JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Read below for frequently asked questions about the Enhanced Selective Early Retirement Board.
Q. What is an Enhanced Selective Early Retirement Board (ESERB)?
A. An ESERB allows the service to consider regular officers on the active duty list in the grades of Captain (with prior service) through Colonel for early retirement. Colonels with 2-4 years time in grade; lieutenant colonels who are retirement eligible and have been passed over once for promotion; and retirement eligible officers below the rank of Colonel on active duty. Eligible officers can be considered by competitive categories, grade, year group and AFSC. Colonels with at least 4 years time in grade and lieutenant colonels twice deferred to colonel are eligible for the regular SERB.
Q. Does ESERB provide the same "once every five years" eligibility constraint as the regular SERB?
A. No. Under the regular SERB, officers can only be considered by a board once every 5 years, which usually means each officer is considered once in a career. However, officers can be considered by consecutive ESERB boards every year until they voluntarily retire or become eligible for SERB.
Q. Does the Air Force plan to consider officers for ESERB by consecutive boards?
A. The Air Force will make that determination after finalizing the officer end strength target for the out-years and analyzing retention, gains and other force management factors.
Q. Why is the Air Force using an ESERB to meet end strength? Who will be considered? Just lieutenant colonels and colonels or captains and majors as well?
A. Under the law, eSERB allows for more flexibility to selectively consider officers for retirement. ESERB will consider lieutenant colonels once deferred for promotion, colonels with 2-4 years TIG, and retirement eligible majors.
Q. How many officers will be selected for ESERB?
A. By law, no more than 30% of the eligibles in each grade in each competitive category may be selected for early retirement by the ESERB. We continually assess manning in each competitive category with regard to projected end strength to determine respective ESERB selection rates.
Q. If the Air Force receives enough voluntary applications will it still conduct the ESERB?
A. We will continue to assess manning in each competitive category with regard to projected end strength to determine ESERB use and selection rates.