Timing to request AF retirement date
 

I am 1 yr out and can put in my paperwork this month for retirement next summer. My earliest availability date is around 1 May 2014 (terminal leave). I started my airline prep/apps in March.

Looking for inputs on doing retirement paperwork now versus waiting until 4-6 months out.

One factor -- if I get tagged with a 365 TDY (I have a 1993 short tour return date so I should be high on the list) I will be able to turn it down (3-day opt) but will have to retire NLT 7 months from TDY notification which ultimately could allow me to retire/be available earlier than May.

Appreciate any inputs!

AEF center is out of control. They're handing out AEFs up to a year in advance and there is no 3-day/7-day option, unless you have a DoR you're going. I submitted my retirement application on Friday since it takes up to 6 weeks to process and I'm eligible to deploy beginning Oct '14 but can retire July '14. Gives me about 6 weeks of slop but holding my cards another 6 weeks probably doesn't buy me anything.

I'd drop them now... Lesson chance of getting screwed. Industry is in recovery and the majors and regionals will be sucking up every mil pilot they can... Don't think twice... Do it.

I thought there was always a 3 day (ITDY) or 7 day (PCS) option. Not a palatable option for someone very close to being retirement eligible, but an option nonetheless. What assignments are dropping that don't allow those options?

If you haven't already, have a talk with your commander (or equivalent...the one who will receive the e-message once you request the retirement date). I say this because I've heard stories of folks being delayed when commanders felt "blind sided" by the news. If the boss knows the email from the AFPC robot is coming, he or she will usually just click the concur button immediately. YMMV.

AFI 36-2110 states the following:

For Lt Col and below..."An officer officially notified of selection for an extended deployment"...and has "No ADSC, or an ADSC that expires on or before completion of 365 Day commitment plus 30 days"...then "Officer may request a retirement date which is not later than the first day of the seventh month after event notification date (mo/yr) OR the first day of the month upon completion of 20 years TAFMS, whichever is later."

Since I have an ADSC until July 2014 I should meet this criteria to 3-day opt any 365 that comes down and since I have 21 years I will have to retire 7 months later.

My other concern is that by putting in my retirement now, I may highlight myself for a 179. Would they factor my May terminal leave in if a 179 came down? I imagine terminal leave is at CC discretion and not a guarantee.

We had two Lt Cols here that got hit with 365 notifications in Jan and both are retiring 1 Aug.

No 3-day option? What's your source on that info?

Stop-Loss isn't in effect... I don't believe you can be prevented from retiring, even if you are hit with the 365.

We had an O-5 here who was given an April '14 179-day deployment in April '13. His retirement eligible date was Sep '14. Because he was not yet in his 1 year prior retirement eligible window, he was not allowed to 3/7 day opt the deployment even though it would take him past his retirement eligible date.

EDIT: BTW, wing leadership called shenanigans and either handed it off to somebody else or reclama'd that deployment. Nice to have a good boss.

Good to hear your boss did right. I thought you were talking about 365s. A 179 would not offer a 3 day option, as you stated. I didn't even know they were still handing those out.

But they can't involuntarily extend you for a 179...right?