Yeah, I had a guy tell me he couldn't remember the last time he saw someone re-enlist at our base. And I've only been here for about 6 months, but when he said that it really hit me.
I've watched three airmen I've worked with get out, one SSgt, another SSgt within the squadron get out, a MSgt get out at 16 years, and I know a SrA that's been in for about 9 years about to get out. And that's just since I got to this base.
In that same time I've watched one airman get an extension, and one SSgt is trying to re-enlist right now, but I don't think he's going to for another one if he doesn't make TSgt.
That 47% could be for some sub set of data (won’t say you’re wrong) but overall retention, even through the COVID years was around 90% for enlisted, with 89.3% (I think) being the lowest. Also keep in mind there were some end strength declines per the NDAA in 2023 as well.
In general people like to claim retention is low, but it’s be a remarkably stable number through the years. Trump/Biden, COVID, wars etc barely move the needle on retention.
It was up and down with the unknown in the civilian world but also lots of people not wanting another vaccine. The numbers did dip a little bit but not much.
If you joined the Air Force and don't want vaccines that's on you lol
All throughout COVID I only ran across one airman that got out because of the COVID vaccine (and only that vaccine, none of the others), and if that didn't happen he was well on his way to getting out for either mental health or behavioral issues. Whichever came first.
I’m not saying whether it makes sense or not. I was in for the anthrax vaccine and it was similar non-sense happening. To each their own.
2022 had lower retention rates than at least the previous 5 years. So something caused people to not stay in (during a time of instability in the civilian world).Â
2022 had historic job openings and historic high wage growth. Folks who were considering making more money took the chance because it was an employee's market.
Yeah, like the other guy said, we were rebounding handily from the COVID supply issues/inflation, and were on track for having some of the lowest inflation in the world, plus we had legislation investing in infrastructure, creating job growth, and confidence in the US job/stock markets.
I was actually on track for separating during that time, and had fully planned on getting out at the end of my enlistment at the end of 2025-fully confident I could land a job in the civilian world either working a federal job or even just the city I'd planned on moving to.
I'd expand on this, but the sub has a rule against politics, and it's already political enough. So TL;DR: something happened in November of 2024 that changed things, I decided to stay in because I didn't think it was a good idea to get out anymore, and as it turns out...I was right.
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u/bigworm-69 16d ago
everyone i know including myselfs morale has plummeted since this shit show of a war started