Air Force Staff Sergeant Promotions Lowest in Years, Part of Bigger Slowdown

The Air Force did it to themselves when they did the great Staff Sergeant give away back in the early 2000 and it never really slowed down. They were promoting people who did not have the experience and they just wanted to retain people. Now they are paying for it.

Experience counts! Especially in leadership positions. It looks like the AF is trying to reshape the enlisted personnel force structure to make sure airmen who are promoted into leadership roles actually have both technical qualifications and experience. The AF doesn't need a bunch of first-term E-5s, IMO. Unfortunately, the current group of E-4s will have to suffer through lower promotion rates until the numbers are corrected.

Next the AF needs to look at the officer force structure. I heard rumors of promotion rates to major in excess of 80% in previous years. This is bound to have produced too many field-grade officers making the Service top heavy. This will be difficult to correct with current up-or-out laws and rules. The promotion rates may have to come down to balance the force. Look for the Air Force to take another look at extending twice-deferred O-3s to 20-year retirement in some AFSCs creating DeFacto limited duty officers. Could go as far as reconsidering a limited duty track for pilots and other aircrew who don't want to command or even taking a look at bringing back Warrant Officers.

Yea, let’s go brandon