Fighter Aircrew Career Flexibility Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a new program that lets Air Force fighter pilots and navigators take a one-time break from active duty. This break can last anywhere from four months to one year. The goal is to help keep experienced experts in the military by giving them more flexibility in their careers and personal lives.
• While on their break, service members will move to a temporary reserve status. They will still have access to military bases, grocery stores, and health benefits for their families. If they live in military housing, they can stay there, but they will have to pay rent while they are not receiving their usual housing allowance.
• To make sure they stay ready for flight duty, participants must complete some training during their time off. When they return to full-time service, they must agree to stay in the Air Force for double the amount of time they took off. For example, a pilot who takes six months off would owe one year of extra service.
• The Air Force is not allowed to use this break against a person when it comes to promotions or special job assignments. The program is designed to be a five-year test to see if giving pilots this time off actually helps the military keep more of its most experienced leaders instead of having them leave for private jobs.

Impact Analysis

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