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JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Airmen stationed at overseas long tour locations who extend their tour Aug. 1 or later may be eligible for incentives, Air Force Personnel Center officials said.
Recent changes to the Overseas Tour Extension Incentive Program will affect members who make a “date eligible for return from overseas” decision Aug. 1 or later. Some Air Force specialty codes have been added to the eligibility list, while others have been removed, said Bill Warner, the AFPC Assignment Programs and Procedures Branch chief. The OTEIP exists to increase stability and decrease permanent change of station costs, he said.
“Incentives are offered to all enlisted members who extend their overseas short tour by 12 months,” Warner said. “Enlisted members in specific career fields at overseas long tour locations are also eligible when they extend their overseas long tour by 12 months.
Eligible Air Force Specialty Codes are periodically reviewed and approved by the secretary of the Air Force.
Airmen who accept OTEIP can opt for one of three incentives: $2,000 special lump sum payment, 30 days of non-chargeable vacation time or 14 days of non-chargeable vacation time and funded travel (for the military member only) to the nearest stateside port and back.
These eligibility changes are the result of a June revalidation review, Warner said. During the review, various criteria were evaluated, such as critical manning levels and overseas/stateside balance, as well as such factors as operational tempo and resource availability.
“Under-manning at the seven-level is one reason a couple of career fields were added,” Warner said. “Air traffic control is 63 percent manned at the seven-level and combat control is at 57 percent, so OTEIP offers incentives to keep those members in place an extra year.”
Career fields were identified for removal from the incentive list for various reasons, including administrative and manning level changes, Warner said.
“The 1T191, or aircrew life support, field is no longer a valid career field, so removing it was an administrative decision. Other fields have seen overseas manning levels improve, so incentivizing someone to remain an additional year is no longer necessary,” he said.
OTEIP changes are effective for Airmen currently assigned overseas at long tour locations who make a DEROS extension decision Aug. 1 or later. Airmen who have already requested and received an approved DEROS extension under OTEIP will not be affected, Warner said.
To see the list of added and removed career fields, go to the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil and enter “OTEIP” in the search window.
For more information about other assignment opportunities and personnel issues, visit myPers.
