Is it time for a change in personnel management from recruitment to retirement?

LTC Yinon Weiss first introduced me to the concept that a member's entire career should be viewed as a transition period about one year ago and I have taken it to heart. I share that mindset with all airmen I come into contact now and try to stress the fact that you WILL take the uniform off some day so you need to treat your entire career as a transition and not wait for TAPS. SFC (Join to see) I like the idea of taking it one step further and showing them possibilities at the recruiting office on where their career might end up taking them. I am actually going to take this idea up the chain and see if we can add certifications that are available in my AFS to our enlisted classification directory.

I in my opinion as a private, think that we should have a class so to speak on things we should start doing. "Start em' young". Fresh outta basic. Tell them about things you start doing. Starting a savings and have X% taken each check and directed to that account. Set up TSPs, start IRAs. After so many months/years have another class. To continue to build on it.

This would require a significant change in attitude from the norm. After you are retired, the "company" no longer cares about you because you aren't THEIR responsibility. No matter what you do as a retiree, you can't impact Unit XXX or mission accomplishment of Unit YYY.

Personal development should be on the individual. If you feel you HAVE to get a degree, you'll find a way - even if it takes 15 years to get an AA. Most don't feel that way - and their decision is on them.