Facing Recruiting Headwinds, Air Force Offers Thousands in New Enlistment Incentives
The Air Force added more opportunities for future Airmen to receive bonuses upon entering active duty in fiscal year 2022.
Six skills were added to the FY22 Initial Enlistment Bonus program on April 11 for four or six-year contracts in hard-to-fill job specialties and an additional incentive called “Quick Ship” will be offered from April 11 to Sept. 30, 2022.
“As we roll up our sleeves in the battle for talent, we’ve got to remain competitive as we go after our next generation of Airmen,” said Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, Air Force Recruiting Service commander. “While we’ve got an unmatched value proposition, we also have a record-high level of competition for America’s best and brightest.”
Any member who enters active duty with any career field in a Quick-Ship status may be eligible to receive an $8,000 bonus. Quick Ship is when an already fully qualified applicant fills a short-notice basic military training vacancy, shipping out within five days or less.
In addition, some cyber career fields have bonus pay amounts that are based on the member’s highest level of certification, giving the applicant an opportunity to receive up to $20,000.
Special warfare recruits are already eligible for up to $50,000 upon entering active duty.
Recruiting incentives give recruiters additional support and tools to use as they press through all the challenges associated with reaching the Air Force’s FY22 Total Force accessions goals. Those challenges include a low youth propensity to join, a national labor shortage and aggregate effects of operating primarily virtual since the March 2020 outbreak of COVID-19.
The complete IEB list (including refuel/bomber aircraft maintenance and aerospace ground equipment) effective April 11, 2022 can be found by clicking here.
“These potential recruits are the lifeblood of combat readiness and national security,” Thomas said. “So, we must do everything we can to inspire, engage and recruit the Airmen.”
AFRS is also expecting to see recruiting incentives from Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard that support their Total Force recruiting mission.
