Officer cross-flow program comes to a close

Published March 8, 2012
By 2nd Lt. Stephani Schafer
52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- The application window for non-rated Air Force officers in certain support career fields and year groups to volunteer for retraining into undermanned career fields will close March 16.

To reallocate officer resources in overmanned career fields and alleviate manning shortages in undermanned career fields, the Air Force is employing a formal Officer Crossflow Process, according to the Air Force Personnel Center website.

"The Air Force keeps close track of manning numbers and occasionally implements measures like this to get manning where it needs to be. [This year] is the second year this process has been used," said 2nd Lt. Lucia White, 52nd Military Personnel Section chief.

Officers from the 2001-2004 year groups in Air Force Specialty Codes 15W, 17D, 21A/M/R, 31P, 38F, 61B/C/D, 65F, or 71S may apply voluntarily. Officers from the 2005-2008 year groups whose AFSC is 21M, 31P, 61B/C/D, 65F, or 71S may apply voluntarily, but are eligible for non-voluntary re-assignment if quotas are not met through voluntary applications.

Those officers in the affected year groups who wish to apply for re-assignment will be considered for the 14N AFSC. Officers in the 2005-2008 year groups only will also be eligible for the 35P AFSC. Additionally, officers interested in crossflowing into the 13D/L AFSCs may apply directly to the program managers for those careers.

Those affected will retain their current AFSC as a secondary, and the new AFSC will be assigned as their primary. However, officers can still be moved to a job in their secondary AFSC if Air Force requirements dictate, White said.

Officers who think they may eligible to crossflow should check the criteria. The AFPC website outlines 15 exemptions, some of which include: officers with an established date of separation; those with unsatisfactory performance; those enrolled or selected for advanced degree or developmental programs; and those with cyberspace defense, nuclear and psychological operations qualifications.

"Some exemptions are waiverable. If you were ever considering cross training into intelligence or public affairs and fall into those year groups, now would be the time to volunteer," White said.

The Nonrated Line Officer Crossflow Panel will convene March 26-30 at AFPC headquarters, after all applications have been submitted, to review packages and select volunteers for re-training.

Officers selected for crossflow will be notified in April and re-training is scheduled to begin in the summer, according to the AFPC website.

For more information on the crossflow program, call the 52nd MPS at DSN 452-4160 or visit the Air Force Personnel Services website at https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil.