T-38 Graduates May No Longer Get Fighter Assignments

The U.S. Air Force has made the tough decision to change up their aircraft assignment policy, forcing a number of T-38 pilot graduates to receive non-fighter posts. This change follows the extremely present and ever-growing shortage of military aviators.

A service memo, which was issued and verified by the Air Force in August, described this as a “significant but necessary policy adjustment.” It confirmed that the USAF is grappling with a shortfall of 1,848 pilots, including 1,142 fighter pilots. This led to a policy overhaul designed to address immediate and long-term needs by more efficiently utilizing available training capacity.

"While we would prefer to send every qualified T-38 graduate to a fighter [Formal Training Unit], circumstances dictate that we utilize available capacity to maximize pilot production,” the memo stated. “In the near term, in addition to traditional fighter/bomber assignments, T-38 graduates will be matched to additional T-6 [First Assignment Instructor Pilot] assignments and opted for non-fighter/bomber aircraft."

The policy shift can also be partly blamed on delays in assigning pilots to their formal training units, with some waiting over a year. Brig. Gen. Travolis Simmons, the director of training and readiness at Headquarters Air Force, explained that these delays are “due to a combination of sustainment and manpower challenges.”

The updated policy will allow T-38 graduates to list all aircraft types -- not just fighters and bombers -- on their preference sheets to help ensure no one gets too disappointed by the change. Students may also volunteer for assignments to other roles, then transition back to fighters or bombers later on.

"The Air Force has always assigned aircraft based on needs, platform availability, student preference, and class ranking," Simmons continued. "Even with the recent policy shift, those core tenets remain the same."

For now, the Air Force is attempting to up their recruitment to ease the deficit. They intend to return to previous assignment strategies as soon as possible.

FMI: www.af.mil