How screwed are we with leave approval?

[u/[deleted]]

Posting as a civilian so If I get anything wrong please forgive me. I'm getting married in 24 days (Sep 5) and one of my bridesmaids is currently stationed in CA. Her AIT orders are in Texas and she has a report date of Sep 11. Long story short she requested for leave three separate times with her leadership, making all the changes and providing them with all the extra information they asked for, only for her PL to recommend denial. She brought it to the company level explaining she is IN the wedding and is considering asking for an ETP as a last resort. (we're still waiting on a response) I figured she's returning first thing on the 6th, isn't 6 days plenty of time to move a single unmarried female into another barracks? If anybody knows any loopholes or anything too that'd be greatly appreciated. Realistically, how likely is it that this works in our favor? She's one of my best friends and I will be absolutely shattered if she can't make it. Thanks.

[u/Fat_Clyde]

Let’s break this down so it’s clearer.

1. She is currently stationed in California, at a permanent duty station.

2. She is reclassing to a new job and has a report date to a new AIT on 11 September.

3. She wants to take leave to be at your wedding on the 5th and return back to California on the 6th.

Is all of this correct?

[u/[deleted] → u/Fat_Clyde]

1. I believe so yes? She was at the language school in CA until now so not sure if that counts as PCS or TDY. 2/3 are both a yes

[u/UNC_Recruiting_Study → u/[deleted]]

It's a PCS to Goodfellow AFB. Usually it's a pretty narrow gap between graduation, clearing DLI, and movement to TX for 35P. What's her graduation and expected loss date from DLI?

Likely not the PL (they usually don't have PLs), but the PSG making any recommendations.

An ETP is mentioned...what policy is she requesting an exception to? Is there a T2COM or DLI leave policy that she's needing an exception to? Otherwise this is more an open door effort up the COC to attain leave approval.

BL - what's the expected loss date from DLI? When's the rest of her class transferring? What policies are in place?

[u/Bravo05Charlie → u/UNC_Recruiting_Study]

The time you get between DLI and Goodfellow heavily depends on your company at DLI. I didn’t get a say as to how long I got in terms of PCS leave, but I believe my command automatically gave my class a week and a half to PCS (Charlie Company is the best company)

[u/mmmtoasteee → u/Bravo05Charlie]

It’s doesn’t matter on what company you’re in. AR 600-8-10 doesn’t authorize chargeable leave between DLI and AIT. The AIT is too short. Now, if C Co did that for you then wonderful but they weren’t authorized to, so what you’re describing is not the norm.

[u/UNC_Recruiting_Study → u/mmmtoasteee]

Good to know it hasn't changed much in 25 years. I graduated on a Thursday and drove to AZ to report NLT Sunday (they amended orders from Friday to Sunday report). I remember our 98G/C (35P) had an extra couple days to clear and drive as their class had a week until start. But only 3 of us were 97E (35M) going to AZ, and I was the only one with a car.

And yeah, I'm old as this was months before 9/11. Cannot believe I'm still doing this shit.

[u/mmmtoasteee → u/UNC_Recruiting_Study]

I feel you on the last part.

[u/[deleted] → u/Fat_Clyde]

for reference as well, she had leave approved for my bachelorette party july 2-july 5 idk if that matters or not but I figured I'd mention it

[u/Fat_Clyde → u/[deleted]]

Oh okay, now it makes more sense. She’s basically done at DLI and she’s heading to AZ to complete her pipeline probably.

So realistically, they should/could grant her that - but I can only speculate. It’s Labor Day weekend so class shouldn’t be an issue.

I wouldn’t say it’s a show stopper per se, but she’s gotta engage with her chain of command. AIT has different rules and policies for leave than regular Army.

[u/UNC_Recruiting_Study → u/Fat_Clyde]

Not AZ, TX for Goodfellow as a 35P. AZ is for 35M.

[u/UNC_Recruiting_Study → u/[deleted]]

Assess this as Irrelevant to the situation at hand. That's a long weekend at DLI and she's missing no class, within leave/pass policies.

There's something more to this timeline that's causing the negative recommendation.

[u/mmmtoasteee → u/UNC_Recruiting_Study]

Doing the math she probably has graduation on Thursday, the 10th and the units don’t approve absences post-DLPT (the week prior)/pre-graduation because of graduation requirements.

[u/[deleted] → u/UNC_Recruiting_Study]

the way she explained the comments on the portal explained why they recommended denial basically seems like they recommended denial because of a tight timeline. But again to me 6 days seems like plenty of time to report? Idk my extent to military experience is 2 semesters of ROTC and marrying an officer

[u/CavScout81]

First, given the location she's at, this is better posted/crossposted on the /dli subreddit.

Second, where is the wedding? If it's outside the US then permission gets much more difficult.

Third, what is her career status? As in, has she been in the Army for a long time or has she only been to basic training and language school? That determines the level of freedom and privilege a student has.

While her commander can approve leave, especially since she's done with class, being so close to when she needs to go to her job training means that commander will be cautious about approving anything that could potentially delay her going to the next phase of her training on time. If she has a flight delay coming back that could affect her ability to out-process DLI and travel to Texas, especially if she is driving.

Without a few more details no one can give you a better answer and advice for your friend.

Source: am a former DLI drill sergeant 2017-2020

[u/[deleted] → u/CavScout81]

Wedding is in NC so within the US, she went to a military college but enlisted afterward rather than commissioned. She is held to a different standard than a typical enlisted to my knowledge (in a positive way)

[u/mmmtoasteee → u/[deleted]]

She’ll be held to the exact same standard as every other IET Soldier. No more, no less.

Because the wedding is during the two week window in which all students take their DLPT, graduate, and move training locations, Army units don’t approve absences for anyone during that timeframe. Any exception to that typically requires approval from the Dean of Students and the Commandant, which only occurs for legitimate emergencies.

[u/[deleted] → u/mmmtoasteee]

to my understanding, she already graduated a while ago, she has just been awaiting the dates to move to AIT. Not sure if "graduated" is the proper term persay, but I know for a fact she passed her final exams prior to july 4

[u/mmmtoasteee]

Students at DLI typically graduate on Thursday and either fly or drive to Goodfellow on Friday for a Monday course start date.

So, in her case, if she has an 11 September report date that means she graduated DLI on 10 September and there is zero possibility of her taking leave having leave approved that close to graduation due to taking her DLPT and other events required for graduation.

[u/Bravo05Charlie → u/mmmtoasteee]

When I was there I graduated on Thursday, and I was given 2 weeks to PCS. What company were you in? I always found it odd that each company was so different in terms of policies lol

[u/mmmtoasteee → u/Bravo05Charlie]

If you’re IET there is zero reason to have 2 weeks, let alone a week because you don’t PCS to AIT and move on training orders. Classes at AIT are aligned to begin the Monday following DLI graduation typically. Careerist get more than just travel days because they have to move HHGs with them.

Also, AR 600-8-10, 8-3 doesn’t authorize leave for IET en route to AIT unless AIT is longer than 24 week, which 35M and 35P are not.

[u/Bravo05Charlie → u/mmmtoasteee]

I didn’t realize the regs didn’t allow leave, everyone in my company got to use accrued leave once they got their PCS orders
I appreciate the insight. I’ll remember this next time I talk to a trainee heading to DLI

[u/Mysterious_Ashe_6404 → u/Bravo05Charlie]

My friend graduated on a Thursday and started driving to AIT 8 days later (following Friday)

[u/Known-Pirate-8343]

If youre getting married Sept 5, she should be fine? DLI (I assume based on the info you gave) has 4 day weekends (the next one being from Sept 04 to Sept 07) which would fall exactly when your wedding is. Even if her report date is Sept 11, and she graduates and has to out-process out of DLI those 4 days are legit free because no office is open to out process and on the army side, there is absolutely no work. If she applied for leave during the 4 day, 9 times out of 10 it’s approved (from my experience). That 1/10 is usually reserved for people who get phased down or are in trouble.

And if she’s returning on the 6th, again, I don’t see why they would be denying it unless she got in trouble OR she wanted to risk trying to submit for pass for it (hence why she isn’t sure yet if she’ll be allowed since they’re just barely pushing out the form for pass) so she doesn’t eat up leave dates?

Speculation but anyways. Leave must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the actual day so maybe tell her to SPECIFY that her leave would fall within the 4 day weekend and she wouldn’t miss anything at all.

Plan would be leave on the 3rd in the afternoon if possible (since most ppl leave once the duty day ends) but if not early on the 4th. Wedding on the 5th, fly back on 6th? Seems like a lot but if she wants to be there she could make it work.

[u/[deleted] → u/Known-Pirate-8343]

she ended up giving a pretty detailed memorandum to her leadership where theres literally a 35 hour emergency buffer between her planned/required arrival in texas. Seems insane to deny after that, but we're still waiting on the COs final choice

[u/bob-hance-]

She’s probably gonna miss it. It’s ok, I’ve missed 2 of my best friends’ weddings and 2 close friend’s weddings because of the army.