Air Force tries to ease pilot shortage by asking more retirees to come back

Air Force tries to ease pilot shortage by asking more retirees to come back:
"Commercial airlines may be hiring retired pilots, but so is the Air Force.
The service announced on Wednesday that it may return as many as 1,000 retired pilots, combat systems officers and air battle managers to active duty for up to 48 months under a major expansion of a voluntary recall program.
Depending on a pilot’s experience and the needs of the Air Force, some older pilots could return to the cockpit and even see combat duty.
The Voluntary Retired Return to Active Duty program is being expanded to all pilots and maximum tour lengths are being more than doubled to help ease a serious shortage of qualified aviators, Air Force officials said.
...The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps have all experienced pilot shortages in recent years, with fighter pilots a particular need, according to a Government Accountability Office study released earlier this month.
...“We’re burning out our people because we’re too small for what the nation is asking,” Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson told reporters..."
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