Air University (AU) Voluntary Retired Return to Active Duty (VRRAD) Program

Overview

Air University (AU) Programs have reached critically low manpower levels.  To minimize instructor and faculty shortages, an AU Voluntary Retired Return to Active Duty (VRRAD) program has been implemented, which provides retired Line of the Air Force (LAF) officers and LAF officers with an approved retirement, the opportunity to return to active duty under 10 USC 688.

 Positions Available

Position

Rank

Desired Qualifications

Officer Training School (OTS) Instructor

Capt – Lt Col

Excellent speaking and writing skills, professional attitude, and appearance; excellent interpersonal skills; modeling the way as a leader of character.

Highly desired-prior instructor/teaching experience and/or a background in education.

Squadron Officer School (SOS) Instructor

Capt - Maj

SOS completion (correspondence or in residence) preferred but not required.

Holm Center - Academic Staff

Capt - Maj

Excellent writing skills based on ability to synthesize research/source documents into educational materials that will be read by Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) and OTS students/faculty; professional attitude and appearance; excellent interpersonal skills.

Highly desired -platform teaching experience and/or a background in education.

Officers may identify more than one desired position on their AF Form 125, Application for Extended Active Duty, however only one VRRAD application can be submitted at one time.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Retired Regular or Reserve officers who received an active duty retirement under 10 USC 9311 (renumbered from 10 USC 8911)--or have an approved retirement within 12 months from their VRRAD date of application--in the grade of captain, major or lieutenant colonel, and who are under age 58.  Applicants older than 58 may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Officers who were promoted to colonel/O-6, but did not retire in grade, may be eligible to apply, but will return to active duty as a lieutenant colonel/O-5.  If returned to active duty, they would be ineligible to participate in any other programs to return as a colonel/O-6 while serving under VRRAD as a lieutenant colonel/O-5. 

Officers who did not retire in lieu of pending administrative and/or judicial adverse actions (e.g., discharge, demotion, or court martial) or retire in a lower grade as a result of an officer grade determination by Secretary of the Air Force (SecAF) or delegee.

Officers who did not retire pursuant to, or in lieu of, a Selective Early Retirement Board or retire after having been notified of consideration for early retirement under 10 U.S.C. § 638, including 10 U.S.C. § 638a, by a board convened under 10 U.S.C. § 611(b).

Officers who were not medically retired.

Officers must be medically qualified for extended active duty (EAD) (i.e., meet medical retention standards) IAW DAFMAN 48-123, Medical Examination and Standards.

Officers returned to active duty under VRRAD must be medically cleared for aviation service and hold a current aeronautical rating to be eligible for flight pay in accordance with AFMAN 11-421, Aviation Resource Management.  Additionally, those selected for EAD whose aviation service has been inactive for more than 180 days will require revalidation of their aeronautical orders. Retired rated officers filling non-flying staff jobs will not perform flying duties.

Officers must be able to acquire/maintain a security clearance that meets the requirements of the assigned duties and position.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES

The Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) will accept applications for VRRAD until 31 January 2026 or until 1,000 Airmen are returned to active duty, whichever occurs first. If selected, the minimum tour length is determined by assignment IAW DAFI 36-2110, Total Force Assignments, but shall not exceed a maximum of 48 months.

Retired rated officers returned to active duty will not be eligible for the aviation bonus, nor promotion consideration, and will only deploy if they volunteer, unless they are assigned to a combat coded unit.

Officers returned to active duty under VRRAD must be medically qualified for aviation service and hold a current aeronautical rating to be eligible for flight pay.  Additionally, those selected for extended active duty (EAD) whose aviation service has been inactive for more than 180 days will require revalidation of their aeronautical orders. Retired rated officers filling non-flying staff jobs will not perform flying duties.

Participation in VRRAD does not incur any additional active duty service commitment beyond the length of the EAD orders.  Service under 10 USC 688 is exempt from the five-year window of statutorily protected re-employment rights, meaning participating officers’ period of service does not count toward their 5 years of Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) protection.

Active duty officers with an approved retirement application, selected into VRRAD, who elect to commence VRRAD service immediately upon retirement, should proceed with out-processing appointments, terminal leave and retirement ceremony.  The only difference will be that instead of being retired on the first day of the month after retiring, they will remain on active duty.  Active-duty officers with an approved retirement application who apply and are accepted to serve under VRRAD may have up to three options regarding their current leave.  If they are eligible, they can sell their leave, they can take the leave and return to active duty on their first day of retirement, or they can choose to lose or forfeit their leave.

Applicants selected for EAD require a National Agency Check, Local Agency Checks, and Credit Check.  A higher level of security clearance may be required depending upon the assignment IAW with DoDMAN 5200.02_AFMAN 16-1405_AFGM2022-03, Department of the Air Force Guidance Memorandum to DoDM 5200.02_AFMAN 16-1405, Air Force Personnel Security Program.

All officers returned to active duty under VRRAD will be required to meet Air Force standards, to include physical fitness, and will have their performance documented on an Officer Performance Brief. Officers may be subject to move (Permanent Change of Assignment or Permanent Change of Station) due to Air Force unit mission changes, but must still fill a funded vacant position. Officers in this program who decline such a move will terminate their contract.  A contract may also be terminated if the officer engages in misconduct that would subject the officer to involuntary separation under DAFI 36-3211, Military Separations or if the officer, for any reason, is no longer able to perform the duties of the position to which the officer is assigned.

Applicants selected for EAD will be ordered to active duty in their retired grade and will revert to retired status in the same grade, upon completion of tour. 

APPLICATION PACKAGE

Applicants may obtain copies of documents from their Military Human Resource Records in one of two ways:  Register for a free Premium account on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ eBenefits site, or email, mail or fax a signed Standard Form 180, Request Pertaining to Military Records, to AFPC’s military personnel records section.  The form can be emailed to: afpc.dpsor.milrecordsincoming@us.af.mil, faxed to 210-565-3124 (DSN 665-3124), or mailed to the AFPC address on the back of the form.  Please include “VRRAD Documents Needed” in the subject line of the email.  Requests for records or documents cannot be made by phone.  AFPC strives to meet a 5-day turnaround while requests via eBenefits typically take 2 duty days.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Officers will submit their application packages via MyVector in accordance with instructions under the "How to Apply" section below.  After eligibility screening, the AFPC Military Accessions Branch will notify the applicant to initiate the medical clearance process.  The notification will include instructions and a memo for use in scheduling an appointment for a Flying Class II or Flying Class III physical examination, as appropriate, at an Air Force Medical Treatment Facility.

While applicant is working to obtain medical clearance, application will be forwarded to the respective AFPC assignment officer for review, who will tentatively match applicant to an assignment based on the needs of the Air Force.

Upon obtaining medical clearance, the Selection Authority considers the application, and the applicant receives notification of their selection or non-selection for EAD.

AFPC will provide selected applicants with a Statement of Intent (SOI) for use in accepting or declining the EAD offer. Applicants will have 7 days to sign and return the SOI to AFPC. Once the applicant returns the SOI accepting the EAD, the Military Accessions Branch will complete EAD processing.

Retired applicants selected for EAD can expect to return to active duty anywhere from 4 to 6 months from their date of application. Applicants currently serving on active duty can expect to return to active duty in 3 to 4 months from their date of application. Processing times can vary depending upon medical and revalidation of aeronautical orders processing. Application should not be considered final until all steps in the EAD process have been completed and the applicant receives their EAD orders. Officers should refrain from making any binding or irrevocable commitments due to a tentative assignment selection until orders are processed and received.

NOTE: For OCONUS assignments and applicants identified as requiring an Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) determination, an approved AF1466, Request for Family Member’s Medical and Education Clearance For Travel is required to process EAD orders.

HOW TO APPLY

Scan all documents listed in the Application Package section above into separate pdf files.  Name each pdf IAW content – Rank Last Name, First Name (i.e., AF125 - Lt Col Doe, John).

Applicants without access to MyVector:  Must have a login.gov account to access MyVector.  If you have a login.gov account, select Login without CAC and follow the prompts to input your login.gov email address and password.  Applicants without login.gov account, will select First-time non-CAC user and follow the prompts.  Non-CAC user instructions can be found under the “Help” tab via the MyVector login page or by accessing this link: MyVector.

Applicants with access to MyVector will click the VRRAD application links below to submit their applications or Go to MyVector->My Applications>AFPC Special Accessions>VRRAD

Once submitted, application is forwarded to the AFPC Military Accessions Branch for processing.  Incomplete applications will be returned without action.  Failure to submit all required and legible documents may delay processing of the application and may result in the application not being considered.  To view the Status of your application, select “My Applications” on the left side of your MyVector dashboard.  The application status can then be found by viewing “Application History” on the right side of the “My Applications” page.

For questions about the VRRAD program, contact the Total Force Service Center at 800-525-0102, Option 5

For questions about how to login to MyVector, please refer to the user instructions first before sending an email to afldp.support@bamtech.net

RETIRED PAY

Retired pay stops the day before resuming active duty. Upon return to retirement, retired pay is calculated according to how long the service member served on active duty.  Airmen will receive credit for the time served on active duty documented on a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty.  The Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS) will adjust retired pay accordingly.  The original retirement date will not change. AFPC Retirements will send the required information to DFAS to restart retired pay when Airmen revert to retired status. For more information, visit DFAS’s Recall to Active Duty web page.

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