The U.S. Air Force is restarting bonuses and personnel change-of-station (PCS) moves less than two weeks after announcing a pause on the programs amid a funding shortfall.
An Air Force release earlier this week said that the service was able to obtain additional funds to pay for “some” of the programs it had halted 11 days before, restarting the reenlistment bonus program while also allowing for some PCS moves to go through.
“With additional support from Congress on several pending reprogramming requests, the Air Force will restore funding to most military personnel programs that were suspended or closed last week,” the branch said in the release.
AIR FORCE CUTS PAY FOR TOUGHEST JOBS, REFUSES TO DISCLOSE DETAILS TO SPOUSES, PUBLIC
U.S. Air Force trainees take the Air Force oath as they graduate Basic Military training. (U.S. Air Force)
Some of the programs restarted include the Selective Retention Bonus, Aviation Bonus and Foreign Language Proficiency Pay.
While the Air Force is also restarting some PCS moves, members who have had their overseas assignments extended will still be effected by the pause. Airman who were supposed to reassigned to the U.S. between October and December 2023 will instead see their move pushed back until between January and March of next year.
The programs’ restarting is a quick reversal for the Air Force, who on July 10 announced that it was falling short on funds, telling Fox News Digital at the time the move was made necessary by “higher than projected personnel costs.”
A U.S. Air Force trainee participates in BEAST Week, which is being replaced by a shorter exercise. (U.S. Air Force)
“The funding shortfall resulted from higher than expected PCS costs as a result of inflation and the addition of recruiting and retention bonuses,” an Air Force spokesperson said. “Headquarters Air Force is directing actions to be taken now to avoid exhausting funds.”
The move also came as the Air Force and other branches of the military have battled a recruiting crisis over the last two years, forcing the Air Force to dip deep into its pool of Delayed Entry Program candidates in Fiscal Year 2022 to meet its goals, putting it behind for Fiscal Year 2023.
Air Force recruiters are seen at the Hyundai Air & Sea Show in Miami Beach, Florida. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Air Force leaders told lawmakers earlier this year they expect the branch to come up short of its goals in 2023 by as many as 10,000 recruits.
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The Air Force did not immediately respond to a Fox News request for comment.
