Lt. Gen. Stephen B. Plummer, Air Force Scientific Advisory Board military director, kicked off his science and engineering “road show” here at Wright-Patterson Tuesday.

He spoke at Air Force Institute of Technology to Air Force Material Command scientists and engineers. He outlined some recent initiatives the Air Force has undertaken to recruit, retain and develop scientists and engineers, and to express the concern of senior leadership for the importance of scientists and engineers in reaching Air force goals. It was also an opportunity for the scientists and engineers to give feedback to Air Force leadership regarding the progress and impact of the initiatives.

Plummer, who is also principal deputy to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, spoke of the issues that have negatively impacted the career field during the past decade and the importance of maintaining technological superiority. A lack of foresight and a competitive job market among other factors have stressed the manning levels in the scientific and engineering career fields to critical levels, he said. The security of the country is dependent on technological superiority, and scientists and engineers who work for the Air Force are the key elements to making this happen, he said.

“This is an area that can’t afford to take a hit,” said Plummer.

With expected retirements during the next five years the manning situation is not going to get better, according to Plummer. If nothing is done, the staffing in those career fields will drop to all-time lows of 61.5 percent for the military and 77 percent for civilians.

“We didn’t recruit and maintain as we should have. We had a huge problem because we didn’t do that,” said Plummer.

In response to critical staffing levels, senior leaders from the Air Force held a scientist and engineering summit in December 2000. Officials determined a position needed to be created for both civilians and military members dedicated to solving problems facing the scientist and engineering career fields. Plummer took the position himself, serving as the functional manager for the career fields.

Another summit was held in 2001. A major outcome was the continued momentum and additional support by Air Force leaders. Overall, more resolutions were implemented that included incentives for both recruiting and retaining professionals. Of particular interest for civilians, Plummer said, was the Air Force is considering “broad banding,” a program similar to civilian companies that financially rewards superior performers.

Plummer said the Air Force is working aggressively with scientists and engineers to match their personal needs with the needs of the Air Force.

He mentioned the importance of mentoring and the continued need for it to see these initiatives through. He said mentoring is so important the Air Force recently developed a new Air Force Instruction, AFI 36-3401, for mentoring.

Scientists and engineers also noted in previous feedback that they wanted to see the practical application of products designed in the labs. Officials are currently looking for ways to assign newly recruited scientist and engineers to operational assignments before sending them to the laboratories.

Plummer said the Road Show was highly successful. “I was encouraged by the lack of reluctance to get good, meaningful, constructive criticism from the scientists and engineers I spoke with today,” he said. Moreover, Plummer said the scientists and engineers he spoke with left with an optimistic view knowing their concerns are foremost with the general. For more information on issues affecting the science and engineering career fields, visit www.safaq. hq. af. mil /aqre/se/.

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