Is The Air Force Really "Laying People Off"? ?

No, the Air Force finished that up and is now holding numbers relatively steady. There will always be times when this is happening, though. Any time that the force is significantly reduced, some people will have to leave the Air Force whether they want to or not. The only real way to get rid of lieutenants and many captains is before they finish their commitment. There won't be any cuts anywhere near as severe as after the end of the Cold War, though, so even when it happens again the odds are still good to stay in.