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AMC officials address post deployment downtime

Air Mobility Command News

Release Date: 5/12/2003

By Tech. Sgt. Mark Diamond Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AMCNS) -- With many U.S. military personnel returning from deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Air Mobility Command officials are reiterating the policy for post-deployment downtime.

"Air Force leaders recognize the continuing dedication and sacrifices made by our deployed servicemembers, and AMC is committed to taking care of our people after contingency and air and space expeditionary force deployments," said Lt. Gen. John R. Baker, AMC vice commander.

Post-deployment downtime is designed to help maintain quality of life and retain the valued Air Force members who keep our military strong and ready.

AMC Instruction 10-403 outlines the AMC commander's policy regarding compensatory time off following a contingency or AEF deployment.

All military members will be given compensatory time following an assignment away from home station of 42 days or longer. Members use this time to care for personal and professional matters deferred while on temporary duty. It is especially important that Air Reserve Component personnel who are taking leave or downtime earned during mobilization/activation ensure their employers understand they are still in a military status, caring for personal and professional matters, and this is why they are not back at work even though they are in the local area.

AMC officials emphasize post-deployment downtime should start as soon as possible following the servicemember's return to home station, not to exceed 72 hours after return. Normal unit-directed leave policy will apply for travel away from the member's duty station local area. This applies to active-duty personnel only during AEF and non-AEF contingency deployments.

AMC provides home station wing commanders some flexibility to reduce post-deployment downtime at installations with a high operations tempo. However, AMC officials encourage commanders to allow the maximum amount of post-contingency downtime possible in concert with mission requirements.

General Baker observed that during their deployments, many AMC personnel have endured hardships not normally associated with day-to-day military service.

"Our deployed personnel have endured lengthy separations from family and friends. They've pulled long and demanding workdays. They not only need this time off, they absolutely deserve it," General Baker said.

The general emphasized that families of deployed personnel also deserve this time with their recently returned military member.

"Airmen are not the only people who have made sacrifices in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom," General Baker said. "The families of our deployed service members have also made many sacrifices and they, too, deserve some time with their recently returned spouses, fathers and mothers."