Unwilling Warriors: How US Military Extends Pilots' Service Without Their Consent

Major General Tom Drew, head of Army Human Resources Command, explained that part of the error was because Human Resources Command had put the wrong date into pilots’ files without including the additional three years of service that were owed.

Many US Army pilots are concerned about mismanagement of their service contracts, which could result in their service duration being extended by up to three years. The issue was discovered when officers set to be released from active-duty submitted their papers, and were told they still had service obligations remaining.

US officials claim the Army is working to fix the errors and provide stability for soldiers while maintaining combat readiness.

On the other hand, dozens of US Army aviators sent a collective letter to Congress outlining the problem and claiming to have been misled by Army representatives.

In the letter, one officer stated that their family had been impacted the most, as they were trying to transition to civilian life. Other pilots are dealing with significant financial problems, including having to reorganize their businesses or missing out on lucrative job opportunities. Meanwhile, spouses and partners have to readjust their career plans and weddings due to unexpected service extensions.

The issue stems from a misunderstanding of how long pilots are required to serve after choosing a specific contract, known as the Branch of Choice Active-Duty Service Obligation (BRADSO).

A number of officers who were commissioned around 2015 believed the BRADSO ran concurrently with their flight school obligation, while the current interpretation would result in roughly 10 years of service for Army pilots.

General Tom Drew told the reporters that they are approaching each contract issue with compassion and empathy, but some officers are threatening legal action if the issue isn't resolved.