The Air Force Has Significantly Reduced Overall Aircraft Maintainer Staffing Gaps but Continues to Lack Experienced Maintainers

Since fiscal year 2016, the Air Force has taken steps to significantly  reduce the gap between actual aircraft maintainer staffing levels and  authorized levels, a gap which exceeded 4,000 maintainers in fiscal year  2015. However, gaps remain for experienced maintainers—those at the  5- and 7-levels who are most qualified to meet mission needs. According to our  analysis of Air Force data, for all aircraft maintenance specialties  combined, the Air Force reduced the gap between actual staffing levels  and authorized levels from a peak of 4,016 maintainers (94 percent of  authorized levels filled) in fiscal year 2015 to 745 maintainers (99 percent)  in fiscal year 2017. The Air Force Continues to Have Staffing Gaps of Experienced Aircraft Maintainers

Our analysis of Air Force data found that the Air Force has had staffing  gaps of experienced aircraft maintainers—those at the 5- and 7-levels—in  7 of the past 8 fiscal years. However, the Air Force had a surplus of  1,745 3-level maintainers (112 percent). The Air Force Has Increasingly Lost Experienced Aircraft Maintainers and Does Not Have Goals and a Strategy to Improve Retention

The Air Force has had challenges retaining experienced maintainers, with  loss rates of 5-level maintainers increasing over the past 8 fiscal years. Specifically, loss rates among 5-level maintainers increased from 9  percent in fiscal year 2010 to 12 percent in fiscal years 2016 and 2017. Air Force officials have stated that they need to retain more maintainers  than in past fiscal years to help address experience gaps, but the Air  Force has not established retention goals for maintainers. Given increases  in losses of experienced maintainers and decreasing reenlistment rates,  the Air Force faces challenges in managing the overall maintenance  workforce, including ensuring that there are enough experienced  maintainers to fulfill mission and training needs. Without a retention strategy—including initiatives that are tailored to the  specific needs and challenges of maintainers—the Air Force may be  missing opportunities to retain experienced 5- and 7-level maintainers,  who are needed to train the recent increase of new 3-level maintainers in  the field. The Air Force Has Met Overall Technical School Completion Rate Goals for Aircraft Maintainers Since Fiscal Year 2010

Our analysis of Air Force data found that the Air Force consistently met  technical school completion rate goals from fiscal years 2010 through  2017. In fiscal year 2017, approximately 9,600 active component maintainers  completed technical school, an increase from about 7,200 and 5,700 in  fiscal years 2016 and 2015, respectively. While increased technical  school completions help to address overall aircraft maintainer staffing  gaps, they cannot immediately resolve staffing imbalances across  experience levels. While the Air Force has increased its use of  retention bonuses for some critical maintenance specialties, it does not  have annual retention goals for aircraft maintainers or a maintainer- specific retention strategy to help it meet such goals and to sustain recent  staffing level improvements. In addition, we reviewed the Air Force’s 2015 and 2017 aircraft maintainer  retention survey analyses and conducted discussion groups with a non- generalizable sample of aircraft maintainers to obtain their views on  factors affecting maintainer retention, on-the-job training capacity, and  commercial aviation industry opportunities, among other things. To assess the extent to which the Air Force met its annual technical  school completion rate goals for aircraft maintainers, we calculated  technical school completion rates—the number of aircraft maintainers  completing technical school compared to the number of programmed or  expected completions—for the overall maintainer population and each  maintenance specialty for the active component, for fiscal years 2010  through 2017. Appendix II: Air Force Reserve Component Aircraft Maintainer Retention from Fiscal Years 2010-2017

According to Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command  officials, they monitor retention of aircraft maintainers through loss rates— the number of maintainers who leave the career field or the Air Force  within the fiscal year, over the number of maintainers at the start of the  fiscal year—and have used selective retention bonuses (retention  bonuses) and taken other actions to improve retention. GAO-18-439. Department of Defense: Actions Needed to Address Five Key Mission  Challenges.
Why GAO Did This Study

Air Force aircraft maintainers are responsible for ensuring that the Air Force's aircraft are operationally ready and safe for its aviators—duties critical to successfully executing its national security mission. With more than 100,000 maintainers across the Air Force's active and reserve components, according to Air Force officials, aircraft maintenance is the Air Force's largest enlisted career field—accounting for about a quarter of its active duty enlisted personnel.
The conference report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 included a provision for GAO to review the adequacy of the Air Force's aircraft maintainer workforce. This report assesses the extent to which, from fiscal years 2010 through 2017, the Air Force (1) had aircraft maintainer staffing gaps, (2) experienced attrition of maintainers and took steps to help retain maintainers, and (3) met its annual technical school completion rate goals for maintainers.
GAO analyzed aircraft maintainer staffing levels, loss and reenlistment rates, and technical school completion rates from fiscal years 2010-2017, the most recent data available; conducted five non-generalizable discussion groups with maintainers; and interviewed aviation industry, Department of Defense, and Air Force officials.

What GAO Found

The Air Force has reduced overall aircraft maintainer staffing gaps, but continues to have a gap of experienced maintainers. The Air Force reduced the overall gap between actual maintainer staffing levels and authorized levels from 4,016 maintainers (out of 66,439 authorized active component positions) in fiscal year 2015, to 745 in fiscal year 2017 (out of 66,559 positions). However, in 7 of the last 8 fiscal years, the Air Force had staffing gaps of experienced maintainers—those who are most qualified to meet mission needs and are needed to train new maintainers. Maintainers complete technical school as 3-levels and initially lack the experience and proficiency needed to meet mission needs. Following years of on-the-job training, among other things, maintainers upgrade to the 5- and 7-levels. In fiscal year 2017, the Air Force had gaps of more than 2,000 5-level and 400 7-level maintainers, and a surplus of over 1,700 3-levels. Air Force officials anticipate that staffing gaps will continue off and on through fiscal year 2023.
Over the past 8 fiscal years, the Air Force has increasingly lost experienced aircraft maintainers, and it does not have goals and a strategy to help retain maintainers. While overall maintainer loss rates have remained generally stable, loss rates of 5-levels increased from 9 percent in fiscal year 2010 to 12 percent in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (see figure). Air Force officials expect 7-level loss rates to also increase. Air Force officials stated that they need to retain more maintainers to help address experience gaps, but the Air Force has not developed annual retention goals for maintainers. In addition, while the Air Force has increased its use of retention bonuses since fiscal year 2015, according to Air Force officials, it does not have a strategy to improve retention. Without goals to measure progress and a retention strategy to guide efforts, the Air Force could face further challenges in managing its maintenance workforce, including ensuring there are enough experienced maintainers to meet mission needs.
The Air Force consistently met technical school completion rate goals for aircraft maintainers from fiscal years 2010 through 2017. In fiscal year 2017, about 9,600 active component maintainers completed technical school, an increase from about 5,700 in fiscal year 2015. This increase in completions has helped to address overall staffing gaps, but cannot immediately resolve experience imbalances, due to the time and training needed to reach the 5- and 7- levels.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that the Air Force develop annual retention goals and a retention strategy for aircraft maintainers. The Air Force concurred with both recommendations.