152100Z JAN 03

FROM: HQ APFC RANDOLPH AFB TX//DPP//

TO: ML 8106

ML ALPERSCOM

ML 10607

REFERENCE AFPC/DPP 271610 DEC 02 MESSAGE

SUBJECT: ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CONCERNING THE NEW HIGH YEAR OF TENURE (HYT) POLICY

THIS MESSAGE PROVIDES ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE AND PROCESSING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE NEW HYT POLICY ANNOUNCED IN THE REFERENCED 271610 DEC 02 MESSAGE. PART ONE PROVIDES GENERAL PROCESSING GUIDANCE; PART TWO PROVIDES ADDITIONAL E-4/SRA SPECIFIC GUIDANCE AND PART THREE LISTS HQ AFPC POCS.

PART ONE: ADDITIONAL PROCESSING GUIDANCE

1. PERSONNEL WITH AN APPROVED RETIREMENT ON FILE WHO ARE RETIRING BECAUSE OF THEIR PREVIOUS HYT MAY REQUEST TO WITHDRAW THEIR RETIREMENT USING THE INSTRUCTIONS CITED IN PARA 3 OF REFERENCED MESSAGE. IT IS CRUCIAL THAT MPF RETIREMENT TECHNICIANS ENSURE THAT ITEM 13 ON THE AF FORM 1160, MILITARY RETIREMENT ACTIONS, REFLECTS THE FOLLOWING PHRASE: "AUTHORITY FOR THIS ACTION IS THE NEW HYT RESTRUCTURE AND MEMBER HAS NOT EXPENDED FUNDS AGAINST THEIR RETIREMENT ORDERS." PERSONNEL RETIRING FOR HYT REASONS HAVE SPD CODE "RBC" REFLECTED IN MILPDS. PLEASE ENSURE MEMBERS APPLY TO HAVE THEIR DOS EXTENDED VIA AN AF FORM 1411, EXTENSION OR CANCELLATION OF ENLISTMENT IN THE REGULAR AIR FORCE/AIR FORCE RESERVES, OR PROJECTED REENLISTMENT IN CONJUNCTION WITH REQUESTING TO HAVE THEIR RETIREMENT WITHDRAWN. MEMBERS MAY USE THE REENLISTMENT WORKSHEET OR AN FORM 901, REENLISTMENT ELIGIBILITY ANNEX TO DD FORM 4, AS THEIR STATEMENT OF INTENT TO REENLIST. STAFF SERGEANTS AND ABOVE WILL REENLIST OR EXTEND THEIR ENLISTMENT TO PERMIT RETIREMENT AT HYT PLUS ONE MONTH.

2. PERSONNEL WITH AN APPROVED RETIREMENT FOR REASONS OTHER THAN HYT WHO WISH TO WITHDRAW THEIR RETIREMENT MUST FOLLOW THE ESTABLISHED PROCEDURES AS OUTLINED IN AFI 36-3203, SERVICE RETIREMENTS, PARA 2.21. THESE PERSONNEL MUST REQUEST WITHDRAWAL BASED ON BEST INTEREST OF THE AIR FORCE OR PERSONAL HARDSHIP.

3. AS INDICATED IN THE REFERENCED MESSAGE, PERSONNEL WHO HAVE EXPENDED GOVERNMENT FUNDS AGAINST THEIR RETIREMENT OR SEPARATION ORDERS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY. HOWEVER, HQ AFPC/DPPR WILL ENTERTAIN WAIVERS TO THIS POLICY FOR BEST INTEREST OF THE AIR FORCE OR FOR HARDSHIP ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS. EACH REQUEST FOR A WAIVER MUST CONTAIN THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE MEMBER'S UNIT COMMANDER. MPF PERSONNEL WILL FAX COMPLETED WAIVER REQUESTS TO HQ AFPC/DPPRR AT DSN 665-4664. PERSONNEL APPLYING FOR A WAIVER TO THE EXPENDITURE OF GOVERNMENT FUNDS POLICY SHOULD BE ADVISED BY THEIR MPFS THAT SUBMITTING A REQUEST DOES NOT GUARANTEE APPROVAL.

4. PERSONNEL ON TERMINAL LEAVE WHO HAVE NOT EXPENDED GOVERNMENT FUNDS MAY ELECT TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE APPROVAL OF THEIR UNIT COMMANDER. THESE PERSONNEL WILL HAVE THEIR LEAVE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY AND RETURN TO DUTY. PERSONNEL ON TERMINAL LEAVE WHO HAVE EXPENDED GOVERNMENT FUNDS MUST APPLY FOR A WAIVER TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY AS INDICATED IN PARA 3 ABOVE.

5. FOR THOSE CASES REQUIRING AN IMMEDIATE UPDATE OF A MEMBER'S HYT DATE, MPFS SHOULD CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE POC LISTED IN PART THREE OF THIS MESSAGE OR E-MAIL RETSEPSYS@RANDOLPH.AF.MIL.

PART TWO: E-4/SRA SPECIFIC GUIDANCE

1. SRA WHO CURRENTLY HAVE AN HYT DATE DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2003 OR EARLIER ARE NOT ELIGIBLE TO TEST FOR PROMOTION FOR THE 03E5 SSGT CYCLE. THESE SRA HAVE THE OPTION TO EITHER SEPARATE UPON THEIR CURRENT HYT OR ELECT TO REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY IAW THE NEW POLICY. PERSONNEL WHO ELECT TO SEPARATE UNDER THEIR CURRENT HYT WILL RECEIVE SEPARATION PAY BASED UPON THEIR REENLISTMENT CODE AT THE TIME OF THEIR SEPARATION IAW WITH AFI 36-3208, ADMINISTRATIVE SEPARATION OF AIRMEN, CHAPTER 9, TABLE 9.1, AND WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR PROMOTION TESTING. HQ AFPC/DPPRS WILL SEND ROSTERS TO MPFS IDENTIFYING ALL PERSONNEL WHO ARE ELIGIBLE TO SELECT ONE OF THESE OPTIONS AS WELL AS A LETTER OF INTENT TEMPLATE. ELIGIBLE PERSONNEL WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A LETTER OF INTENT STATING WHICH OPTION THEY ELECT TO CHOOSE. EACH LETTER OF INTENT WILL BE ENDORSED BY THE MEMBER'S UNIT COMMANDER. ORIGINAL LETTERS OF INTENT WILL BE MAINTAINED IN THE MEMBER'S UPRG AND A COPY WILL BE FAXED TO HQ AFPC/DPPRS AT DSN 665-2436. ALL LETTERS OF INTENT MUST BE COMPLETED NO LATER THAN 1 MAR 03, REPEAT 1 MAR 03. ONCE A MEMBER MAKES AN ELECTION THEIR DECISION IS IRREVOCABLE.

2. PLEASE NOTE THAT SRA WILL NOT BE REQUIRED TO SERVE PAST THEIR EXISTING DOS. ALTHOUGH A SYSTEM UPDATE WILL AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST THE HYT DATES OF ALL SRA TO 12 YEARS, SRA STILL HAVE THE OPTION OF SEPARATING ON THEIR DOS. IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO SERVE PAST THEIR DOS, MEMBERS WILL NEED TO REENLIST OR EXTEND AND MUST MEET EXISTING ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.

3. SENIOR AIRMEN REENLISTING TO REACH THEIR HYT OF 12 YEARS MAY NOT EXCEED THEIR HYT MONTH. FOR SRA REENLISTING TO HYT WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR AN SRB, THEIR SRB WILL BE CALCULATED BASED ONLY ON TOE YEARS (MUST BE A MINIMUM OF 3 YEARS). IF THE TOE YEARS IS LESS THAN 3 YEARS, THE MEMBER IS ELIGIBLE TO REENLIST FOR 2 YEARS PLUS OBLIGATED SERVICE; HOWEVER, THE MEMBER IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE AN SRB.

4. IF A SRA EXTENDS FOR THE PURPOSE OF REACHING THEIR HYT AND THEY HAVE NOT ENTERED THE EXTENSION, THEY HAVE UNTIL 15 FEB 03 TO CANCEL THIS EXTENSION IF THEY SO CHOOSE. THESE EXTENSIONS CAN BE CANCELLED AT THE MPF LEVEL AND DO NOT NEED TO BE SENT TO HQ AFPC/DPPAER FOR ACTION. MEMBERS WILL THEN BE ELIGIBLE TO SEPARATE ON THEIR PREVIOUS DOS OR IF ELIGIBLE, MAY REENLIST TO THEIR NEW HYT.

PART THREE: POINTS OF CONTACT

1. QUESTIONS REGARDING RETIREMENT HYT ISSUES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO HQ AFPC/DPPRR. THEY CAN BE CONTACTED AT DSN 665-3446/3930 OR BY E-MAIL AT AFPC.DPPRR@RANDOLPH.AF.MIL.

2. QUESTIONS REGARDING SEPARATIONS/E-4 HYT ISSUES SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO HQ AFPC/DPPRS DSN 665-3769.

3. QUESTIONS REGARDING REENLISTMENTS OR EXTENSIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO HQ AFPC/DPPAER DSN 665-2090.