Air Reserve Technician Program

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Air reserve technicians, commonly referred to as ARTs, are a nucleus of managers, planners and trainers who have knowledge and expertise to smooth Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) units' transition from a peacetime to a wartime environment. They provide management continuity, equipment maintenance and training support to help keep their units combat ready.

Air reserve technicians carry dual status, working as full-time civil service employees for the Air Force and as military members in the same AFRC units where they work as civilians and performing the same job.

In their civilian role, air reserve technicians provide full-time support throughout the month for their units. In the AFRC, air reserve technicians participate with other reservists on weekends and annual active-duty tours.

Their jobs span a broad spectrum, including commander, flight instructor, aircraft mechanic, nurse, aircraft maintenance officer, loadmaster and personnel officer. ARTs comprise approximately 17 percent of the AFRC unit manpower with aircraft maintenance employing about 60 percent of the technician work force, where they average 17 years of job experience.

The program was implemented in 1958 as the result of a study, which showed that reservists could be trained by fewer air reserve technicians than by full-time duty personnel. The air reserve technician program saved the Air Force $13 million during its first year of operation.

There are approximately 9,600 technicians assigned in the AFRC.