My wife, whose name I do not want to release, was a casualty of last year’s force-shaping board that ended the careers of 200-plus officers. She was in the 2009 61B group (behavioral science/human scientist), although she had been working as a 62EF (developmental engineer) since arriving at Edwards Air Force Base, California, in April 2014. When the results were released, her entire squad said the decision was shortsighted, and they couldn’t believe she was being cut. This got me interested in looking through the Air Force Personnel Center database that we had been using to keep track of her position in her Air Force specialty code year group leading up to the board date.
On Jan. 12, the database was updated to reflect the full effect of the cuts to her career field. The board was supposed to trim her group from 14 or 15 officers to six. The board instead reduced the group to five.
The oddities in the results came from how the board made the cuts. At the time of the board, nine of the officers had the same duty and core AFSC. The other five were working under a different duty AFSC. The board cut all but one of the officers who were not working under their core AFSC.
The officer who was allowed to stay in while under a different duty AFSC was working as a 44FX, a family physician. This officer was added to the group a few weeks before the board met. I was under the impression that medical AFSCs were grouped separately from the regular officer corps when it came to personnel decisions.
I looked at the year group below my wife as well. The board eliminated all officers not working as 61B besides one student (92S student officer authorization).
These decisions seem to be without merit and made simply to avoid real decisions. They hit us even harder because my wife had changed her duty AFSC to a 62E thinking it was a more impressive AFSC for the board, when she could have left it as her secondary AFSC. She would have most likely made it through the board based on the way they made the cuts. All three officers with a master’s degree and 61B duty AFSC were retained; my wife would have been the fourth with a master’s and retained over the one officer with a bachelor’s who made the cut.
Also, my wife heard from a friend still on active duty that an email went out telling 61Bs that their AFSC was being discontinued. They will be forced to move to a 62E or intelligence AFSC. That makes her being kicked out for not being a 61B at the time of the force shaping board even harder to take. She would have been among only a handful of 61Bs even qualified to switch the 62E.
I would like some investigation into the board’s decisions. Trying to go through my senator and representatives has only returned canned responses from the Air Force that even deny the existence of the public database.
The board should be held accountable for decisions that will have long-lasting effects on the Air Force, and decisions should be made revised if they are found in error.
Michael Miller
Edwards, Calif.
Editor’s note: Air Force spokeswoman Rose Richeson’s response: “The fiscal year 14/15 force management programs were necessary to draw down the Air Force to meet Congressionally mandated budget levels. As part of the drawdown, the Secretary of the Air Force, by law, has the authority to utilize a board as a fair and equitable process to evaluate officers for retention.
“The Force Shaping Board convened July 14, 2014, and consisted of experienced senior officers who had the difficult task of identifying officers in specific year groups and specialties whose military records indicated the greatest suitability for continued service and future leadership roles. The high record quality of the majority of officers meeting this board certainly increased the difficulty of the process. Board members considered officers for retention based on a comparison to all officers within their core specialty, rather than comparing officers against where they may have been working or assigned. Further, board members made retention determinations carefully following and complying with instructions provided by the Secretary of the Air Force. To assist in their deliberations, board members utilized the senior rater’s retention recommendation along with the eligible officer’s selection brief, performance reports, training reports and decorations. Officers also could send the board information they deemed pertinent for consideration.
“The number of officers designated for retention in each year group and specialty was updated and posted periodically starting in January 2014 and was finalized and approved by the Secretary of the Air Force for use at the board. The total number of officers retained in any year group and particular career field was impacted not only by the involuntary force management board but also by the number of voluntary separations or retirements within that group.
“The privacy of all board deliberations and results, whether promotion or retention boards, is always maintained. These were undoubtedly difficult decisions with direct and personal impacts to Airmen and families which is why the Air Force did not make these decisions lightly. However, the Air Force stands by the fairness, integrity and accuracy of the board process.”
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