Wayne Allard: “The retention problem is not just felt at space command but cuts across all the services. Secretary Cohen, General…”

“The retention problem is not just felt at space command but cuts across all the services. Secretary Cohen, General Shelton, and all the service secretaries and chiefs say that the men and women are our greatest assets, but, unfortunately, we are losing our greatest assets in mass numbers. I ask the rhetorical question of whether we would let our planes and ships disappear. Then why should we stand by and let this happen? Planes, ships, tanks, guns, and the rest are useless without properly trained personnel. The Air Force has stated they are 855 pilots short this year and expect to be short 2,000 pilots by the year 2002. This leaves the Air Force with less experienced pilots and higher training costs. Their enlisted retention is no better. I would like to refer the Members of the Senate to a chart that I have drawn up here which points out the enlisted retention rate for 1998. The first term reenlistment goal is 55 percent, but in 1998 it was only 54 percent. The second term reenlistment goal is 75 percent but only achieved 69 percent. The career goal is 95 percent while only getting 93 percent reenlistment. This is the first time that the Air Force has failed to meet its retention goals in all three categories since 1981. Some may believe these numbers are acceptable, but each and every percentage loss hurts the war-fighting skills and readiness across the board for the Air Force.”