Air Force picks 35 airmen for 'career intermission' sabbaticals

Thirty-five airmen have been selected to participate in the latest iteration of the Air Force Career Intermission Program, which allows airmen to take up to three years off to focus on personal and professional pursuits.

This latest group of airmen includes officers and enlisted airmen, ranging in rank from senior airman to lieutenant colonel, according to information released by the Air Force Personnel Center. They represent a variety of career fields, including acquisition, logistics, medical, operations and support. The group includes 16 women and 19 men.

The Career Intermission Program, or CIP, has already seen dozens of applicants since it was launched two years ago. The Air Force is authorized to let up to 40 airmen participate in CIP each year, and senior leaders have said they are interested in expanding the program beyond the current cap.

So far, 59 airmen have participated in the program since 2014.

The CIP is viewed as a way to retain service members as the Air Force works to become more family friendly and alleviate airmen's work-life concerns.

"More flexibility, we think, is an important factor in order to keep some great airmen with the Air Force for the long haul," Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James has said.

Of the airmen who are already in the program, many chose to go back to school while others started families or took care of relatives.

In selecting this latest group of participants, Air Force personnel experts assessed applicants' potential to serve in the Air Force in the future, duty performance, professional development, depth and breadth of experience, and achievements. The 35 airmen chosen will transition into the Individual Ready Reserve throughout 2017, officials said.