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Take a break - you deserve it

  • Published
  • By Col. Al Hunt
  • 375th Airlift Wing Commander
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Summer is here. The annual surge of military moves is in full swing; Joint Total Force Scott is getting new leaders almost every day. School is out and kids are busy with camp, sports and friends. Families are welcoming home loved ones from deployments and others are gearing up to send their loves ones off in September. It's a busy time and the operations tempo continues to remain high.

Regardless of how busy you are or things at work may be, it's important not to forget planning ahead for a well-deserved vacation. Extended breaks from work not only re-charge one's mental battery but also improve one's physical well-being.

Recently, the Air Force instituted a policy change increasing the number of days a servicemember may carry over from one fiscal year to the next from 60 to 75 days. This change provides greater flexibility to servicemembers balancing deployment schedules with their annual leave. The change also creates a wider window to ensure earned leave is not lost.

Ultimately, it is the servicemember's responsibility to take advantage of the leave days earned. There's never a good time to take leave but it's never good to lose it either. Planning how and when you will use your days of leave is key.

Summer is a popular time for vacations because kids are out of school and parents have an opportunity to spend quality time with them. The weather also tends to be more cooperative and there are a variety of activities to keep you and your family busy.

While longer vacations are great ways to use accrued leave, it's also important to realize the benefit of taking a few days off throughout the year. Whether you take a Friday off to spend a day at the zoo with the kids or take three days off to finish landscaping the yard, using leave in smaller increments is a smart way to manage your accrued leave.

The end of the fiscal year is 11 weeks away. If you haven't made arrangements for leave, do it today. Talk to your supervisor if you are concerned about taking leave and managing your duties. If you plan ahead, it's easier for your co-workers to cover your responsibilities while you are on leave.

Remember it's not important how or when you take leave. It's only important you don't throw away your hard-earned leave.

Thanks for all you do Joint Total Force Scott! Have fun, play safely.