Back to Chapter 16 - Wing Support
Ambiguity
16.3.1.1. Basic pay is the fundamental component of military pay. Typically, it is the largest component of a member’s pay. Every member is entitled to basic pay while on active duty, with some exceptions such as: during periods of unauthorized absence, excess leave, or after an enlistment expires. Annual military pay raises are linked to increases in private sector wages, as measured by the employment cost index. The annual military pay raise was capped at one-half percent below private-sector growth unless specifically granted a larger increase by Congress. Pay raises beginning in 2007 are to be equal to the increase in the employment cost index. Pay raises may exceed these automatic levels if authorized and funded by Congress.
According to several sources, annual military raises were set at one-half percent above private-sector growth in the years preceding 2007.
Reference: http://militarypay.defense.gov/pay/bp/05_annualraise.html
Change
16.4.6. Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA).
The FSSA program increases the BAS of a service member to remove the member’s household from
eligibility under the United States Department of Agriculture Food Stamp Program. The FSSA is a monthly
entitlement paid in whole dollars, equal to the amount required to bring the member’s household income to
130 percent of the federal poverty line but not to exceed $1,100.
In the last (2009) edition of the PDG, the amount not to be exceeded was $500.
Change
16.11.2. Participating in the TSP.
The maximum contribution of basic pay may not exceed the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)-established cap.
Members may also choose to contribute up to 100 percent of special and incentive pays and bonuses.
Members must be contributing from basic pay in order to contribute from any other pays and bonuses. In
2009 the annual limit became $16,500. The amounts contributed within each authorized category must be
stated as a whole percent. Members requiring customer assistance for TSP pay-related questions, LES
interpretations, and financial issues should contact their FSO.
The 2009 PDG, same paragraph stated: In 2006 the annual limit became $15,000. The 2011 PDG states that the limit is now $16,500.
Ambiguity
16.15. Beginning and Ending Leave.
Leave must begin and end in the local area. The term “local area” means the place of residence from which the
member commutes to the duty station on a daily basis. This also applies to leave en route to a PCS or TDY
assignment. In this case, the local area, as defined at the old and new PDS, applies. The old PDS is for beginning
leave; the new PDS is for ending leave. Making a false statement of leave taken may result in punitive action under the
Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Regardless of the amount of leave authorized, finance calculates leave
based on the actual date of departure and date of return. General rules on charging leave are as follows:
16.15.1. Use AF IMT 988, Leave Request/Authorization, for all types of leave and permissive temporary duty (PTDY) when LeaveWeb cannot be used. (See AFMAN 65-116, Volume II, Defense Joint Military Pay System (DJMS) Unit Procedures Excluding FSO, Chapter 7, for information concerning LeaveWeb.) (Exception: When members take leave en route with PCS or TDY travel, the FSO uses the travel voucher to determine authorized travel and chargeable leave.) Nonduty days and holidays are chargeable leave days if they occur during an authorized period of leave. If leave includes a weekend, a member cannot end leave on a Friday and begin it again on Monday. Further, unit commanders will not approve successive Monday through Friday leaves (or periods of leave surrounding other nonduty days) except under emergency or unusual circumstances as determined by the unit commander.
Was the sentence, "(Exception: When members take leave en route with PCS or TDY travel...)" accidentally separated from its parent statement? It makes no sense where it is now but would make perfect sense if it followed the sentence in the previous paragraph: "Regardless of the amount of leave authorized, finance calculates leave based on the actual date of departure and date of return". (Exception: When members take leave en route with PCS or TDY travel, the FSO uses the travel voucher to determine authorized travel and chargeable leave.)
Typo
16.18.3. Convalescent Leave.
Convalescent leave is an authorized absence normally for the minimal time needed to meet the medical needs
for recuperation. Convalescent leave is not chargeable leave. Unit commanders normally approve
convalescent leave based on recommendations by either the medical treatment facility authority or physician
most familiar with the member’s medical condition. When a member elects civilian medical care at personal
expense and an Air Force physician determines the medical procedure as elective by military medical
treatment facility authorities, such as cosmetic surgery, the member must use ordinary leave for all absences
from duty, including convalescence. When medical authorities determine a medical procedure is necessary,
such as childbirth, and the member elects civilian medical care, the commander, upon the recommendation by
either the medical treatment facility authority or the attending physician most familiar with the member’s
medical condition may grant convalescent leave.
The word should be minimum not minimal.
Change
16.25.1. Unlawful discrimination against military members includes any unlawful action that denies equal opportunity to persons or groups based on their race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. This type of discrimination can be either written, verbally communicated, or a combination of both. Unlawful discrimination can occur on or off base.
16.25.2. Unlawful discrimination against DoD civilian employees includes any unlawful employment practice that occurs when an employer fails or refuses to hire or promote, discharges, or otherwise discriminates against any individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, reprisal, and physical or mental disability; limits, segregates or classifies employees or applicants for employment in any way that deprives or tends to deprive any individual of employment opportunities or otherwise adversely affects his/her status as an employee because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, reprisal, and physical or mental disability.
The 2009 PDG listed only a single broad description of unlawful discrimination. In the 2011 PDG, unlawful discrimination is broken into 2 categories:
unlawful discrimination against military members (based on race, color, religion, national origin, or sex)
unlawful discrimination against civilians (based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, reprisal, and physical or mental disability)
Change
16.25.5. Although not within the purview of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Air Force’s goal of maintaining a harassment-free environment for its military members and civilian employees also includes harassment based on sexual orientation. Leaders have a responsibility to take appropriate action to prevent and address harassment based on sexual orientation. Additional guidance can be found in Executive Order 11478 and 13160, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) (http://www.osc.gov) for civilian employees. Sexual orientation harassment by military personnel may be punishable under UCMJ, Article 92, and should be addressed through command channels.
Sexual-orientation was not addressed in previous PDGs.
Change
Section 16H. The title of this section has changed from Operational Risk Management (ORM) to Risk Management. The term, Operational Risk Management (ORM), used throughout the section, has changed to Risk Management. In addition, new material was introduced:
Three Levels of RM (Time Critical RM, Deliberate RM, and Strategic or Indepth RM)
Five Steps of RM (Identify Hazards, Assess Hazards, Make Risk Decisions, Implement Controls, and Supervise)
The paragraphs on Safety Investigations and Reports were deleted.