The Air Force Career Intermission Program (CIP) offers a unique opportunity for service members to temporarily step away from active duty to address personal or professional goals, and Major Sandra Walker’s experience highlights the program’s benefits. While established in 2014, CIP remains a valuable, yet sometimes underutilized, option within the Air Force, as demonstrated by Major Walker’s successful intermission and return in 2021.
CIP, a Department of Defense initiative, allows Airmen to transfer to the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) for one to three years. This intermission caters to various needs outside of military service, ranging from family matters to pursuing civilian career opportunities or education. Participants in the Career Intermission Program retain several key benefits, including full medical and dental coverage for themselves and their dependents. Access to the Exchange and Commissary is also maintained, alongside a monthly stipend equivalent to one-fifteenth of their basic pay.
Alt text: Major Sandra Walker, a missileer, sharing her positive Career Intermission Program experience at F.E. Warren Air Force Base.
Major Walker, an assistant director of operations for the 321st Missile Squadron at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, first encountered the program in 2015. A guest speaker at the Twentieth Air Force Women’s Leadership Symposium introduced CIP, planting a seed for future consideration. Initially, it wasn’t a necessity for Walker, but she recognized its potential value down the line.
The turning point came in 2016 when her husband, an active-duty helicopter pilot, received a distinctive opportunity for a German Air Force immersion. This presented a career and family crossroads for Walker. Potential work locations in Germany were geographically distant from her husband’s assignment, and with their first child on the way, the challenges multiplied.
CIP emerged as a potential solution. After thorough research and extensive family discussions weighing career and personal impacts, they concluded CIP aligned with their needs. It offered proximity to Walker’s family in Germany, the chance to be more present during her daughter’s early years, and enabled her husband to undertake his unique assignment.
Despite the program’s clear advantages for her situation, Walker faced skepticism. Concerns like “out of sight, out of mind” and worries about derailing her career were voiced. However, Walker countered these concerns with a pragmatic perspective. She viewed CIP as a temporary career adjustment, stating, “really all you are doing is delaying your retirement if you plan to stay in for 20 years.” She further emphasized the potential for personal and professional growth during the intermission, arguing that “allowing people time to focus on their needs for a short period of time, will be advantageous to the Air Force and for the Airmen as a whole.”
Walker advises those considering CIP to, “know your timelines for promotion and professional military education; that applies to enlisted as well as officers. You need to have those conversations with your squadron commander, senior enlisted leader, or senior mentor…” She highlights the importance of career planning, noting, “you can separate whenever you want, but you must recognize that when you come back your career hits play right away, consider where do you want to sit and where do you want to be at that time.”
Walker separated in 2018 and embraced her intermission. She dedicated her time to raising her daughter, experienced a less stressful second pregnancy and postpartum period, and invested in personal development through reading and running.
Alt text: Portrait of Major Sandra Walker in uniform, highlighting her return to active duty after participating in the Career Intermission Program.
“The great thing about this program, you can separate for any reason,” Walker explained. She noted the diverse reasons Airmen utilize CIP, from pursuing opportunities at companies like Amazon to caring for ill family members. For Walker, “it was to support my husband’s opportunity and be closer to family while raising my daughter (eventually both daughters). Because of this opportunity, my husband and both daughters were able to learn how to speak German like me, something so invaluable.” This cultural immersion became an unexpected family benefit.
Returning to active duty in 2021 was a structured process designed for success. Approximately six to nine months prior to her return, the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) initiated contact. Discussions revolved around preferred assignment locations within the U.S., medical clearance procedures, and security clearance renewals. CIP participants are authorized travel and transportation allowances to their designated home of selection within the U.S., and subsequently to their follow-on assignment after returning to active duty.
Upon her return in 2021, Walker’s husband was selected for in-residence Intermediate Developmental Education at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. She resumed her Air Force career teaching at Squadron Officer School, later becoming Director of Operations for a student squadron. Subsequently, roles reversed when Walker was selected for Air Command and Staff College and her husband taught at SOS, demonstrating the program’s flexibility and support for dual-military families.
“Coming back on active duty was a lot easier than coming off of active duty,” Walker reflected. The transition back into uniform was smoother than the initial separation. “Coming off of active duty, I had to figure out who I was without the Air Force. Coming back to active duty, I knew exactly what was expected of me, I knew exactly what was going to happen…I knew what to wear, where to be, and how to show up. The hardest part was dropping off my kiddos…it was a culture shock and a language shock for them after our time in Germany.”
While acknowledging the unconventional career timeline – observing peers promote to lieutenant colonel while still a major – Walker emphasizes her positive perspective. Interestingly, those same peers now hold hiring positions, recognizing her value. She unequivocally states, “she has no regrets about taking the time off and feels she has returned an even stronger Airman.”
Walker’s message to Airmen contemplating CIP is encouraging: “it is a once-in-a-career opportunity to focus on yourself, to better yourself and focus on your priorities. You will gain new perspectives that will make you a better Airman upon your return. No one should hold this break in service against you, you should be proud of the opportunity the DoD provided you, because you will come back on active duty eager to serve, able to apply newfound skills and passions while paving a pathway for other Airmen and ultimately increasing retention across the force.” The Air Force Career Intermission Program, exemplified by Major Walker’s experience in 2021 and beyond, stands as a powerful tool for both individual Airmen and the overall strength of the Air Force.
