Why airmen are leaving Indian Air Force

Bhartesh Singh Thakur
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 9

An internal survey of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has revealed that airmen are leaving the service due to lack of a suitable environment and better prospects in civilian life.

As per a letter, circulated by Wester Air Command to all Air Officers Commanding (AOC), Station Commanders and Commanding Officers (CO) of its units, dated April 30, the survey was conducted for two years with the target audience of Sergeants with a service bracket of 13-20 years.

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 About 32 per cent responded that airmen leave, after 20 years, due to lack of a suitable environment, while 25 per cent believed that there are better prospects in civilian life.

Other reasons were, frequent movement (19 per cent), lack of career progression (17 per cent) and poor pay (7 per cent).

The analysis of the data for the past five years, by Air Force Record Office (AFRO), has revealed that 45 per cent airmen proceeded on discharge after completion of initial regular engagement of 20 years without availing further extension of service.

“Any professional organisation can ill afford to lose trained and experienced human resource, in such large numbers. It is essential that necessary steps need to be initiated to retain expertise, as it would have an adverse impact on the functioning of IAF,” said the letter.

It is also mentioned that IAF is a technology-intensive force and in order to maintain various platforms at a high state of readiness, it is imperative “to have experienced and trained manpower”.

It adds that IAF invests “valuable time and resources to train and maintain skilled air warriors for ensuring the availability of equipment in the desired state”.

The Western Air Command has asked its field commanders to sensitise airmen about the policy changes in the last few years.

"Engagement of air warriors by field commanders will go a long way in convincing many of them to continue in service. Towards this, all the field commanders are to give feedback so that the same can be used by Air Headquarters in shaping future policies,” said the letter.

The feedback has to be sent by May 17.