Air Force leaders love the phrase ‘multi-capable airmen.’ Here’s why airmen hate it

[rebewranger]

Air Force leaders love the phrase ‘multi-capable airmen.’ Here’s why airmen hate it
“If they weren’t just rebranding ‘do more with less’ ... then I’d be on board."

BY DAVID ROZA | PUBLISHED APR 14, 2022 9:40 AM
 
Spend time on any Air Force website or social media page these days and you’ll find a key phrase that keeps popping up: multi-capable airmen. Simply put, multi-capable airmen, or MCA, refers to the concept of training airmen to do basic tasks outside their usual specialty. For example, an airman who normally fixes airplanes might learn to patrol an airstrip or help load a cargo jet. The goal is for the Air Force to be able to launch and recover aircraft without the large support bases the service is used to, which could be targeted in a possible war against China or Russia.

Air Force leaders have lauded MCA over recent years, saying it will allow the branch to operate from small landing strips in the Pacific and shake up over-specialization in the service. However, many airmen lower down the chain of command are skeptical, saying MCA is a fresh coat of paint on the phrase ‘do more with less,’ especially as the number of airmen and aircraft continues to shrink.


“The end strength for our United States [Air] Force is not growing,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. recalled saying to his commanders in 2020. “Even if it did grow a little bit, you might see one person in your organization. And you probably wouldn’t even notice it.”

https://taskandpurpose.com/analysis/air-force-multi-capable-airmen/

[rebewranger]

“If they weren’t just rebranding ‘do more with less’ ... then I’d be on board."
 

The military has to make cuts so the money can go to supporting millions of illegals.

[Smokin Joe]

The military has to make cuts so the money can go to supporting millions of illegals.

Instead, they should be loading the illegals into cargo planes and flying them back where they came from.

[SZonian]

More of the same...

Back in the day, during the post Cold War drawdown, they were combining specialties due to manning shortages...the problem then as now is maintaining training competencies.

I was tasked to train crew chief (APG) and Hydro mechanics on jet engines...due to manning shortages, I just couldn't get them long enough to do so properly, so I was always on call for engine related problems.  For over 2 years I did not have a weekend "off" due to either weekend duty or weekend duty standby.

If folks aren't doing these tasks on a regular basis and maintaining proficiency, it's going to do more harm than good.  JMO

[rebewranger]

Back in the day, during the post Cold War drawdown, they were combining specialties due to manning shortages...the problem then as now is maintaining training competencies.

Perhaps the CIC and JCS aren't interested in competencies.  Maybe they think ignorance is bliss.

[Kamaji]

Instead, they should be loading the illegals into cargo planes and flying them back where they came from.

Without landing to make the drop-offs!