Lieutenant colonels with at least two years time in grade may be able to retire at their current grade through the Time in Grade Waiver Program, said Lt. Col. Tara White, Air Force Personnel Center retirements and separations chief.

Air Force officials announced last December that the TIG Waiver Program and other voluntary force management initiatives would be implemented to help meet authorized end strength levels, White said. Eligible officers who are interested may still be thinking about the option, but waiver applications are due to AFPC by June 1, she reminded.

"Retention is higher than we've seen in 17 years, which is beneficial in some ways. We have a strong, dedicated force, but we also have a congressional ceiling of 332,800 active duty members. Our challenge is to bring numbers down to that mandated level without damaging our ability to meet mission needs," White explained.

Voluntary force management programs, like the time in grade waiver, enable the Air Force to surgically trim numbers in overmanned fields by approving applications case-by-case, depending on career field manning and Air Force requirements. In addition, eligible officers who are constrained by an active duty service commitment may be eligible to apply for a waiver through the Limited Active Duty Service Commitment Program.

"Applying for a TIG or Limited ADSC waiver does not guarantee you will be approved," White said. "But all who meet eligibility criteria and are interested should certainly apply."

Eligible officers assigned overseas, short or long tour, and officers who are deployed or on temporary duty assignment away from their home station may apply for the program, but guidelines vary for each situation, so applicants should review requirements before applying, the colonel advised.

The waiver program is open to line of the Air Force, LAF Judge Advocate General, chaplain, biomedical sciences corps and medical services corps lieutenant colonels.

It is not open to officers who are under investigation, pending disciplinary action or involuntary discharge, under appellate review, or pending disability evaluation system action, White said.

In addition, officers in certain specialties are not eligible to apply, including medical, dental and nurse corps, Catholic chaplains, 11X (pilots) and 12X (navigators), and those whose core specialties are one of the following:

13B - Air Battle Manager
13D - Control and Recovery
13L - Air Liaison Officer
13M - Airfield Operations
14N - Intelligence
32E - Civil Engineering
35P - Public Affairs
64P - Contracting

For application details and information about other voluntary force management programs, visit the Air Force Personnel Services website at https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil, select the "All Components" search option and enter PSDM 11-105 in the search box.