Building leave packets

A few days ago, we turned over all the property and equipment the next unit would need to do their mission. Yesterday, we packed up our remaining equipment and supplies for shipment. At this point, the only thing we have left to do is pack up our personal gear and get on the plane.

Except for leave packets.

In the Army, you can't just tell your boss, "Hey, I'm going on vacation." Your request has to be approved by the unit commander. Unfortunately, that requesting process can get tedious and usually only 10 percent of the company can be gone at any one point. The good news is that - having completed a deployment just in time for the holidays - we're getting a month-long window where we all can take it at the same time.

It's this "block leave" from December 5th to January 3rd that we're getting ready for now. It should be a simple process, but with nothing better to occupy our time, it seems to be taking forever.

Two of the big sticking points are: "What if I want to take my leave outside that period?" and "What if I don't have enough leave days accrued up to this point?" We get 2.5 leave days for every month of service, but we still have three more months to go until our leave time will be subtracted.

I'm requesting my leave a bit outside that window. Since my father will be there in November to see my arrival, I plan to visit my Wisconsin parents in December and January. However, since Christmas isn't the best time to be there (ministry and retail preoccupations); it's the two weeks around New Year's that I want. As a result, I have to write a memorandum.

All total, there are seven documents I need to complete, and they need to be in a certain order.

First is that memorandum, which needs to be according to a particular format. There needs to be two lines between the unit code and the "memorandum for record" line, one between that and the subject line, and two between the subject line and the first point. After each point, there must be only two spaces between the number and the first letter. If anything is off, I have to redo the memo.

Second is the Leave & Pass Request, the cover sheet that requires signatures from 8 people: the platoon sergeant, the platoon leader (me), the company's leave/pass clerk, the orderly room NCOIC, the training sergeant, the company executive officer, the first sergeant, and the company commander. Each recommends approval or disapproval, though it's the commander who makes the final decision.

Third is four copies of the DA31 form - the official authorization to travel. This is probably the most important document, since it's with a valid copy of this form that you're not considered "Absent Without Leave (AWOL)."

Fourth is the Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) with the accrued leave days highlighted. You'd need a memo if it's less than what you're requesting; block leave and Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves right after Initial Entry Training (IET) are about the only times you'd get approved for that.

Fifth is the Privately Owned Vehicle Risk Assistance Report. Even if you're flying to your destination or doing a "staycation," you have to have one of these. Like MapQuest, this report gives a map and the directions from your residence to your destination. In addition, it recommends particular safety measures you should take along the way, such as how frequently you should stop, how much rest you should get, and so on.

Sixth is your flight itinerary, assuming you're flying. This is important for platoon level leadership more than anyone else because it shows when the soldier is expecting to come back. 10:30 the night prior to a formation is a bad idea because the flight might be delayed. Rather, coming back a day or two ahead of time is better, not just because of the flight, but also so that there's a bit of "decompression time" following a family visit.

Seventh is the DA4856 Counseling Form. (We have to do this before every four day weekend, regardless.) Basically, it talks about how to be safe.

My commander is particularly thorough. Despite the facts that I'd traveled to three different continents before joining the Army, that I'm 36 years-old, and that I'm already a highly literate individual, my commander *still reads it to me* before we both sign it.

I guess that's just the requirement.

Last is the Privately Owned Vehicle Inspection form. This is done by one's supervisor to certify that the vehicle can be safely operated.

If you're sitting there, stupefied, at the lengths to which one must go to use vacation after surviving for a year in a combat zone, trust me I'm right there with you.

How ironic that in this age of computers, we end up with even more paperwork than before.