaving the United States at a reduced state of readiness.
The Air Force Times reported:
If the budget cuts continue, the Air Force will be forced to ground more squadrons in both fiscal 2014 and 2015, Fanning said. The service also would be forced to cut 25,000 airmen and more than 500 aircraft over the next five years, with most of the cuts coming sooner rather than later.
“It’s going to take five years to dig out of this,” Fanning said Thursday at a Defense One summit in Washington, D.C., the Times reported.
Thankfully, however, the first lady’s “Let’s Move!” campaign is still fully funded.
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out Texas mom speaks out about viral letter to Obama: ‘I’m one of millions’
[poll id=”138″]
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- ‘Act like a grownup’: Drunk driver sobs when she loses plea deal by coming 4 hours late to court - July 23, 2017
- ‘I would’ve fired her the day I met her’: Glenn Beck reveals more about Tomi Lahren mess - July 23, 2017
- Canadian thug beats 74-year-old cyclist bloody with a club in road rage fit– and they say US is more violent? - July 23, 2017
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
Comments are closed.