Air Force program woos retirees back

  • Published
  • By Minty Knighton
  • Team Eglin Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Retirees are taking full advantage of the chance to serve their country again. 

Retired officers are volunteering to return to the Air Force through the Retired Rated Officer Recall Program. The directive for the program came earlier this year when it was determined the growth of new aircraft systems demanded the attention of more experienced personnel. 

"There's a need to recover drained resources," said Lt. Col. Neil Arnott, Air Force Operational and Test Evaluation Center test director, who retired September 1993 from Eglin and began working as a contractor. "I had the skills and worked with the missile program for 14 years." 

The colonel started his active-duty career as a KC-135 navigator, but spent most of his career years as an acquisition program manager. Colonel Arnott's last two jobs before retirement were as project manager for Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile and Camouflage, Concealment and Deception program offices. 

Retirees are filling all types of positions including operators for unmanned aerial systems and aging weapon systems, instructor pilots, navigators and air battle managers, according to the Air Force Personnel Center. 

"So many pilots and navigators have retired that it has sacrificed decades of experience," said Maj. Leonard Summers, operations flight manager for 68th Electronic Warfare Squadron who retired in 1996. "There's a lack of continuity and lots of growing pains." 

There are very few RRORP retirees currently working at Eglin, but more are expected. Eglin RRORP retirees, like Colonel Arnott and Major Summers serve mainly as battle managers for unmanned aerial systems. 

Major Summers says the RRORP process takes time, but more are coming. He is familiar with the process because he signed up for a similar program offered right after 9/11.

"We should have about 12 to 15 [retirees] now," he said. "The paperwork may be in, but the process won't be complete for months following." 

Once the paperwork is filed, retirees go through a physical fitness test to ensure they are in good health. Many retirees are now in their 50s, but can still be considered active duty and subject to possible deployments. 

Once paperwork and testing are done, retirees are immediately assigned. 

"I knew the job and really didn't have to take any training," said Colonel Arnott. "It's the same stuff, just the acronyms have changed." 

After originally retiring from the Air Force, many of these retirees worked for contractors, some even retiring again from the contract field. 

"I came back because quite frankly for what we do, the Air Force just offers better perks than the private sector," Major Summers said. "I never found any job satisfaction than what I found with the Air Force. 

Other than the perks, they are returning to service because they want to make a difference. 

"Both my sons are in the military, one Navy and one Air Force," said Colonel Arnott. "I want to help my kids have better weapon systems for the fight." 

For the complete Air Force story on RRORP, go to http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123170006.