Air Force sets aside funds for senior NCOs, medical personnel

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Air Force sets aside funds for senior NCOs, medical personnel
By Leo Shane III, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Wednesday, February 6, 2008

WASHINGTON — The Air Force’s fiscal 2009 budget proposal has extra money set aside for senior noncommissioned officers and medical personnel, in an effort to keep them in the ranks.

The $117 billion budget proposal, a 7.9 percent increase from the fiscal 2008, funds construction of 93 new aircraft, a $1 billion bump in munitions, and $240 million more for permanent change of station funding.

But Air Force officials highlighted $627 million set aside for special pay and bonuses, noting that a handful of gaps have raised concern after an otherwise positive year of recruiting and retention.

“We met our 2007 goals, but we do have concerns in some hard-to-fill skills like medical personnel and pararescue,” said Maj. Gen. Larry Spencer, deputy assistant secretary for budget for the service.

“We’ve also got some negative trending in our 6- to 14-year NCOs retention. So we’re building in new bonuses.”


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52234