- - K-town Now
- Asia-Pacific
- - Storm Tracker
- Middle East
- Map of Memorials
- Entertainment
- - Video Games
- Europe Travel
- - Quick Trips
- - After Hours
- Pacific Travel
- The Meat and Potatoes of Life
- U.S. Travel
- Storm Tracker
- Rewards for readers
- Get Stripes
- Stripes Lite
- Archives/Library
- Special Publications
- Mobile Apps
- Email Newsletters
- Digital Access
- Home Delivery
- Marine Corps
- Coast Guard
- Space Force
- Archive photo of the day
- - Schedules Europe
- - Scoreboards Europe
- - Schedules Pacific
- - Scoreboards Pacific
- - Pacific Sports Blog
- - WW II Podcast
- - Military Matters
- - Force for Hire
- Out of Uniform
- - WW II Videos
- Communities
- Stripes Europe
- Stripes Guam
- Stripes Japan
- Stripes Korea
- Stripes Okinawa
- Our Other Websites
- In Memoriam
- Month of the Military Child
- Best of Germany
- Best of the Pacific
- Letters to Santa
Air Force says PCS moves continue after concerns of pause mount among airmen
Passengers board the Patriot Express at RAF Mildenhall, England, Dec. 20, 2022. The Air Force is still processing new military assignments, and moves scheduled this year haven’t been canceled, the service said, following concerns and posts by airmen on unofficial social media channels. (Viviam Chiu/U.S. Air Force)
The Air Force is processing new assignments and scheduled permanent-change-of-station moves are still going according to plan, the service said, following numerous social media posts referring to a pause in processing the movements of airmen.
“The Air Force Personnel Center is not pausing processing military assignment actions nor canceling assignments for those scheduled” to move in fiscal year 2023, Tech. Sgt. Deana Heitzman, an Air Force spokeswoman at the Pentagon, said in a statement to Stars and Stripes on Wednesday.
Numerous comments and screenshots of what appear to be Air Force documents and unit messages were posted to unofficial military social media channels earlier this week, informing airmen that assignments and moves had been temporarily paused due to a significant shortfall in the service’s PCS budget.
“We are Air Force wide 7-day assignment pause,” said an anonymous post Tuesday on Air Force Reddit, noting that someone had posted about the issue earlier but had since deleted the post.
The PCS budget is projected to be expended for enlisted members by Aug. 1 and sooner for officers, the post continued. “They are pausing to ensure that the math is correct and come up with a solution.”
Added to the comments below the post was a screenshot of a message directed to unit leaders, stating that the loading of new assignments into the system was on hold. Heitzman said she could not confirm the authenticity of the note.
Others said they received a similar message.
“Got the same from my Commander today,” said another Reddit post Tuesday. “He briefed us as soon as he heard so we weren’t caught by surprise. Lots of badly needed career progression about to be put on pause in my work center.”
Similar posts appeared on the popular Air Force amn/nco/scno Facebook page .
But Air Force officials said Wednesday that no changes had been decided.
An email sent to airmen from the Air Force Personnel Center on Wednesday backed up that statement, adding that earlier communication on the subject may have been premature or erroneous.
“To be crystal clear — we are continuing to process military assignment actions,” it said. “We apologize for the confusion from a previous message on this topic.”
The back-and-forth left some airmen skeptical regarding the service’s fiscal standing.
“I’m not trying to stoke fires, but nowhere in the statement did it address the current state of the budget,” said one Air Force Reddit commenter. “Just that assignments will still be processed and assignments won’t be canceled.”
Heitzman did not say whether there is a shortfall in the PCS budget, following an emailed question from Stars and Stripes.
A Government Accountability Office study published in 2015 determined that PCS move costs across the Defense Department increased 28% from 2001 to 2014, to $4.3 billion, after accounting for inflation.
The report found that the Air Force spent the highest per move, at an average of $8,548.
The service asked for $1.1 billion for 2023 PCS moves, according to Air Force budget documents.
Moving costs in general are on the rise because of inflation, higher shipping rates and gas price spikes, fueled in part by a supply crunch during the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
The military services also are now obligated to pay for more temporary lodging expenses. Last fall, the Defense Department mandated an increase in temporary lodging coverage from 10 to 14 days for stateside moves and up to 60 days for service members moving to an area with a housing shortage.
related stories
- Defense secretary issues orders aimed at putting more money into troops’ pockets
- Army hasn’t paid reservists housing money a year after a board said it broke the law
Sign Up for Daily Headlines
Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.
Sign Up Now
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Enlisted Assignment Cycles. POSITIVITY! This is just a PSA. Next assignment windows. System / Type / RNLTD / Window opens. AMS / OCONUS / Apr-Jun 2024 / 16 Aug 2023. AMS / CONUS (OCONUS returnee, CONUS Mandatory mover) / Nov 2023 - Jan 2024 / 19 July 2023. I couldn't find a chart for more AMS cycles, it used to be there in mypers.
A very brief description of the assignment process. TLDR; The Air Force's priority is cycling people through OCONUS spots and back, and also through special duty spots and back to regular AF duties. Most assignment actions happen due to one of these. If you want to get an assignment, then volunteer for OCONUS and/or apply for special assignments.
The Overseas Returnee (OSR)/Continental United States Mandatory Mover (CMM) enlisted quarterly assignment listing (EQUAL) are stateside assignments for overseas returnees/mandatory movers. DEROS Date Available to Customer Preferences Due Assignment Flow. May/Jun/Jul 2023 18 Jan 23 27 Jan 23 17 Feb 23.
Question Vulnerable Mover List 2024 CONUS JUN-NOV Cycle ( reddit.com) submitted 4 months ago by A_Classy_Dame. I've been through the OCONUS cycle in MyVector this fall and had about 2 weeks to make my assignment preferences in the system. I didn't get selected but was informed on the webpage to start the process over when the CONUS cycle came open.
The CONUS assignment SWAP program allows overseas returnees in the grade of TSgt and below to swap assignments with other airmen returning to the CONUS. To be eligible for this program, the DEROS of both members must be in the same overseas returnee cycle. Your grade or projected grade and control AFC must be the same as the member you'd like ...
The Assignment Management System (AMS) is a web application that houses multiple applications in support of officer assignments, enlisted assignments, commander responsibilities, and individual Air Force members. Users have access to a portion of their own personnel data and the ability to use manning tools, volunteer for available assignments, and review career field information using AMS.
DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE WASHINGTON DC OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY DAFI36-2110_DAFGM2023-01 5 October 2023 MEMORANDUM FOR DISTRIBUTION C MAJCOMs-FLDCOMs-FOAs-DRUs FROM: SAF/MR 1660 Air Force Pentagon ... DAFI 36-2110, Total Force Assignments, has been revised. Significant revisions were made to the
To file a claim log on to DPS, from the welcome screen locate your shipment and click on the "File a Claim" link. To create a claim, click on the "Start My Claim" button. On the Clam page, click on the icon in the BOL/GBL Number field. DPS will present a pop-up window with a list of shipments.
The standard tour length for a DoD Service member stationed OCONUS is 36 months in an accompanied tour and 24 months in an unaccompanied tour. Hawaii and Alaska are exceptions, with a tour length of 36 months for both accompanied and unaccompanied tours. Military Departments or Combatant Commands may provide conclusive evidence that a specific ...
CONUS EQUAL Cycle Opening Soon!! The Assignment Cycle for: -> Enlisted Overseas Returnee -> CONUS Mandatory Mover -> CONUS Assignment Cycle --> Opens Jan. 9th. If you are in cycle, go to AMS by...
Summary. There are numerous steps in the Permanent Change of Station (PCS) process. Through various agencies the Department of the Air Force provides guidance and counseling to assist Service members and their Families in making the best choices. To further ease the process of Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves, the Secretary of Defense ...
"The Air Force Personnel Center is not pausing processing military assignment actions nor canceling assignments for those scheduled" to move in fiscal year 2023, Tech. Sgt. Deana Heitzman, an ...
Permanently increase standard TLE maximum coverage from 10 to 14 days for CONUS moves and allow up to 60 days of TLE if a Service member is in a specified Military Housing Area with a housing shortage, that went into effect in October 2022. Increase the Dislocation Allowance (DLA) for E-1 to E-6 Service members, to further help offset personal ...
EODs are set at 45 days out for CONUS moves EODs must be set at the beginning of a new pay period (Sunday) 11 Example: • completed PCS-1 and supporting documents received by PCS technician on 09 Jan 2023 • 45 days from that date is 24 Feb 2023 • next closest pay period begins on 26 Feb 2023 • EOD will be 26 Feb 2023
The 13S assignment team told me they use the entire window because there is always tweaking and fine tuning involved with the process. At some point after this window, assignments will be pushed through the vMPF system. We were told once you get your assignment there is little that can be done because your chance at input was your ADP.
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- In a move toward a more efficient and transparent process, the Air Force's Personnel Center is transitioning the Air Force Officer Assignment System from three to two cycles.This modification will allow more time for interaction and communication between officers, billet owners, commanders and assignment teams.
Big changes are underway for deployed Airmen as the U.S. Air Force transitions away from the expeditionary Air Force model of force presentation to the Air Force Force Generation model after more than 20 years of contingency operations., ... While Airmen in joint assignments do not typically support Air Force deployments, they could be tasked ...
The Air Force is changing the process of how First Term Airmen can retrain to provide additional opportunities for Airmen to stay in uniform instead of separating. Effective June 1, all FTA can retrain into any Air Force Specialty Code they qualify for that is under 90% manned prior to separation, even if their current AFSC is below 90% manned.
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) -- The Enlisted Quarterly Assignment Listing for Airmen returning from overseas and continental United States mandatory movers from August through October will be available April 11. Airmen can work through their military personnel flight or their commander's support staff to update their preferences.
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Air Force officials recently introduced a new Web-based application that allows Airmen to withdraw or cancel a voluntary assignment from their desks at their convenience. Voluntary assignments are assignments that are self-initiated and that Airmen can apply for on their own. They differ from normal assignments because they apply only to those that Airmen ...