Initial tours for most first sergeants have now increased from their previous three years to four years.
In a Feb. 25 update to Air Force Instruction 36-2113, which was released on Monday, the Air Force said the changes became effective Feb. 15.
Previously Until now, first sergeants have served three-year initial tours, and have had the option of requesting a second three-year tour, for a maximum tour of six years for master sergeants.
But under the new system, most first sergeants will serve a four-year tours, with the option of extending their tours another one or two years. The total six-year maximum tour for master sergeants will not increase.
Senior master sergeants' maximum tours will remain at seven years.
The Air Force struggled for years to find enough qualified noncommissioned officers willing to volunteer to be first shirts. So last year, the Air Force switched to a nomination process, in which commanders nominate their top performers to be first sergeants or perform other special duties.
Active-duty and Air Force Reserve first sergeants who graduated from the First Sergeant Academy after June 1, 2013, will have a year added to their initial tours, extending them to four years, the AFI said. But active-duty and Rreserve first sergeants who graduated before June 1, 2013, will be grandfathered in and will continue to serve a three-year initial tours.
Air National Guard first sergeants' initial tours will remain at least three years.
Master sergeants who are promoted to senior master sergeant while serving as a first sergeant must serve at least two more years after their selection date, under the new rules. But those newly -promoted senior master sergeants will serve no longer than eight consecutive years, the AFI said.
Chief Master Sgt. Sandy Pfeffer, the Air Force's first sergeant special-duty manager, previewed the changes in a post last November on her official Facebook page. That page is no longer online.
"Nothing was entered into lightly ... and yes some will be extending that were not planning on it," Pfeffer said in a comment on her post last fall. "It is [the] needs of the AF and the bigger picture."
Pfeffer was not immediately available for comment Monday.
The Air Force struggled for years to find enough qualified noncommissioned officers willing to volunteer to be first shirts. So last year, the Air Force switched to a nomination process, in which commanders nominate their top performers to be first sergeants or perform other special duties.
Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations.
