It’s not unusual for Minot Air Force Base to have a large number of non-appropriated fund job vacancies, says the Human Resources chief of the base’s 5th Force Support Squadron.

Twyla Scott said non-appropriate fund positions are those “funded by business-generated funding versus Congress-appropriated funding typically.” She said non-appropriated fund positions are available to support recreation, lodging and food businesses on the base.

“Minot AFB is a hard to fill location,” said Scott. “It is not unusual for us to have 40-60 positions vacant.”

Scott said they typically advertise about 20-25 positions on base, however, a position may have multiple vacancies. “For example, this week (week of Oct. 20) we are advertising 20 positions, but we may ‘hire’ three cooks under the same advertisement,” she said.

Non-appropriated funds job openings listed for the week of Oct. 20 included cashiers-checkers, cooks, food service workers, bartender and bar assistant, and waiter for various food businesses, and recreation aids, child and youth programs assistants, tractor operator and custodial worker at various other facilities on base. Salaries ranged from $8.86 up to $16.25 an hour. Job opportunities are listed at www.nafjobs.org.

Scott said as with most service industry positions, “there is a higher rate of turnovers and low retention rate. Our current vacancies are not necessarily higher than the previous year. However, we do have a higher turnover rate due to competitive pay of the private market (Minot),” Scott said.

Job Service North Dakota reports Minot has an unemployment rate of 2.2%, the same as the North Dakota unemployment rate as of August 2019. The U.S. employment rate was 3.8% that month.

Scott said high turnover rates are common for service-related positions due to high competition with the local market. She said businesses in the city of Minot are competing for the same labor market.

“However, private businesses have more flexibility in retention/recruitment incentive and have a less commuting distance for Minot employees,” Scott said.

The base is about 13 miles north of Minot.