Advance assignment notification enhancement prompts commander, Airmen career discussions

  • Published
  • By Kat Bailey
  • Air Force’s Personnel Center Public Affairs
Commanders will now receive seven-day advance notification of assignments for their Airmen as the Air Force’s Personnel Center takes steps toward a more transparent and interactive assignment system. This change supports Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein’s “Revitalizing Squadrons” effort, ensuring commanders are aware of assignments given to their Airmen.

As an enhancement to AFPC’s virtual assignment notification process, all assignments for enlisted Airmen in the ranks of senior master sergeant and below and officers, lieutenant colonel and below, now go to unit commanders through their Military Personnel Flights seven days before the official notification to Airmen.

“The advance notification will give commanders an opportunity to notify their Airmen of the assignment, either directly or through a delegated subordinate. It also provides an opportunity to discuss the pros and cons of the assignment, ultimately giving commanders additional mentoring opportunities,” said Maj. Gen. Brian Kelly, AFPC commander.

The seven-day window also allows for discussion of the Airman’s professional development path and the assignment timing for their family. Additionally, the new step permits delivery of the assignment notification face-to-face versus computer and ensures the commander has full awareness.

Kelly advised the commander advance notification is not the same as the official assignment notification. Official assignment notification occurs on day eight when the Airman receives the notification email, logs into virtual MPF and acknowledges receipt. Once the Airman logs in, this records their official assignment notification date which begins the seven-day period the Airman is afforded to either accept the assignment or execute their option to retire or separate, if eligible.

“This new seven-day period is not intended to be a negotiation or reclama period above already existing assignment rule sets,” Kelly said, “But we at the Air Force’s Personnel Center will remain agile and alert for potential adjustments driven by real world changes. We’re intentionally putting this into action now to ensure availability during our upcoming 2018 summer cycle moves.”

AFPC officer assignment teams have begun updating assignments for the summer assignment cycle. The assignment update for the enlisted assignment cycle will occur on Jan. 26, 2018, with approximately 2,900 assignments.

The advance notification only applies to the initial assignment. For example, if an Airman’s initial assignment is a remote tour (dependent-restricted tour) and is approved for a follow-on assignment, the virtual notification for the follow-on assignment will go directly to the Airman via vMPF notification on the selection date.

For more information on the advance notification process, visit the active duty enlisted or officer Assignments pages on myPers from a CAC-enabled computer.

For more information about Air Force personnel programs, visit myPers. Eligible individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following these instructions.