High Year of Tenure changes explained Published Feb. 17, 2010 By Ryan Ferrell Director, AFDW Manpower and Personnel Air Force District of Washington -- The Air Force Personnel Center released a new set of Frequently Asked Questions about changes to the High Year of Tenure system. These changes are designed to ensure that younger Airmen are given every opportunity to advance. Some commonly asked questions are answered below. General information: Q. When are the HYT changes effective? A. Per the SAF guidance memorandum, dated Jan. 4, 2010, the HYT changes were effective immediately; however, to allow sufficient preparation time for separation or retirement, members who exceeded the new HYT may remain on active duty to their original HYT or the effective date shown below, whichever comes first. Q. When will MilPDS be updated to reflect the new HYTs? A. We are in the process of updating MilPDS and reviewing the updates at this time. We expect to have the review done this week. Following this verification, AFPC/DPAA will begin updating affected members' DEROS and notifying members of any pending changes to current assignment actions. Q. My Date of Separation (DOS) exceeds my adjusted HYT? Will I be allowed to serve until my DOS? A. HYT is the determining factor for service-limitations. Therefore, we are in the process of rolling back a member's DOS to match the adjusted HYT. We expect the updates to be completed by the end of February. Q. I am a Senior Airman. How will the new HYT affect me? A. Senior Airmen (SrA) with a Total Active Federal Military Service Date (TAFMSD) of Aug. 31, 2001 or earlier will separate on their original HYT or Sept. 1 2011, whichever comes first. SrA with a TAFMSD of Sept. 1, 2001 or later will have their HYT established at the new limit (10 years). Q. I was recently demoted to Senior Airman. How will my HYT be affected? A. Members with less than 10 years of service will normally have their HYT adjusted to the 10 year point. Members with more than 10 years but less than 16 years of active service will be afforded one opportunity for promotion to Staff Sergeant IAW AFI 36-3208, paragraph 10.4. Members with 16 or more years, but less than 20 years of service will have their HYT established at 20 years of service IAW AFI 36-3203, paragraph 2.21.4. Q. I am a Staff Sergeant (SSgt). Will my HYT change? A. HYT for SSgt will remain at 20 years total active federal military service. Q. I am a Technical Sergeant (TSgt). How will the new HYT affect me? A. TSgts with a TAFMSD of July 31, 1989 or earlier will retire no later than the first day of the month following original HYT, but no later than Aug. 1, 2011, whichever comes first. TSgts with a TAFMSD of Aug. 1, 19 89 or later will have an HYT established at the new level (22 years). Q. I am a Master Sergeant (MSgt). How will the new HYT affect me? A. MSgts with a TAFMSD of March 31 1987 or earlier must retire no later than the first day of the month following original HYT, but no later than April 1, 2011, whichever comes first. A MSgt with a TAFMSD of April 1, 1987 or later will have an HYT established at the new limit (24 years). Q. I am a Senior Master Sergeant (SMSgt). How will the new HYT affect me? A. SMSgts with a TAFMSD of Dec. 31, 1985 or earlier will retire no later than the first day of the month following original HYT, but no later than Jan. 1, 2012, whichever comes first. SMSgts with a TAFMSD of Jan. 1 1986 or later will have an HYT established at the new level (26 years). Q. I am a Chief Master Sergeant (CMSgt). Will my HYT change? A. HYT for CMSgt will remain at 30 years total active federal military service. Q. When will the Interim Changes to the Air Force Instructions be published? A. AF/A1 approved the interim changes and they are currently pending publication by AFDPO. Q. How can members confirm their HYTs? A. Once we complete the updates and data verification, members may access the virtual MPF, Service Dates section, to determine the new HYT date. Additionally, MilPDS produces a notification memorandum when a member is 13 months and 6 months prior to HYT and has not applied for retirement. IMPACTS ON ASSIGNMENTS/DEROS/TDYS Q. I am currently overseas and my adjusted HYT is now before my Date Eligible to Return from Overseas (DEROS). What will happen to me? A. Your DEROS will be curtailed to match your new HYT. Q. I am currently overseas. Since my HYT was adjusted, I don't have retainability for a return assignment. What will happen to me? A. If you are in a long tour area and you don't have 12 months retainability from your DEROS to your new HYT, your DEROS will be extended to match your HYT. If you are in a short tour area and don't have at least 7 months retainability, your DEROS will also be extended to match your HYT. Q. What if I don't want my DEROS extended to match my HYT? A. If you don't have the required retainability for a return assignment and you are otherwise eligible, you may request retirement effective the first day of the month following your DEROS if you don't want your DEROS involuntarily extended. Q. I have a projected assignment overseas and can't get the retainability for a return assignment since my HYT was adjusted. What happens to me? A. The Airman Assignments Branch (AFPC/DPAA) will contact you as soon as possible and provide you an opportunity to cancel your projected assignment. If you don't cancel it, you will proceed on the assignment and retire/separate from the overseas area. Q. I have a projected CONUS to CONUS assignment and will no longer have the necessary retainability based on my new HYT. What will happen to my assignment? A. Airmen in this category are being identified by Airman Assignment officials who will determine the appropriate action on a case by case basis in coordination with the appropriate MAJCOM, when necessary. Q. I am tasked for an ITDY and my new HYT falls within my projected deployment, or I will no longer have seven months remaining from my projected return date. What will happen to me? A. AFPC/DPAPPO is identifying and reviewing the records on individuals who are currently serving on an ITDY, or who are projected for an ITDY whose adjusted HYT impacts their availability and will work these Airmen on a case by case basis. PROMOTION Q. My adjusted HYT is prior to my ADSC for promotion. Will I be retired in the next lower grade? A. Enlisted members retire in the grade they hold as of their Date of Separation (that is the day prior to retirement effective date), regardless of the amount of time-in-grade. If your adjusted HYT does not allow you to complete the ADSC for promotion, the remainder of the ADSC is automatically waived due to the HYT reduction. Q. If I apply for retirement due to my HYT and am later selected for promotion, can I withdraw my retirement to accept the stripe? A. If you are selected for promotion, you have 10 days to submit a request to withdraw retirement to accept the promotion. Q. If I am selected for promotion, how will my HYT be calculated? A. If you are selected for promotion, you will fall under the new HYT rules for the higher grade. (See the general information section above for the specific criterion for each grade.) For example, a TSgt with a TAFMSD of Sept. 9 1987 selected for promotion to MSgt would have their HYT established at 24 years of total active federal military service (Sept. 9, 2011). They will have to retire Oct. 1, 2011. A TSgt with a TAFMSD of Sept. 9, 1986 selected for promotion to MSgt would have their HYT established at Mar. 31, 2011. They would have to retire April 1, 2011. Q. If I am selected for promotion and can't fulfill the active duty service commitment (ADSC) for the stripe because of the adjusted HYT, will I still be promoted? A. Members who cannot obtain the required retainability for the new ADSC may be promoted provided they extend their DOS to one month beyond their established HYT month. Members will serve and be retired in the higher grade upon retirement at HYT. (Note: Depending on pin-on month and the established HYT, the TIG could range from 1 month to however many months in between until HYT retirement date). Q. If I am selected for promotion and my increment month is after my established HYT, will I still be promoted? A. Circumstances may arise from the current enlisted HYT reductions which prevent selected members from having retainability to pin on. If this occurs, the member may request an HYT extension through AFPC Retirements Branch to allow promotion. These requests will be considered and approved on a case-by-case basis. RETIREMENT Q. Now that my HYT has been adjusted, when can I apply for retirement? A. You may submit an application 12 months prior to the desired effective date. Begin by submitting a retirement eligibility review request through the virtual MPF 12 months prior to determine if you qualify to retire on that date. If we find you eligible, you may then submit the retirement application. Q. I am under the High-3 retirement plan. How will my retired pay be calculated since my HYT was adjusted? A. Retired pay is calculated in accordance with the retirement plan the member is under. If the member is under the High-3 retirement plan, DFAS will calculate retired pay based on the average of the highest 36-months basic pay received prior to retirement. Normally, this is the average of the basic pay received for the last 36 months on active duty. For instance, if the member only has 20 months TIG, the average would be based on 16 months as a TSgt and 20 months as a MSgt. HYT WAIVERS Q. Are waivers to HYT going to be allowed? A. Based on the current Force Management initiatives and these SAF-directed HYT reductions, HYT waivers will be RARE; however, approval will be on a case-by-case basis. Q. Will HYTs be waived to allow fulfillment of promotion ADSCs? A. As a general rule, we are not approving HYT waivers to fulfill any ADSC that extends beyond a member's adjusted HYT. However, there may be unique circumstances that justify rare exceptions to this rule. Q. What are the criteria for approving a waiver to my HYT? A. AFI 36-3203, Service Retirements, paragraph 2.21, outlines requirements for approving HYT waivers. They may only be approved if documented evidence exists to show you are experiencing an extreme personal hardship unique to your contemporaries, or that it would be in the best interest of the Air Force to allow continued service. Q. How can I apply for a waiver to my HYT? A. You initiate the waiver request by preparing a memorandum with your justification. The request requires an endorsement from your unit and wing commanders. The request can be faxed to DSN 665-4664, or emailed to afpc.dpsor.retirements@randolph.af.mil. Q. When can I submit a waiver request? A. You may submit a waiver request when you are within 12 months of your new HYT date.