The Air Force announced a third round of voluntary early retirement authority and voluntary separation incentive pay for civilian employees. The civilian force shaping measures, which are focused mostly on those working at headquarters, are “necessary” to help USAF meet its headquarters reorganization and staffing reductions, according to a June 11 release. “The Air Force is committed to sustaining excellence, meeting fiscal requirements, and minimizing negative impacts on our current permanent civilian workforce and their families,” said Debra Warner, the director of civilian force policy. She added, “Our civilians are an integral part of our force, and their contributions are instrumental in our mission success. Our challenge, in a fiscally constrained environment, is to maintain the ready and capable civilian force today and modern workforce tomorrow.” Responses to interest surveys will be due by June 26, “unless an earlier date is established,” and approved applicants must separate by Sept. 30, states the release. (See also Smaller But Still the Best from the April 2014 issue of the magazine.)
The U.S. supports “a stronger and more capable” European defense, Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during an Oct. 22 press conference in Brussels—but that defense should not duplicate the functions and capabilities of the NATO alliance.