Air Force Permanent Change of Station Assignment Policies
Air Force PCS Moves (Stateside / Overseas)
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Rod Powers was a retired Air Force First Sergeant with 22 years of active duty service.
- Air Force NCO Academy
In October 2018, the Air Force announced restrictions on Permanent Change of Station (PCS) assignments, to be effective immediately.
In an effort to save PCS dollars and to stabilize and better develop the force, new policies have been developed regarding PCS moves that will keep most Air Force personnel in one location for a longer period. This limitation can be good or bad, depending on how you look at it.
For the Air Force, these dollars saved can be used to recapitalize equipment, airplanes, and facilities. For Airmen, this means your families can stay in the same house for a little longer, your children can finish another year at the same school, or your spouse can continue to work at their civilian job. On the other hand, if you really want to move from a base you dislike, you will now have to wait longer in many cases.
Increases CONUS PCS Time
The first PCS policy change increases the time-on-station requirement needed before one can PCS from one continental United States (CONUS) assignment to another. In the past, you needed to remain at a stateside base for three years before you could PCS to another stateside base. Now, you will need to remain on base for four years before you can get a new assignment to another stateside base.
All enlisted Airmen are affected by this change, as are officers in support, judge advocate, chaplain, and medical career fields. Also, most officers in rated staff positions are affected. Lieutenants , however, will need only three years on base in order to do a CONUS to CONUS move.
Stateside to Overseas PCS
This change in policy does not affect the time on station needed to move from a stateside base to an overseas base. That time requirement is 12 months for first-term airmen and 24 months for all others.
Marriage and PCS Changes
Airmen who get married to another Airman often seek out duty locations where they can do their Air Force job alongside their spouses— called Join Spouse. The Air Force works with these couples to help them find assignments that allow them to stay together.
However, another change to PCS policy increases the time married couples will need to serve on-station before the Air Force will pay for a move to a Join Spous e assignment location.
Under the new PCS policy, Airmen must have 24 months on-station before they can apply for a government-paid Join Spouse PCS. This doesn't mean it’s not possible to move sooner if manning permits. However, it means the Air Force won't pay for the move before two years.
If a suitable assignment is available before the 24 month period, and an Airman chooses to, they may pay their own way to move. This change affects both officers and enlisted.
Adjusting Manning Percentages
Another set of changes to Air Force policy is more indirect, but they still affect PCS moves in the service. These changes involve adjusting manning percentages at both overseas and stateside bases.
At a base in the United States, for instance, manning for an AFSC (job) must now be less than 85% before the Air Force will send more Airmen there. So if Base X has authorizations for 100 aircraft maintainers, it is okay for them to have only 85 maintainers assigned. Should they fall lower than 85% manning, another maintainer could PCS in—but not until then.
Similar changes will happen overseas. Because the manning numbers have been changed both overseas and stateside, the Air Force will have to fill fewer vacancies, and that means fewer PCS moves.
Assignment Availability Code 50 Tours
Finally, the Air Force has extended by 12 months the tours of Airmen in jobs coded as Assignment Availability Code 50 (AAC 50). Airmen affected by this change are now serving in special jobs where the Air Force initially set an absolute limit on how long they could serve. Those limits have now been increased by 12 months. If you don’t know if this change affects you, check with your supervisor to determine if you are coded as AAC 50.
Programs and Helpful Links
In the Air Force, the Assignment Distribution System distributes personnel from command to command throughout the individual's career. Personnel distribution to specific units is done jointly adhering to the policies contained in AFI 36-2110, Assignments .
When you graduate from basic military training (BMT) and Technical Training (TTGs) the base requests are considered, but the needs of the Air Force will always win—sometimes they match. You can receive an assignment within the Continental United States (CONUS) as well as overseas, specialities distributed equally among the commands.
There are many programs designed to assist with the Air Force personnel needs such as:
- Voluntary Stabilized Base Assignment Program (VSBAP)
- Base of Preference(BOP)
- Join Spouse
General information can be found within those sites. More specific information on each can be obtained at your local military personnel office.
Airmen may access their permanent change of station (PCS) through the virtual MPF (vMPF). Log into the Air Force's Personnel Center secure website, click vMPF, click the Out Processing link (under Most Popular Applications), and access the "view orders" link (under the Pages menu).
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
INSTRUCTION 36-2110 9 AUGUST 2024 Personnel TOTAL FORCE ASSIGNMENTS COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PUBLICATION IS MANDATORY ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available on the e-Publishing website at www.e-Publishing.af.mil for downloading or ordering. RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication.
Training Student Assignments. DAFI 36-2110, Total Force Assignments, is supplemented as follows. This publication applies to all civilian employees and uniformed members of the ... AFI 33-322, Records Management and Information Governance Program, 23 March 2020 DAFI 36-2110, Total Force Assignments, 15 November 2021 Prescribed Forms None ...
(AFGM) immediately implements changes to Air Force Instruction (AFI) 36-2110, Total Force Assignments. This change will allow assignment authorities to facilitate when possible the assignment or deferment of Airmen with a court-ordered child custody decree to the geographic location of the children. Compliance with this Memorandum is mandatory.
INSTRUCTION 36-2110 15 NOVEMBER 2021 Incorporating Change 1, 16 November 2022 Certified Current 16 November 2022. Personnel TOTAL FORCE ASSIGNMENTS COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PUBLICATION IS MANDATORY ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available on the e-Publishing website at www.e-Publishing.af.mil for downloading or ordering.
By order of the Secretary of the Air Force, this guidance memorandum implements changes to AFI 36-2110, Assignments. Compliance with this memorandum is mandatory and effective upon the publication date of this AFGM. To the extent its directions are inconsistent with other Air Force publications, the
published in AFI 36-2629, Individual Reservist Management and AFI 36-2633, Peace Time Management of the Air Force Pre-trained Individual Manpower Programs. It also updates and incorporates guidance from AFI 36-2110, Total Force Assignments, Chapters 12 and 13 and
1040 Air Force Pentagon Washington, DC 20330-1040. truction 36-2110, Total Force AssignmentsBy Order of the Secretary of the Air Force, this Air Force Guidance Memorandum immediately implements changes to Air Force Instructi. n (AFI) 36-2110, Total Force Assignments. Com.
Total Force Assignments: DAFI 36-2110. Military Separations: DAFI 36-3211. Voluntary Limited Period Of Active Duty (Vlpad) For Air Reserve Component (Arc) Service Members And The Career Intermission Program: Dafi 36-2008. Reserve Personnel Participation: DAFMAN 36-2136
Personnel distribution to specific units is done jointly adhering to the policies contained in AFI 36-2110, Assignments. When you graduate from basic military training (BMT) and Technical Training (TTGs) the base requests are considered, but the needs of the Air Force will always win—sometimes they match. You can receive an assignment within ...
For eligibility criteria and additional information regarding humanitarian and EFMP programs, Airmen should review Air Force Instruction 36-2110, Assignments, Attachment 24 (humanitarian) and Attachment 25 (EFMP). For more information, see your military personnel section or visit https://mypers.af.mil/.
accordance with AFI 36-2110, Assignments, and JTR criteria. Airmen must have established the residence while assigned to the prior duty station. Airmen must have made their housing decision based on the prior assignment, must provide a written statement to the assignment OPR certifying
Q9: Is this new policy going to be updated in the Assignments AFI, 36-2110? A9: This change will be incorporated via an Interim Change or Guidance Memorandum to AFI 36-2110. Q10: Does this policy apply to Guard and Reserve Airmen? A10: This policy is intended for Active Duty Airmen.
100%. AFPC is the only authorized assignment authority for SMSgt and below IAW DAFI 36-2110. 5.2. The SPECAT entries are those special duties and positions that meet the criteria in DAFI 36-2110 and this PSD Guide and approved by AFPC/DP3AM. The SPECAT Guide is the official AF directive providing
36-2110 6 AUGUST 2019 Personnel THE HUMAN RESOURCE ADVISOR ... ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available for downloading on the e-Publishing website at www.e-Publising.af.mil RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication OPR: NGB/CFD Supersedes: ANGI36-2110, 1 September 2017
-- Airmen will be awarded short-tour credit based on TDY service stipulated in AFI 36-2110, Assignments Since the exception to policy went into effect in 2003, 16,795 Airmen have deployed more than once on 179-day taskings. Since 9/11, more than 52,000 Airmen have deployed for 181 to 200 days. The number of 179-day taskings also has grown ...
The guidance for the criteria for short tour credit is in Air Force Instruction 36-2110, Personnel Assignments. You have to meet the assignment short tour criteria to be awarded the ribbon. Establishment of the "A" Device on the Air Force Overseas Short Tour Ribbon for Arctic Service Message. MEDAL DESCRIPTION
Key and Strategic Assignments. Key/Strategic enlisted positions are managed in accordance with AFI 36-2640, Executing Total Force Development, Chapter 5.5 and AFI 36-2110, Chapter 8. The Senior Enlisted Management Division (AF/REG) in coordination with the AFRC Command Chief Master Sergeant (AFRC/CCC), provides oversight of Air Force Reserve ...
AFI 36-2110, Assignments, Attachment 20, provides additional important information about command sponsorship of family members during OCONUS relocation. Additionally, when family members are recommended not to travel with the sponsor to the projected assignment location, the sponsor has the option of requesting an Exceptional Family Member ...
e-Publishing website at www.e-Publishing.af.mil. RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication. OPR: AF/A1P Certified by: SAF/MR Supersedes: AFI36-2101, 25 June 2013 AFI36-2105, 25 May 2018 AFI36-2107, 22 October 2018 AFI36-2616, 9 October 2018 AFI36-2626, 20 November 2018 AFRCI36-2102, 26 March 2018 Pages: 197
to AFI 36-2110, Assignments. 1.2.1. The Personnel Relocation Element (PRE) uses data in the master computer record, machine products, and UPRGp to determine eligibility. It verifies validity of selection by having the member review the above records. Request reclama if disagreements exist in facts on which the assignment is
For more information on the changes to tour length, visit AFI 36-2110. AFWN USAF AF Air Force tour lengths overseas duty locations PACAF USAFE One Air Force time on station readiness force management Personnel Management Airmen guardians Pacific Air Forces U.S. Air Forces in Europe
1.3.2. National Defense University graduates are placed in joint assignments consistent with the placement policy found in AFI 36-2110, Total Force Assignments. 1.3.3. Temporary Duty periods of over 30 consecutive days away from an officer's assigned joint organization for service-related duties including pre-command or refresher training, or
deferment timelines set by DAFI 36-2110, Total Force Assignments. (T-1) h. In accordance with section 586 of Public Law 110-181 (Reference (j)), Service members meeting the conditions of this Instruction who may be deployed in an area for which imminent danger pay is authorized may request a deferment of deployment due to unforeseen ...