Commander stresses holiday leave policies

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Abigail Klein
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  With the upcoming holidays, many Ellsworth members will capitalize on their accrued leave in order to spend more time with their families and friends while indulging in upcoming festivities.

Air Force Instruction 36-3003 - Military Leave Program supports this action, encouraging supervisors to allow members to take leave during holiday periods, said Col. Scott Vander Hamm, 28th Bomb Wing commander. However, a supervisor's ability to schedule time-off for their members must also be organized in order to maintain Ellsworth's mission.

As a result, Colonel Vander Hamm has designated a liberal leave policy from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2, 2009, encouraging supervisors to approve leave while also allowing the appropriate amount of manning needed to continue operations. After Jan.2, 2009, however, all work centers will resume regular staffing.

All offices, work centers and businesses will remain open during these days except for Dec.25 and Jan.1, 2009, which are designated federal holidays, as well as Dec. 26, an Air Combat Command-qualified Family Down Day. Members leaving the area for more than 72 hours on these days are still required to apply for leave.

Work centers are also allowed to use minimal staffing Dec.24, while still remaining fully manned. Between Dec.29 and Jan.1, 2009 work centers will also operate under minimum staffing in order to allow maximum leave for their members.

Not all work centers at Ellsworth will follow the same policies outlined for the liberal leave policy days. For example, Department of Defense contractors are required to follow the rules of their contracts in order to obtain appropriate time-off. DoD civilians also follow different leave policies for their work centers.

"DoD civilians leave days are ultimately up to their supervisors, who are also required to operate work centers with minimum staffing as directed by the Bomb Wing Commander," said Woodie Bishop, 28th Force Support Squadron Civilian Personnel officer.

"DoD civilians are only allowed to use their annual leave, previously accrued compensatory time off, previously accrued credit hours, previously accrued
compensatory travel time or previously accrued time-off awards during the liberal leave days outlined," Mrs. Bishop said. "The use of sick leave is not permitted for the liberal leave policy days."

"Also, per AFI 36-1004 - Managing the Civilian Recognition Program, supervisors are not authorized to accomplish time-off awards for down days or family days," Mrs Bishop said.

The leave policies outlined are meant to ensure all members of Ellsworth will partake in the upcoming holidays while also continuing the Ellsworth operation into 2009.