Missileers are now highest-paid lieutenants thanks to bonuses

AirForce Times — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 09:26:35 -0500

From: Air Force Times

Two years ago, no ROTC cadets listed nuclear and missile operations among their top three career choices. Last year, however, 65 cadets did. And 174 cadets listed the 13N career field among their top six.

Maj. Gen. Garrett Harencak, assistant chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration, attributes the growing interest to new bonuses that make missile officers the highest-paid lieutenants in the service.

The Air Force missileer community has seen rapid change in the year since a bottom-up review revealed morale problems in the career field.

Among the changes: The Air Force announced bonuses for missileers, which have made officers in the 13N career field the highest paid for the first six years of their careers. A new second lieutenant makes $34,862 per year, and a missileer in that rank is eligible for bonuses of up to $300 per month, along with additional bonuses for those who complete initial skills training and targeted incentive pay for airmen operating outside their main base.

After six years, pilots are eligible for aviation pay, which then makes them the highest paid.

In addition to pay, the Air Force has provided new vehicles to officers, deep-cleaned their launch control facilities, and adjusted their schedules to improve their quality of life, Harencak said Tuesday at an Air Force. More changes are still to come as the service continues to review recommendations from Global Strike Command's force improvement program.

"This isn't something to go, 'OK, we fixed that, let's move on,' " Harencak said. "It's going to be a continuous process."

The deep-seeded issues in the missileer ranks come from the service not focusing enough on the "people aspect" of the nuclear mission.

"We've aggressively gone after the solutions to those problems," Harencak said.

One major issue across the command has been undermanning in critical career fields. The service announced last month an effort to beef up manning in security forces by adding new teams to missile bases. The service is looking at ways to reach 100 percent manning in all critical career fields – security forces, aircraft armament systems, nuclear weapon maintenance, missile electronic maintenance, missile systems maintenance, missile facility maintenance, bomber aircraft maintenance and command post controller.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/story/military/careers/air-force/2015/01/20/force-improvement-program-recruitment-pay/22053331/

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Jan 21 at 2015 9:51 AM

TSgt Joshua Copeland — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 09:51:44 -0500

Missile-Gate (cheating on your proficiency exams) pays I guess.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2015 9:53 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 09:53:26 -0500

How about instead of paying people to go into a career field, they force them to go into the career field just like any other job. There's a thing called "Needs of the _____(Insert Service here)"

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 21 at 2015 10:33 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 10:33:29 -0500

i do feel for them, seeing as i was one of the ones protecting them in the ICBM fields. they duty is tedious & boring down there in that little capsule. That being said, is a bonus going to ensure they keep their focus, or is this going to garner interest in the position from people that should never come close to "the button"?

Response by PO1 Jess McKellar made Jan 21 at 2015 1:31 PM

PO1 Jess McKellar — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 13:31:22 -0500

We are talking about nuclear weapons here. I would personally prefer that anyone involved in handling, monitoring, launching, or otherwise dealing with these weapons have access to the best facilities, training, leadership and that they be well compensated for their service.

There are other military specialties this also applies to.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jan 21 at 2015 3:36 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 15:36:51 -0500

"Honey, have you seen my keys?"