Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody speaks with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steven Giordano and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Ronald L. Green before testifying at the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2017. In his comments, Cody talked about compensation and growing the force.  This is the last Congressional hearing for Cody before he retires from the Air Force.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)Cody testifies before SASC on importance of Airmen, families
                        
                        
                        Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody speaks with Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Steven Giordano and Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Ronald L. Green before testifying at the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2017. In his comments, Cody talked about compensation and growing the force.  This is the last Congressional hearing for Cody before he retires from the Air Force.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody testifies before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2017. In his comments, Cody talked about compensation and growing the force.  This is the last Congressional hearing for Cody before he retires from the Air Force.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)Cody testifies before SASC on importance of Airmen, families
                        
                        
                        Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody testifies before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2017. In his comments, Cody talked about compensation and growing the force.  This is the last Congressional hearing for Cody before he retires from the Air Force.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody testifies before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2017. In his comments, Cody talked about compensation and growing the force.  This is the last Congressional hearing for Cody before he retires from the Air Force.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)Cody testifies before SASC on importance of Airmen, families
                        
                        
                        Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody testifies before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2017. In his comments, Cody talked about compensation and growing the force.  This is the last Congressional hearing for Cody before he retires from the Air Force.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody testifies before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2017. In his comments, Cody talked about compensation and growing the force.  This is the last Congressional hearing for Cody before he retires from the Air Force.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)Cody testifies before SASC on importance of Airmen, families
                        
                        
                        Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody testifies before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel in Washington, D.C., Feb. 14, 2017. In his comments, Cody talked about compensation and growing the force.  This is the last Congressional hearing for Cody before he retires from the Air Force.  (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Cody testifies before SASC on importance of Airmen, familiesPublished Feb. 15, 2017
                    
                    By Tech. Sgt. Robert Barnett
                    
                    
                    Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
            **WASHINGTON (AFNS) --**Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody testified on the importance of Airmen and their families before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel Feb. 14 on Capitol Hill.
“It is imperative we put them first, inspire them and support them as they face the challenges inherent to serving the profession of arms,” he said. “It’s not an easy task, which is why focusing on our Airmen and their families is so important.”
The modern landscape is unpredictable and requires the Air Force to constantly improve recruitment and retention of talent, while continuing to explore opportunities to strengthen the force.
“To meet global demands, resource emerging requirements and repair and sustain the force, the Air Force must increase our active-duty strength up to 321,000 by the end of 2017, and up to 350,000 over the next seven years,” he said. “To do this, we must address mission and readiness demands, increase our accessions and strengthen our retention, while never sacrificing quality for quantity.”
Families are often the catalyst to an Airman’s decision to stay or leave the Air Force.
“These selfless families make many sacrifices and the Air Force remains clear in its commitment to them,” Cody said. “Our Airman and Family Readiness Centers serve as a crucial bridge with our families and military missions, encompassing 14 core programs to ensure resiliency and readiness of Airmen and their families.”
The Air Force’s top enlisted leader expressed concern for how financial stress can impact Airmen.
“This is certainly a key factor today as our nation continues to face fiscal uncertainty, which has already eaten at an Airman’s compensation,” he said. 
The Air Force continues to educate Airmen on the newest program, the Blended Retirement System, to ensure Airmen are prepared to make educated financial decisions. He said the Air Force is also developing comprehensive financial training across the military lifecycle.
Cody mentioned the benefits of the Defense Department’s **Spouse Education and Career Opportunity Program**, which provides education and career guidance to military spouses worldwide. More must be done, Cody said, pointing out spouses with careers that require recertification they have to pay for after every move.
He then discussed the recent Spouse and Family Forum conducted by the secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff of the Air Force, showing leadership commitment to addressing the issues spouses brought up, including support for exceptional family members, spouse employment, schools and deployments.
Cody then switched topics to focus on single Airmen resilience, which impacts readiness. He cited the Air Force’s Single Airman Program Initiative as one example of how the Air Force seeks to revitalize squadrons and optimize Airmen performance.
He said the fiscal year 2017 National Defense Authorization Act could affect Air Force basic allowance for housing, which would reverse nearly 20 years of legislative action to keep compensation competitive and could severely limit talent recruitment and retention.
The chief master sergeant of the Air Force, who retires Friday, also touched on the need and improvement on programs to allow a military license or certification to easily transition into its civilian sector equivalent so that Airmen separating or retiring would have a smooth transition into civilian employment.
“The talented men and women of the Air Force are called upon each day to perform crucial missions around the world,” Cody said. “In every one of those mission areas, Airmen are the key to our success. Taking care of those Airmen must always be our first priority; every one of them earn their current pay and compensation.”
Cody’s full witness statement is available **here**.Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody 



senate 



testimony Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil