Committed: training, education, promotion may incur service obligation

Citizen Airman, Oct, 2003 by Jeff Schoen

As a result of a new Air Force Reserve Command policy directive, which went into effect Oct. 1, reservists who receive certain kinds of training, education and promotions also incur a corresponding service obligation.

"The Reserve service commitment policy accomplishes two goals," said Lt. Gen. James E. Sherrard III, AFRC commander. "First, the policy ensures a fair and equitable return to the Air Force Reserve and the American taxpayers. Second, it communicates to our members the period of obligated service they must complete before becoming eligible to separate, transfer or retire from the Selected Reserve."

The policy affects reservists in the Selected Reserve, the Individual Ready Reserve's Health Professions Scholarship Program and the IRR's Financial Assistance Program. The RSC includes unit program reservists, individual mobilization augmentees, and members serving in active Guard and Reserve positions.

Air Force reservists in the rank of colonel and below incur a service obligation if they attend formal training or education for 20 weeks or longer, receive a promotion in the top three enlisted grades, or enlist in the service for the first time.

"In the past, members, under certain circumstances, could attend initial training or complete a formal school, return to their Air Force Reserve assignment and request reassignment to inactive status without completely fulfilling their commitment," said Lt. Col. Paul W. Kirby, chief of the Personnel Programs and Training Division in the Office of Air Force Reserve, Washington, D.C. "Everyone wins when reservists acquire new skills through training and education, but the Air Force Reserve loses if members leave prematurely.

"Take pilot training, for example. Most people do not realize the significant investment of time and money involved for a pilot to reach full operational competence. It takes approximately two to three years of training time and costs up to $6 million. That's a significant investment. If we allow that person to simply leave without incurring a service commitment, the country loses its investment of both financial resources and time."

In the past, the Air Force Reserve has had policies that attempted to link service commitments and training for people in certain career fields, such as pilots and health-care professionals, but these policies often lacked the "teeth" needed to enforce them, Kirby said.

"This (new) policy standardizes, streamlines and provides the means to enforce the various commitment policies by providing a single-source document that clearly communicates the required commitments to the members," Kirby said. "We worked hard to create a system that treats people fairly."

Reserve compiles list of service obligations

As of Oct. 1 reservists and those planning to join the Air Force Reserve incur a service obligation for certain kinds of training, education and promotions.

Following are the events affected by Air Force Reserve Command's Reserve service commitment policy and the corresponding lengths of service required:

* Undergraduate pilot training, 10 years.

* Undergraduate navigator training, six years.

* Air battle manager undergraduate training, six years.

* Non-prior service enlistment, six years or term of enlistment.

* In-residence doctoral medical/dental education or technical training for 20 weeks or longer, five years concurrent with other service commitments.

* Line, chaplain and judge advocate officer commissioning from the Academy of Military Science, McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tenn., and Officer Training School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., four years.

* Military physician assistant training, four years.

* In-residence advanced flying training, three years. This includes initial qualification and re-qualification training for test pilot school students, navigators and enlisted flight engineers on fixed or rotary-wing aircraft. The applicable advanced flying training courses will be listed on the Air Education and Training Command Web site. AETC pilot instructor training pilots who transfer without a break in flying to another AETC non-military weapons system aircraft, after completing initial training, do not incur an additional commitment.

* In-residence Air Force weapons instructor course, three years for all Air Force specialty codes.

* In-residence education or technical school training for 20 weeks or more, three years.

* In-residence non-doctoral medical/dental education or technical training for 20 weeks or longer, three years concurrent with other service commitments.

* Officer in-residence professional military education at intermediate or senior service school, three years.

* Direct accession of health profession officer, three years minimum term of service.

* Promotions to E-7, E-8 and E-9, two years or date of high year of tenure, whichever is less. Commissioned officer promotions are not affected per the Reserve Officer Personnel Management Act.

* Officer tuition assistance, two years per Air Force Instruction, 36-2306, Education Services Program.