The shortage of Air Force pilots is getting worse and has now reached 2000 according to the Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson.

According to Wilson, the Air Force has a deficit of about 2,000 pilots out of a total force of about 20,000 aviators. “That’s one in 10 that we’re short,” she said, pointing out that last summer the pilot shortfall was only about 1,500 pilots.

Wilson added that the service is currently too small “for all the missions that we’re being asked to carry out.”

“Surge has become the new normal in the U.S. Air Force – and you can do that maybe for about a year, two years, maybe three or four years,” she said, according to Military.com. “Less than 1 percent of Americans serve in uniform… and they are carrying a very heavy burden.”

The Air Force has flown 14,000 sorties in the past three months alone. It is handling missions in the Middle East and Europe, a pressure campaign against North Korea and hurricane relief efforts, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said. – CNBC

Video Below From January 2017…

President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order authorizing the Air Force to recall up to 1000 retired pilots.

Featured image of U.S. Air Force Capt. Hugh Walker, Maj. Brian Grossweiller, Capt. Jason Blodzinski, Capt. Joe Schenkel, and Capt. Patrick McAndrew, 77th Fighter Squadron pilots by US Air Force