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379th AEW offers tips for ensuring smooth rotation

  • Published
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  As AEF 7/8 nears the finish line, there are several important things Airmen should keep in mind that could help save Airmen a little time, money and energy in the redeployment and reintegration processes. 

Mailing items home 
-Unauthorized items include: sand or soil, matches or cigarette lighters, knives with automatic blades; weapon or firearm parts; pornography; mobility gear; insect repellent; live or spent explosives or ammunition; and perfume or cologne. Mailable items include footlockers, military clothing, uniforms, boots and flags. 
-Airmen can send mail many ways. Priority Mail will save time. Space-Available Mail will save money, but will take longer. Anyone sending sound or video recordings, printed material or books home can send packages via Media Mail. 
-Postal specialists conduct 100 percent inspections, including CD and DVD cases. Parcels should be sturdy and properly packaged to prevent items from being crushed and shifting inside.
-Pack secondary address labels inside boxes. Insure any military-issued items being shipped home, as you are liable for their replacement if they are lost or damaged. For more information, contact the postmaster at 437-8717. 

Operational security 
-Don't throw away boots, uniforms or any military equipment.
-Don't talk to people about when you're leaving here. You can tell friends and family what time you'll be arriving home.
-Don't talk about rotators around third country nationals. No one should openly talk about when personnel are leaving en masse. For more information, contact Master Sgt. Scott Menges, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing force protection, at 437-5941. 

Outprocessing the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group
-Medical out-processing procedures have changed. Ensure you have the current out-processing checklist from the intranet home page (from the home page, go to the "Links" column and click on "PERSCO," then click on "Outprocessing Checklist").
lNo earlier than 10 days prior to your departure, go back to the intranet, click on "Links" and select "Medical Outprocessing." Complete and save this questionnaire - it must be completed before you present it to the main clinic or the flight medicine clinic (for flyers, special ops, and Airmen on PRP status). Aircrew must have finished flying to receive records. For more information, call the main clinic at 437-8804 or the flight medicine clinic at 437-2426. 

Cleaning up after yourself
-Make sure rooms are clean and linen is exchanged and on the bed. Floors should be swept and mopped and the furniture dusted. Freezers should be defrosted and air conditioner filters cleaned. 

Getting travel information
-Personnel receive flight information, processing times and itineraries from their unit deployment manager. It is also posted on the 379th AEW TV channels, and the passenger terminal. The updated rotation schedule is also available on SIPRNet.
-Remain flexible. Schedules to change, sometimes more than once.
lWhen flying commercially, don't bring a weapon or other military gear, aside from uniforms. Weapons will be shipped back to your base. 

Getting on the plane
-Travelers should put a copy of their orders in each bag and shred old baggage tags.
-Your CAC and two copies of orders are required for check-in at the PAX terminal. Hand-carry personal records and valuables. Personnel should emigrate out of the country no sooner than four hours prior to departure.
-Restricted items that cannot be in carry-on baggage include knives, scissors, leathermans, lighters and weapon-like objects like baseball bats, golf clubs, etc.
-Passengers are authorized to check two pieces of baggage (140 pounds total and 62 linear inches, the sum of the length, the width, the height). Items over 100 pounds and/or 80 linear inches won't be accepted. Single items exceeding 70 pounds and/or 62 linear inches will count as two pieces. 
-Excess baggage must be stated in orders.
-Passengers may check in 12 hours prior to departure and are encouraged to come early to avoid long lines. Afterward, you are released until your show time. 

Arriving home
-Once home, file travel vouchers within five days. All receipts will be needed to complete this process, even if an accrual voucher was filed and paid during your rotation. The final voucher covers the entire deployment and receipts must be provided for all required items.
-List all accruals or advances paid during the TDY in block 9 of the travel voucher. This will ensure the finance office reimburses you accurately.
-When you file your travel voucher, remember to ask the finance office about Hardship Duty Pay and Family Separation Allowance. HDP is $50 per month for the 379th AEW and FSA is $250.
-Personnel should also consider when to take leave. It would benefit members to take leave during a month in which they're no longer drawing tax-free entitlements. For example, those who leave here in September would benefit from their combat zone tax exclusion leave by waiting until October because September's pay is already tax free. Waiting until after September to take leave would reduce the member's taxable wages a little more for the year.