USAF Manpower in Limited War, 1964-1967

USAF Manpower in Limited War, 1964-1967 discusses the Air Force effort to augment its manpower resources to meet the rapidly expanding requirements of the Vietnam war. Prior to the summer of 1965, when Southeast Asia operations sharply increased, the USAF manpower pool had been contracting as a result of previous decisions and actions. Thereafter, the trend was reversed and the Air Force undertook to enlarge its base as quickly as possible, although facing serious shortages of qualified officers and airmen. Its situation was made more difficult by competition from civilian industry. Many experienced USAF personnel --pilots, technicians, and other professionals--were drawn from the service by attractive salaries offered by the expanding private sector of the economy. Since new recruits were usually unskilled, the Air Training Command and many combat units had to shoulder the heaviest training burden since the Korean War. An unusual amount of strain, confusion, and overwork followed and, at times, deteriorated the combat readiness of many units not directly involved in the war. Consequently, the Air Force sought to, improve its management procedures to insure the most effective utilization and retention of its trained personnel. This study is the third in a series written by Dr. George F. Lemmer of the USAF Historical Division Liaison Office (AFCHO). Its predecessors were: The Changing Character of Air Force Manpower, 1958-1959, issued in April 1961, and USAF Manpower Trends 1960-1963, published in March 1965.