Pretty simple. Subtract moves vacation earlier, addition moves it later. If you put in a range of dates, it tries to move it the furthest first.

Now it exists.

Sure. Read the Scheduling Reference Handbook. Go to page 88.

Bonus: it is now permanently located in your Secure Content Locker. Check the folder titled "PWA and Contract Support."

Figured I'd ask here.....

For CQ bidding, if I want to train in the month (of July) as late as possible, I think I can have a one line bid, Prefer Off July 02-July 31, placed above the Avoid Training line. In (my) theory that should cycle thru dropping days from the end of the month and I should get the latest one available. Yes? By far my biggest priority is training in the second half of the month. Don't really care about about Sim periods etc. Thanks,

Denny

That pref above the AVOID line will get you the whole month off (for CQ), *IF* you can avoid training. Otherwise, it should work like you suggest.

You could also look at the patterns, and bid for the one(s) that best fit your needs?

Good luck!

The question is, is July your "must go" month (i.e. the last one in your 3-month window) your "may go" or "early"?

I don't know where you sit seniority-wise, but if July is not your "must go" month, then a Prefer Off July 2-31 bid will likely not give you CQ at all.

On the other hand if it is indeed your last month then I think that strategy could work. However I tend to be a bit more proactive--paranoia I guess. I still will look at the CQ patterns and bid for specific ones. I am guessing most guys don't do that, because I have always gotten my first choice.

You will find there are probably not more then 10 training patterns for the month. Just bid specific patterns in the order you want them.

I'll 'second' both sailingfun and Herkflyr's suggestions to pick your slots in order, remembering that each preference needs a new line.

If you have a desired order (best to worst), put them each on their own line. If you enter several on a single line, the solver will put them in numerical order, low to high, regardless of the order you selected them, and award the first one it can.

Suggested bid from someone who screwed it up:

1. Avoid Training (unless it's your 'Must go' month or if you actually would prefer this month for some reason. i.e. family stuff going on next month)
2. slot choice 1
3. slot choice 2
4. slot 5, 3, 4, 6 (assuming there is no preference - the solver will put them in ascending order)
5. Prefer Off July 2-31
etc.

I put them all on one line (in my preference order) and was awarded almost my LAST choice since it was the lowest numerically. Oops.

This is the way to go.

Scoop

It's actually my early month but I'm very junior in category and pretty much go in my early month every time. I will take (all of) your advice and bid specific training events (above the avoid training line) when they are published.

I'm one of those guys that don't do that. Usually I just don't care when I go but this time I do! Want to go in my early month but only in the second half. Heck, I had to read the CQ Bidding Guide just to find out where to put a training bid in and once I got on the right page, figuring what icons to use and how to enter a simple prefer off one line bid took, well lets just say longer than it should have....:eek:

I sure hope the company that owns Easybid retains its interface with PBS...

Thanks Everyone! It's appreciated.

Denny

The 330A position was going early for almost everyone in the recent past. That is no longer the case. I suspect you can push it to August if you want. Put avoid voluntary training first then list the specific pairings you want after that if they are going to force you early.
I hope however you put golden days over the 4th.