Extended deployments affect only 200

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. David Byron
  • Air Force Print News
WASHINGTON --  Air Force officials are designating some positions in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility as 365-day extended deployments in an effort to provide stability and allow for long-term relationship building with host governments

The new tour lengths will affect only about 200 key and critical operational and joint task force staff positions, officials said. People in the remaining positions will serve in the current air and space expeditionary force structure.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper directed the extended tours in response to requests from joint task force commanders seeking continuity in selected positions, often where the local culture requires more time to establish meaningful ties with local people and host governments.

These key positions are an integral part of a combatant commander’s mission and the AEF structure. No new positions will be created; they will be converted from current AEF slots.

“The positions will span a wide spectrum of Air Force career fields,” said Lt. Col. James Davis, Air Force assignment classification, retirements and separation policy chief. “There will be a good mix of enlisted and officer positions, mainly mid-level and up.”

Air Force Personnel Center officials will take the lead in finding people to fill most of the slots. Air Force Senior Leader Management Office officials will handle requirements for colonel and chief master sergeant positions, he said.

Colonel Davis said selections would be made during the course of the upcoming spring and summer assignment cycles with all being in place by August 2005.

Volunteers will be sought first, he said. If there are not enough volunteers, AFPC officials will use modified short-tour criteria to fill the slots. For colonels, AFSLMO officials will assign them through major command channels.

Although these deployments may appear to be remote tours, they are not permanent change-of-station moves. It is not a goal to establish a permanent U.S. military presence in the region, and there is no Status of Forces Agreement in place covering permanent assignments, officials said. The positions will fall under the category of “indeterminate length” temporary duty assignments. That category will allow for certain entitlements to apply that are not available for standard temporary assignments.

“Although we can’t consider them regular short-tour assignments, they will be treated as such,” Colonel Davis said. “Lieutenant colonels and below who complete the tours will have priority for follow-on assignments, just like any other one-year tour.” Colonels completing the tours will be assigned according to normal colonel assignment procedures.

Family members also may be eligible for standard short-tour benefits.

Storage of household goods is one benefit offered to Airmen serving temporary assignments of 180 days or longer. There are possible options for moving the Airman’s family while deployed; the availability and extent of those options will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Airmen may also have the option of returning to their former assignment, if there is a suitable vacancy, officials said.

There will be career benefits for Airmen serving these extended temporary assignments. Airmen serving the 365-day TDYs will receive short-tour credit and be exempt from AEF or other contingency deployments for six months following their return home. Most of the joint task force positions will earn joint-duty credit depending on actual length of rotation, officials said.

“Our expectation is that all of the joint task force positions will get full joint credit,” Colonel Davis said. “We are currently validating the positions working this with the Joint Staff and (secretary of defense). Although we’re asking some of our Airmen to deploy for a longer period of time to meet mission needs, we’re constantly looking for the best options for our (Airmen) and their families.”