Itching to air your grievances about the way the Air Force is going? Now’s your chance. The Air Force on Monday launched its 2018 Total Force Climate Survey to ask airmen how they think the service is going.
The survey — the first to be held force-wide since 2015 — will run until Oct. 30, and be open to active duty, Guard and Reserve airmen, as well as civilians in the Air Force, according to a Wednesday news release from the Air Force Personnel Center. It aims to measure airmen’s opinions on multiple subjects, such as their satisfaction, unit cohesion, level of leadership support and whether they feel valued, AFPC said.
The survey will also gauge the state of mentoring in the Air Force, how airmen perceive their organization’s value, and squadron and unit successes, as well as other information specific to major commands.
The survey is voluntary and confidential, and takes about 20 minutes to complete, according to Brenda Gainey, AFPC’s survey office chief.
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“Your feedback is critical in providing Air Force senior leaders an honest view of the organizational climate in the Air Force,” Gainey said. “One of our top priorities is taking care of people. This means providing everyone the opportunity to perform their best in a healthy work environment.”
The Air Force is emailing invitations to individual airmen in phases, AFPC said. Commanders of units with at least 10 respondents will get summarized reports specific to their unit, the release said. Units with fewer than 10 respondents will have their responses folded into their parent unit’s report.
AFPC said leaders should brief their organizations on the survey results within 30 days after receiving them.
“The information will directly impact leaders' decisions on issues that affect the total force,” Gainey said. “Survey results will provide actionable feedback to leaders at all levels for the purpose of improving their units.”
The last survey in 2015 had an overall participation rate of 23 percent, AFPC said.
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.
