JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Two chief master sergeants hosted a two-hour Reddit Ask Me Anything to answer questions from Airmen about the Developmental Special Duty application process May 2.
Chief Master Sgt. Erik Thompson, Air Education and Training Command’s senior enlisted leader, and Chief Master Sgt. Eryn McElroy, Air Force Personnel Center’s command chief, led the interactive, virtual Q&A session.
Questions from the community included a broad range of general DSD process questions and suggestions, the DSD matching process, the assignment notification timeline, and more. Both chiefs also participated in a Twitter Spaces conversation on the same topic toward the end of the Reddit event.
One of the most popular topics during the online exchange centered on the 83B300 Air Force Specialty Code, which puts non-commissioned officers into instructor roles at Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps detachments.
“The career field will be a part of future DSD cycles,” Thompson said to a poster who asked about whether the job would remain a volunteer assignment or move to DSD.
Several commenters noted the promise of the DSD process moving to myVector and asked about non-volunteers for DSD being picked up for the program.
“We are moving away from non-vols with the upcoming DSD changes,” McElroy said. “When we fully move to myVector, it will be volunteer based, and will only be non-vol if we don’t receive enough vols.”
One user asked if there had been any talk on the idea of weighing a DSD assignment heavier for promotion or assignments.
“We are absolutely discussing that,” Thompson said. “On the promotion side, we are looking at several different options for those in DSD. More to follow on that. Same goes for the assignment side.”
During the Twitter Spaces discussion, both chiefs continued to speak on the DSD process in general, the new 83B300 career field, and the upcoming program rebrand, with the name changing from DSD to Force Generators.
Thompson had a final message to those thinking about applying to be a force generator.
“We need you,” Thompson said. “You’re absolutely critical to the Air Force’s ability to produce the Airmen we need.”
The DSD application window is open through May, with the matching process beginning in June.
To view the full thread, click here.