Number Of Chiefs Reduced

The Air Force decided that the number of Chief Master Sergeants will be reduced because of budgetary restraints over the next 3 years. MAJCOMS submitted 2806 request of which only 2483 will be authorized.
This of course is complete crap to put it mildly. When I entered the Air Force from the Marine Corps there were over six hundred thousands serving worldwide. The Air Force was truly second to none and we could blanket the skies with aircraft of all types.
During my twenty year career the Air force was in and still is today a continually downsizing. I can remember back in the early 90’s after the wall came down we suddenly had Wing commanders that were now a one star general when for the entire history of the AF back to the Army Air Corps days full Colonels got the job done. The Air Staff line was crap, the bottom line is that they were not willing to give up flag billets because god forbid we have less flag officers that the other services.
I have always thought it was laughable that there were always more O-5 and 6’s on active duty than E-8 and E-9’s, this was always because for what ever reason all airplane drivers and navigators had to be commissioned officers. There is no reason for this; if the Air Staff was honest with themselves they would realize that warrant officers pilots and navigators like the Army uses is the way to go. This goes for all the support non flying jobs. Hell I can count on one hand how many maintenance officers I knew that were with a damn. Decisions like this are why so may highly qualified SNCO’s bail and retire at twenty because we all know that the system is broke. In my own case I worked hard as a avionics technician for many years and served as a specialist flight chief all the while working on getting my B.S. After I got it I saw the writing on the wall and realized that my real life opportunities in the Air Force were very limited. It’s too bad even with my acknowledged expertise in my career field the Air Force had nothing left to offer me. After reading this release on Air Force link I can see a mass exodus of 20 year Master and Senior Master Sergeants retiring as soon as they can. I can guarantee this will end up hurting readiness because at least in flight line maintenance the officers assigned to us contribute almost nothing to actually generate sorties because they don’ know anything about the weapon system to help.