Battlefield Airman Recruiting Squadron

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AETC Stands Up Battlefield Airmen Recruiting Squadron

Air Education and Training Command will stand up a new battlefield airman recruiting squadron on Oct. 1 in an effort to bring in the right kind of recruits, capable of making it through the grueling training pipeline, Air Education and Training Command boss Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson told reporters at ASC17 on Wednesday.

Battlefield airmen—including pararescue jumpers (PJ), combat controllers, tactical air control party, and special operations weather team members—“have the highest attrition rate of any specialty in the US Air Force,” said Roberson, who noted roughly 80 percent of airmen attempting to become PJs wash out.

“We’re having challenges with the production, from recruiting all the way through graduation,” said Air Force Special Operations Command boss Lt. Gen. Brad Webb. Although those “are small numbers,” Webb said, it’s not “something a small force can sustain when batting below 50 percent in the field. It won’t manifest itself today, but five years from now, it will be a real challenge.”

The two commands will work side-by-side in the recruiting squadron and once a new recruit is brought in, he or she will immediately be connected to a “developer” to help them physically and mentally prepare even before they come to Basic Military Training. Once at BMT, Roberson said, the Air Force will take advantage of the little down time battlefield airmen have to provide extra training, said Roberson. Then, after graduation, AETC is now offering a six-week battlefield airmen prep course.

“We have one course that’s graduated and we’re in the second course on battlefield airmen prep. We’re already seeing a trend that we really like and I hope it will make a difference,” said Roberson.
 
6 week prep course! That’s a lot of time invested for these guys to just pass. Hopefully it works the way they want it to.
 
It's an 8 week course, and so far it is immensely helpful. They really stress recovery techniques and nutrition, which for the younger candidates is probably a huge leg up for them.

We just had a couple dozen recruiters come and talk with us today during our training, asking tons of questions and trying to get a better idea of what it will take to accurately recruit Battlefield Airmen candidates. The AF seems to be addressing a huge elephant in the room when it comes to attrition rates and how to manage them.
 
I'm an old fart with no skin in the game, but any program that puts more guys downrange without lowering standards is a fantastic idea. I won't speak for every old/ 90's and earlier guy and gal here, but to have the opportunities you "young " folks have now...you have no idea how good things are compared to our dark ages.
 
This is only another large move in the right direction with more coming.

When the publish the initial success rates for increased success in the selection course that are coming out of BA Prep, it's going to blow some hair back, for sure.

The military is definitely doing the right thing by changing up PT, acknowledging the benefit of prehab, recovery, nutrition, etc. Prep courses are great as well. I think the next big clash will be when attrition numbers start trending down. It's always the instinctual reaction to think it's too easy if more people start making it through. Dudes always joke around about making it through "back when it was hard", but there's some truth behind those jokes as far as guys really feeling that way. "Oh, half your class graduated? Back when I went through, only 10% of us graduated. We had 12%, but then they made us hike Everest with one MRE and no oxygen. You guys have it easy now."
 
It's an investment that will payoff. Nobody's babying candidates by helping them manage the stress and abuse their bodies will take through a long and grueling process.

You don't throw a horse on the track and expect him to win a race without proper care and conditioning during training.
 
It's an investment that will payoff. Nobody's babying candidates by helping them manage the stress and abuse their bodies will take through a long and grueling process.

You don't throw a horse on the track and expect him to win a race without proper care and conditioning during training.

To be clear, I agree with the new measures taken. I am glad to see the military starting to take things more seriously. I am just pointing out potential conflict areas.
 
To be clear, I agree with the new measures taken. I am glad to see the military starting to take things more seriously. I am just pointing out potential conflict areas.
Yeah, and those detractors are out there for sure. IM ONE OF THEM.

Kidding, it's the right move and the way we (the AF and BA) are making it is pretty great, seeing them from the inside.

Now all we need is to move under AFSOC and get our own wing and POOF, problems solved! :thumbsup:
 
Yeah, and those detractors are out there for sure. IM ONE OF THEM.

Kidding, it's the right move and the way we (the AF and BA) are making it is pretty great, seeing them from the inside.

Now all we need is to move under AFSOC and get our own wing and POOF, problems solved! :thumbsup:
BATW still standing up in Oct?
 
BATW still standing up in Oct?
That's the rumor. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't.

You don't have ACC's permission to die.
The results/findings from the FIP got briefed to Gen Goldfien... from what I gathered, those results were the entire career field saying, "The AF doesn't respect us as a ground maneuver force and therefore can't task organize or resource us appropriately; AFSOC can and should provide our capability to the COCOMs."

That's a good thing, but we will see what comes of it. Lots and lots of movement though, honestly haven't seen anything like it this far in my career.
 
That's the rumor. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't.


The results/findings from the FIP got briefed to Gen Goldfien... from what I gathered, those results were the entire career field saying, "The AF doesn't respect us as a ground maneuver force and therefore can't task organize or resource us appropriately; AFSOC can and should provide our capability to the COCOMs."

That's a good thing, but we will see what comes of it. Lots and lots of movement though, honestly haven't seen anything like it this far in my career.
AFSOC/23 AF had CSAR twice, and dicked it up (IMO) both times.
PJ (as an STS) OpCon'd to Rescue might work.
 
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