Transit Center Airmen learn enlisted assignment process

Published Nov. 3, 2012
By Master Sgt. Jason Vaught
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- Airmen at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan were given an inside look into the enlisted assignment system during a professional development luncheon Oct. 26, 2012.

The briefing was a collective effort by the Transit Centers' Top III organization and featured guest speaker Chief Master Sgt. Priscilla Bolding, Personnel Support for Contingency Operations team chief, who discussed multiple avenues for enlisted members to take charge of their careers under the Air Force assignment system.

Bolding, drawing upon her 26 years of service, discussed numerous topics on the assignment process, how Airmen are selected for assignments, what options Airmen have for assignments and special duty assignments.

"I've had the pleasure of being under the old assignment system and the new system," said Bolding who is deployed from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. "When you walk out of this room I hope you will be smarter about the assignment system and why the system is fair."

Airmen in attendance were interested in learning about how to position themselves for new assignments.

"The system we have now is fair, when you visit the [Assignment Management System] you see all the assignments open and visible to everyone in your career field," she said. "This is especially important for assignment managers so they can prioritize their manning levels with assignments based on the needs of the Air Force."

Air Force Instruction 36-2110, Personnel Assignments, states the Air Force Personnel Center posts the enlisted quarterly assignments listing, or EQUAL, on AMS to advertise vacancies the AF intends to fill in stateside and overseas locations.

"AMS allows Airmen the opportunity to align their preferences to actual AF needs," Bolding said.

Bolding cautioned Airmen against listing assignment locations that are not advertised on AMS.
"Members preferences are important. Airmen often list locations that are not available," she said. "This doesn't increase your chances for getting selected for an assignment. Make sure you are listing available positions based on the EQUAL list."

The chief shared insight for those who are having trouble getting an assignment in their present career field.

"EQUAL Plus is another option; you can look at stepping outside your career field with a special duty assignment," she said. "Positions such as instructor duty for technical schools or teaching at [Airman Leadership School] are just a few of the special duty assignments available. Be sure to check AMS often as the listings is always updated."

Airmen stationed in overseas locations who are concerned about their date eligible for return from overseas, or DEROS, were interested in applying for special duty assignments.

"Based on your time-on-station you may not be eligible, however an assignment can be curtailed up to 60-days if you qualify," said Bolding.

Personnel without previous short tour experience could expect that to be a deciding factor for their next assignment.

"If you've never had a short tour you are more likely to be selected for an assignments in places like Korea, Turkey or the Azores," said Bolding. "Master Sergeants and above can contact the Total Force Center to see if their Airmen are on the short tour list."

Career and first-term Airmen are available for assignments at different times in their careers.

"First-term Airmen, can apply at their eighth month mark but need 12 months time-on-station before moving to their next assignment," she said. "Career Airmen must wait until they have 48-months time-on-station for stateside assignments or 2-years to go from stateside to an overseas assignment."

Transit Center Airmen walked away from the briefing with new found information.

"I've only been in the Air Force a little more than a year and a half, I thought it was very helpful," said Airman 1st Class Mauro Larubbio, 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron services specialist.

"I thought all short tours were unaccompanied, I learned that a couple of the short tour locations are accompanied," said Larubbio who is deployed from MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. and a native of Daytona Beach. "It may help later if I choose to do an extended short tour so I can bring my wife."

Senior Master Sgt. Mark Jenkins, Top III professional development coordinator, helped bring the assignment briefing to the deployed Airmen.

"You want people to be informed so they can make informed decisions, the more you know about the Air Force assignment system, the better you will be at making decisions," said Jenkins who serves as a 376th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron operations superintendent. "If you can get this information while deployed, you can still operate like you are at home station so you are not behind the power curve."

For more information about Air Force assignments, visit the myPers website at http://mypers.af.mil or The Total Force Service Center can be reached at 800-525-0102.