From Texas Public Radio:
The Air Force has been battling a manpower crisis for several years as it continues to lose pilots to the lucrative airline industry. The total force faces a shortfall of about 2,000 pilots — the bulk of them fighters. It’s now exploring ways of modernizing its training pipeline, with the goal of making it faster and less expensive.
This story was produced by the American Homefront Project, a public media collaboration that reports on American military life and veterans. Funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.