air force humanitarian assignment process

Air Force Humanitarian Assignments

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Rod Powers was a retired Air Force First Sergeant with 22 years of active duty service.

• Air Force NCO Academy

The Air Force Humanitarian Assignments Program was established to assist members in resolving severe short-term problems involving a family member. The program allows placement of the military member at the closest location to where the family member concerned resides to provide the family member maximum support, consistent with the manning needs of the Air Force.

For the purposes of this program, the term "family member" is limited to spouse, child, father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, the person in loco parentis or other persons actually residing in the household who are dependent for over half of their financial support. Stepparents can qualify as a family member if they meet the basic criteria for in loco parentis.

In loco parentis refers to one who exercises parental rights, duties, and responsibilities. This condition must exist for a minimum of 5 years before the member's or spouse's 21st birthday, or before entry on active duty, whichever is earlier. Requests based on in loco parentis status must include affidavits from all parties (to include other family members, neighbors, or family friends) stating the details of the custody, control, care, and management of member or spouse. They must also have copies of any documents that may have been created at the time establishing in loco parentis status and relating to the custody, control, care, and management of member or spouse. NOTE: The mere presence of a person in the home for a number of years, during which time he or she exercised a degree of custodial but not parental responsibilities does not constitute in loco parentis. In order for the child to have been in the care and custody of one acting in place of the parent, the parent cannot have also been in the same home (unless the parent was mentally incompetent).

Emergency or ordinary leave should be used first as a means of easing family hardships or problems before applying for humanitarian reassignment.

The situation must be able to be resolved in a limited period of time (one year or less). All Air Force personnel must be able to respond to any contingency wherever and whenever called upon to do so. Permanent or prolonged deferment from reassignment cannot be considered. If a reassignment or temporary period of deferment is approved, the member must thereafter (following the deferment period) revert to worldwide assignable status. If the problem cannot be resolved within a year, humanitarian discharge consideration is more appropriate.

Eligibility Criteria

Members can apply for a humanitarian reassignment or deferment if they meet all of the following conditions:

• They have a documented and substantiated short-term problem involving a family member. (See see above for the definition of a family member for the purpose of the humanitarian reassignment program.)
• The problem is more severe than that usually encountered by other Air Force members with a similar problem.
• The member's presence is absolutely essential to alleviate the problem.
• The problem can be resolved within a reasonable period of time (normally 12 months).

Humanitarian Conditions Usually Warranting Approval

The approval authority will normally approve a humanitarian reassignment or deferment under these conditions if a vacancy exists at the new duty station if a PCS is involved ; however, this list is not all-inclusive.

• The recent death (within 6 months) of the member's spouse or child, including miscarriages of 20 weeks or more gestation time. Humanitarian reassignment is normally approved on the death of a child or stepchild under the age of 18 who is living in the member's home at the time of death. Reassignments made under this provision will be considered on a case-by-case basis in order for the member to receive extended family support or to relocate to the closest available base to the burial site. The overall consideration will be the needs of the Air Force; however, every effort will be made to ensure the member is provided an assignment as close to the area of support as possible, within their AFSC.
• The member has a serious financial problem not the result of overextension of personal military income (such as loss of primary home of residence where member or dependents currently reside or possessions through fire, theft, or natural disaster) and will suffer a substantial financial loss unless his or her presence or continued presence can be ensured. It must be shown the problem cannot be solved by leave, correspondence, power of attorney, or by any other person or means.
• The member is serving an unaccompanied OS tour, and his or her spouse abandons their dependents. It must be shown it is not possible for the dependents to join the member at the OS location when an accompanied tour is authorized and that the member's presence is necessary. The assignment location under this provision will be based on the needs of the Air Force.
• The terminal illness of a family member (see paragraph above for definition of family members for the purpose of humanitarian reassignment) when death is imminent within two years. A doctor's prognosis of terminal illness must be fully supported and substantiated by clinical data. In such cases, your presence is considered essential regardless of the availability of other relatives to assist.
• An authorized state or local agency places a child in the member's home, and deferment is necessary to comply with state or local laws to complete the final adoption.
• Reassignment or deferment is essential in establishing or operating an effective family advocacy program according to AFI 40-301,  Family Advocacy . Documentation from the base Family Advocacy Officer is required.
• Sexual abuse and assault of the member's dependent when it has been fully substantiated, and it has been determined by the appropriate medical authority that remaining in the area where the incident occurred would be detrimental to the health of the dependent.

Reasons Humanitarian Applications Are Disapproved

The approval authority will not approve applications for reassignment/deferment if the problem might exist for an indefinite period of time or the request is based on one of the following circumstances:

• A desire to provide emotional or domiciliary support to a parent or parent-in-law due to age, non-terminal or chronic illness, or recent death in the family.
• A terminal illness of a step-parent, unless they qualify as a family member (see above definition for the purpose of the humanitarian program.
• Problems associated with childcare arrangements.
• Psychoneurosis (such as various psychic or mental disorders characterized by special combinations of anxieties, compulsions, obsessions, phobias, and motor or sensory manifestations) resulting from family separation incident to military assignment.
• Normal pregnancy, possible miscarriage, breech birth, Cesarean section, or RH blood factor.
• The existence of a housing shortage or home ownership problems.
• A financial problem, to include bankruptcy, resulting from over-extension of military income.
• A financial or management problem related to off-duty employment, the spouse's employment, private business activities, or to settle an estate.
• Passport or visa problems involving newly acquired dependents in the overseas area.
• Threatened separation, a divorce action, or the desire to pursue child custody.
• The problem existed or was reasonably foreseeable at the time of latest entry on active duty without a break in service or prior to departure on PCS. A7.10.12. A consecutive PCS or deferment based on the continuation of the same circumstances.
• A request based on the medical condition of the Air Force member. (Contact the local patient affairs office for information about reassignment based on a military member's medical condition.)
• Requests for PCS deferment will not be considered for members who have not been selected for reassignment.

Assignment/TDY Restrictions

If the Humanitarian Assignment/Deferment is approved, the TDY (Temporary Duty) assignment authorities will not select members for involuntary TDY exceeding 30 calendar days while the deferment is active. If granted a reassignment, members will not be reassigned PCS (permanent change of station) for at least 12 months from date arrived station. A deferment will initially restrict members from PCS or involuntary TDY for a maximum of 12 months. The initial period of assignment restriction for humanitarian reasons may be extended at the member's request provided the total period does not exceed 18 months. If a terminal illness is involved, deferment may be extended up to 24 months. Requests for such extensions must substantiate that:

• Every possible effort has been made to overcome the problem.
• The condition warranting assignment restriction still exists.
• The problem can be resolved within the extended period of assignment restriction.

For complete information about the Air Force's Humanitarian Assignments Program, see. Air Force Instruction 36-2110, ASSIGNMENTS , Attachment 7 offers complete information about the Air Force's Humanitarian Assignments Program.

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Humanitarian assignments considered for Airmen in time of need

Today’s American Airmen do the impossible every day. They pursue their mission with excellence and integrity to become leaders and warriors, providing help to a world in need. However, even Airmen need help at times, especially if an acute problem occurs with a family member. The Humanitarian Reassignment and Deferment Program, run by the Air Force Personnel Center, assists active-duty Airmen in resolving severe, short-term problems involving a family member while Airmen continue to meet the needs of the Air Force. “The spirit and intent of the program is to place the Airman at the closest location to where the problem exists,” said Kimberly Schuler, Chief, Humanitarian Assignment Policy. “Typically, a reassignment or deferment is a one-time action to resolve a critical problem with a family member within a reasonable period of time, normally 12 months.” The definition of “family member” for the Humanitarian Program is limited to spouse; child; parents, to include in-laws and stepparents; person in loco parentis; or other persons actually residing in the household who are dependent on the Airman for more than half of their financial support. “We often get asked about siblings,” Schuler said. “That’s always a tough one because siblings aren’t within the scope of the definition of ‘family member.’ However, if the sibling is terminally ill, we’ll look at the request as an exception to policy.” In a case that requires a long-term solution, an Airman would have to look at other options, she said. “The Humanitarian Program is a temporary solution to a short-term problem and the Air Force is unable to consider a permanent or prolonged deferment.” The Comptroller General has ruled that the Air Force cannot make moves at government expense based solely on humanitarian reasons. The reassignment or deferment must be to meet Air Force mission needs in addition to helping the Airman. Therefore, a valid vacancy must exist at the gaining base and the Airman must meet retainability requirements for a permanent change of station. Schuler’s team in AFPC’s Military Assignment Programs Branch, along with a team of six case managers in the Assignment Support Section and 11 Total Force Service Center Assignment Technicians processes approximately 1,000 requests annually to expedite assistance to Airmen in need. Humanitarian reassignment or deferment is not limited to a single reason. Circumstances can include the terminal illness of a family member, the death of an Airman’s spouse or child, the sexual assault of the Airman’s spouse or child, or issues involving a serious financial impact such as the loss of property through fire or natural disaster. “The reason doesn’t have to fit into a box,” Schuler said. In each situation, the AFPC Medical Review Board or the AFPC Administrative Law Office reviews requests for verification of clinical data submitted with an application or for the verification of legal documentation. Careful consideration goes into the adjudication of each request, as these Airmen are normally in a crisis and deserve the most compassionate eyes possible on their situation. “It’s not just personnelists making the decision,” Schuler said. “It’s a whole system of checks and balances. The entire team looks at the whole-person concept. We look at each situation as if we were in that Airman’s shoes and view the circumstances with empathy and kindness.” Missing documentation can delay the process, which is normally about two to four weeks. Schuler said the more supporting documentation the Airman can provide about every aspect of the situation, the better, as it paints a clearer picture of the scope of the problem. Burden of proof is on the member to prove that their situation is more than what an average Airman is going through. “Everyone has a tipping point, so we weigh everything—everything—happening in that Airman’s life to determine the best course of action,” she said. Currently, 2,916 Airmen are directly benefiting from humanitarian assignments at bases across the Air Force. However, if the Airman’s application does not meet the threshold for an approval under the Humanitarian Program, the case managers take the extra step to research if the Airman may be eligible for another alternative assignment option. “Perhaps the Airman can apply for a Base of Preference or a follow-on assignment,” Schuler said. “Or maybe they don’t meet the requirements right now, but if something changes, they can reapply. We try to manage their expectations and provide resources instead of just simply saying, ‘Denied.’” Schuler’s team is also working on improvements to the application process to make it more intuitive. Two efficiencies they would like to implement include a “delivery” status bar, visible to customers in the virtual Military Personnel Flight, and a defined set of statuses with detailed explanations of the application process. To help Airmen navigate those resources, Schuler’s team hosts recurring webcasts on the Humanitarian Reassignment and Deferment Program. The next webinar (https://conference.apps.mil/webconf/Humanitarian) for all Airman is scheduled for Sept. 27 at 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Central Daylight Time. Additionally, Airmen can chat with a personnel specialist live on myPers (https://mypers.af.mil/) about the humanitarian program between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CDT. To access the chat feature, click on the Humanitarian/EFMP link under “Assignment Programs” on the active-duty myPers Assignment landing page, hover the mouse cursor for 30 seconds and a chat window will appear. For more information about Air Force personnel programs, visit myPers (https://mypers.af.mil/). Individuals who do not have a myPers account can request one by following these instructions (http://www.afpc.af.mil/myPers). – 30 –

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US Calls on Iran to Halt Unprecedented Weapons Transfers to Yemen's Houthis for Attacks on Ships

UNITED NATIONS — The United States called on Iran on Monday to halt its transfer of an “unprecedented” amount of weaponry to Yemen’s Houthi rebels, enabling their fighters to carry out “reckless attacks” on ships in the Red Sea and elsewhere.

U.S. deputy ambassador Robert Wood told the U.N. Security Council that if it wants to make progress toward ending the civil war in Yemen, it should collectively “call Iran out for its destabilizing role and insist that it cannot hide behind the Houthis.”

He said there is extensive evidence that Iran is providing advanced weapons, including ballistic and cruise missiles, to the Houthis in violation of U.N. sanctions.

“To underscore the council’s concern regarding the ongoing violations of the arms embargo, we must do more to strengthen enforcement and deter sanctions violators,” Wood said.

The Houthis say their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are aimed at pressuring Israel to end its war with Hamas in Gaza , which has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sunk another since November, the U.S. Maritime Administration said late last month.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.

Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special envoy for Yemen, warned the council that “hostilities continue,” even though there has been a reduction in attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, as well as a reduction in the number of U.S. and British airstrikes on targets in Yemen.

He pointed to an announcement by the Houthis that they will “expand the scope of attacks," calling this "a worrisome provocation in an already volatile situation.”

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council that the Israeli announcement on May 6 that it was starting its military operation in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah, where 1.2 million Palestinians had sought safety, ratcheted up the spiral of escalation in the region “another notch further.”

“There’s no doubt that this will have an impact on the situation in Yemen’s surrounding waters,” he said, noting the Houthis’ opposition to Israeli attacks that harm Palestinian civilians.

“We call for a swift cessation of the shelling of commercial vessels and any other actions that hamper maritime navigation," Nebenzia added.

He sharply criticized the United States and its Western allies, saying their “totally unjustified aggressive strikes” in Yemen violate the U.N. Charter. He said they further complicate an already complex situation in the Red Sea.

The war between the Houthis and pro-government forces in Yemen backed by a coalition of Gulf Arab states has raged since 2014. The Houthis swept down from the mountains, seized much of northern Yemen and the country’s capital, Sanaa, and forced the internationally recognized government to flee into exile to Saudi Arabia. Since then, more than 150,000 people have been killed by the violence and 3 million have been displaced.

Fighting has decreased markedly in Yemen since a truce in April 2022, but there are still hotspots across the country.

Grundberg recalled that in December, the Houthis and the government “took a courageous step towards a peaceful solution” by agreeing to a series of commitments that would provide for a nationwide cease-fire, ensure desperately needed humanitarian aid, and initiate a political process to end the conflict.

However, U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths reported “alarmingly high” levels of severe food deprivation across the country that are expected to worsen during the lean season for crops, starting in June.

Griffiths also expressed serious concern about a rapidly worsening cholera outbreak. He cited reports of 40,000 suspected cholera cases and over 160 deaths — “a sharp increase” since last month, the majority in Houthi-controlled areas “where hundreds of new cases are reported every day.”

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