Air Force Recruiting Below Expectations

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29890, 2 August 1962, Page 19

Air Force Recruiting Below Expectations

(New Zealand Prtss Aaociation)

WELLINGTON. July 31. Aar Force recruitment of men and women for ground trades slumped Last year to 32ti—well below the target of 735 Recruitment in this field has averaged oniy 265 a year in the Last three years, according to the annual report of she Air D ■oartment. tabled today m Parliament. ' Effective strength will become seriously deoleted’ with future anticipated releases and the inability on present indications to replen-i-r it from training establishments." the report said It expressed concern, too. at ack o' suitably qualified oilcan's for appointment to commissions :n the genera’ duties < fiyir.gi branch and f.r n eo. aircrew The situat:on was expected to worsen in the next 12 months. However. the manning of n-.a-fly ng officer branches generally—with the exception of rhe medical branch—was satisfactory. The effective Air Force '"-ength at March 31 last was 3973—563 officers. 74 alr-

crew n.c.o.’s. 2557 airmen. 182 airw-xnen. and 317 civilians. Ineffective strength—trainees and those suffering from sickness —brought the total to 4292. Non-regular forces showed no significant cna&ges. The Territorial Air Force stood at 45 officers and 86 airmen The active reserve comprised 179 officers. 15 n.c.o. aircrew and 772 airmen Air Training Corps’ strength rosa to 9759—8900 in school units and 1750 in town units.