The Air Force's three-year sabbatical program could be expanded beyond the current limit of 40 airmen, if Congress accepts the Pentagon's proposal.
The Career Intermission Program, which launched this year, allows airmen to take up to three years off from the Air Force while they pursue their own personal or professional goals. CIP now is open only to 20 officers and 20 enlisted airmen; in the first class announced in March, 32 airmen — 14 officers and 18 enlisted — were approved to go back to school, start a family or care for a family member.
The Air Force has not made any secret of its desire to expand the program. Last December, Brig. Gen. Brian Kelly, director of military force management policy, said in an interview that the Air Force and Defense Department hoped to get congressional permission to expand the program. And in a March speech, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said CIP is a major part of her plans to increase diversity in the service.
Later that month, Defense Secretary Ash Carter also voiced support for CIP programs in the Air Force and other services, and said they should be improved and expanded.
In its proposed amendment to the fiscal 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, the Pentagon has asked lawmakers to strike the current 40-service member limit on CIP programs in all services, not just the Air Force.
The Air Force would not comment on the proposed changes to CIP because the legislation is still pending, so it is unknown how many airmen could eventually take part in an expanded program. But if the limits are lifted, the Navy plans to increase its CIP participation to 400 sailors.
The proposal would also for the first time allow airmen and other service members to take a CIP sabbatical even if they are receiving a critical skills retention bonus, or are still serving their first enlistment or initial minimum service requirement. Those airmen are not currently eligible for CIP.
The proposal would also extend the program through 2018.
Meghann Myers contributed to this story.
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.
