Some of the Air Battle Managers I'm around have chips on their shoulders (shocking, right?) over how the AF determines who goes to what careerfield within aviation and some of the examples are plain stupid. The AF could also, were it inclined, handle the ABMs like the Guard. Guard ABMs don't fly. The AD side has AWACS, JSTARS, ACS', AOC's, and the ADS missions to staff with ABMs and 1C5's (the enlisted side). If it would grow some non-flying ABMs and brought back another ACS (there used to be 5 Active ACS' and the rest are Guard) it could alleviate their OPTEMPO. Run it like the ALO program and take some of your best enlisted and commission them into this new field. I think the AF does a bad job of managing personnel in general and that's driven by 4-star leadership and SECAF management.
Sure, some of the medically DQ'ed pilots would punch, but I'm with you: they have to be qualified for other jobs and some would surely stay and contribute to the fight. Hell, can't fly but you're a pilot? UAV's dude, enjoy that a/c outside of Vegas.
Comm airmen...if you aren't at a NOSC then you aren't truly doing what you joined for. With each passing year the NOSC takes more and more centralized control, leaving the base comm squadrons to act as little more than equipment caretakers. (As you know) If you change bases, you have to call a help desk to have your email info changed in the GAL, the local squadron can't help you. Certain network accounts, accounts for equipment on your network? The NOSC. Group policies and security controls unique to your base? The NOSC. And who are most of the players at a NOSC? Contractors. AF Comm loses people, doesn't understand why, and then watches a one and done SrA/ SSgt gather every computer cert possible on the government's dime leave for a contractor job.
The AF has options, but I question if it seriously considers those options.