AIP debate

According to MILPER message 13-046 (3rd Qtr, FY 2013 VTIP), you can't transfer branches with less than 12 months time on station. In addition, "officers serving a 3 year OCONUS tour must complete 30 months of tour prior to their availability date."

This made me wonder if I really should do the Korea Assignment Incentive Pay. On one hand, it's an extra $300 per month for the next three years to stay in a place we wanted to be anyway. On the other hand, it would mean I can't apply to transfer to the Foreign Area Officer branch until October 2015 (as opposed to April 2014).

I was also worried that it might negatively affect my command timeline ("ah, he can wait -- he's got three years here anyway"), but that doesn't seem to be case, from what I've heard. If anything, according to what one person said, it would show greater "commitment to the team" and possibly allow me to stay in command for 18 months, rather than the minimum 12.

So I submitted the paperwork today -- DA Form 4187 (the personnel action, to be signed by the O-6 colonel), the 4187-1-R (showing the chain of command and their recommendations), and two memoranda explaining (from the same commanders' points of view) why this captain should be allowed to stick around for another year.

Assuming a passing APFT score in the next couple weeks (which has never been an issue in the past), I should be set be the end of the month.