The Air Force has sent a memo to airmen explaining why the service is cutting the force by 40,000 in the coming years. The bottom line: The Air Force wants to free up money to pay for expensive weapons systems, such as the F-22 Raptor.
"We are reducing end strength and becoming more efficient," the memo states. "It is important to maintain our technological edge to fight the wars of today and tomorrow."
Warning that pink slips are coming, the memo adds, "We understand this could be a difficult time for some airmen and their families. We will use every authority available to minimize the impact for those transitioning to civilian life."
The active-duty Air Force is slated to shrink from 351,800 this year to 334,200 in 2007. |