Fighters of the Total Force in the 21st Century: Should the Force Structure Change?

The study focuses on the growing reliance on the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard for contingency operations, driven by the national policy of "Engagement and Enlargement," which led to a significant rise in military deployments. This increased tasking has created retention and recruiting challenges not only in active duty but also within the reserve components, particularly among fighter units. The paper outlines the problems faced and offers recommendations to address the retention and recruiting issues impacting both the active and reserve forces.