Air Force alters leave program Published Aug. 5, 2008 By Tech. Sgt. Angela Shepherd 1st SOW Public Affairs HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- The Air Force recently implemented four major changes to the leave program, with one of the biggest perks being an increase in the amount of leave an Airman is allowed to carry over every year. "These changes will reduce paperwork and ultimately provide more rest and recuperation time for Hurlburt's Airmen," said 1st Lt. Marjorie Molloy, 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron military personnel chief. The Air Force's first change temporarily increases the annual leave accrual allowance from 60 to 75 days. This change will begin with the changeover from Fiscal Year 2008 to FY09 and run through Dec. 31, 2010. So, Airmen who have 75 days on Oct. 1 will not lose those extra 15 days. The next change increases the special leave accrual retention limits. Basically, SLA earned in a combat zone may be kept for four fiscal years, while SLA earned in support of operations can be kept for two years. This retention limit applies only to SLA earned between Oct. 1, 2008 and Dec. 31, 2010. The changes now also allow an additional one-time sell back of SLA for enlisted members. Now enlisted Airmen can sell back up to 30 days of SLA. However, this sell back does count toward the Airman's cap of 60 sellback days throughout their career. Finally, the program changes authorize an increase in special rest and recuperation with transportation benefit from 15 to 20 days. This change applies only to Airmen completing an overseas duty tour extension of 12 months or more. "While the changes are already effective, it'll take the Defense Finance and Accounting Service a little time to catch up," Lieutenant Molloy said. "Members with 61-75 days of leave will temporarily lose those extra days on Oct. 1. DFAS will have to manually restore the leave, and this will be done by Dec. 1. No action will be required by the Airman." For more information, call Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Pelkey at 884-4203.