JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- First-term unaccompanied permanent assignment Airmen tours in Japan will increase from two to three years as part of a Pacific Air Forces effort to bolster force readiness and sharpen mission continuity.
In accordance with Air Force Instruction 36-2110, this policy applies to all Airmen, without dependents, who receive PCS orders to Japan as their first Air Force assignment after Mar 1, 2021, and is estimated to affect approximately 1,000 to 1,500 Airmen within PACAF this year. Retrainees, prior service Airmen and prior service members who receive a commission will not be affected by the policy.
During the initial assignment briefing, orders officials will counsel Airmen (enlisted and officer) departing to their first permanent assignment that they will be serving the accompanied tour length of 36-months and that there is no longer a 24 month option.
“On a 24 month tour, commanders were getting about 12-18 months with fully-trained Airmen,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Ralph Taylor, PACAF A1, Director of Manpower, Personnel and Services. “Now, with the three-year tour for unaccompanied first assignment Airmen, the mission support and expertise from those Airmen will be there a year longer, reducing turnover and training.”
When it comes to training, the increased tour length will provide more stability for newly assigned Airmen. It enables them to gain a more solidified understanding of their role within their work center and how their unit fits into the deeper role of supporting PACAF lines of effort.
“An Airman’s first assignment is critical to their success in the Air Force,” Chief Master Sgt. Katie McCool, 5th Air Force command chief. “This is where they receive practical experience on things learned in Basic Military Training and technical training. For most Airmen, this means completing career development courses and on-the-job training as well as being signed off on all required tasks. This process can be lengthy depending on Air Force Specialty Code and having another year to garner this experience and then apply it to their mission set is critical to long-term success and development.”
Not only will the change reduce the amount of initial skills training required, but it will also strengthen teams by helping to balance critical skillsets and capabilities. When experienced first-term Airmen and junior officers are able to help train and integrate newcomers into the unit, it becomes a force multiplier. It not only saves time, but also allows senior leaders to retain Airmen and officers who have a solidified understanding of their unit’s mission.
“It takes time to build a trained, cohesive team where each member understands their unit’s warfighting mission and how they contribute to mission success,” McCool said. “A three-year tour provides the time for the unit to build Airmen with the foundational experiences for success and provides the unit with the continuity of utilizing the Airmen they train.”
For Airmen who enjoy being overseas, this could be a morale boost. Conversely, Airmen who prefer to be closer to their parents and families back home in the states would need more clarification from supervisors as to why the change was implemented and how it will positively impact PACAF.
“Leaders and supervisors must communicate with their Airmen what the new policy is and why it exists,” McCool said. “Many times, Airmen are frustrated by things that aren’t shared or explained. The ‘why’ is important; explain why the Air Force made this change and discuss the pros and cons with an Airman and then assist them in how they can address the challenges that come with the new tour length. Also, each supervisor must pay attention to their individual Airmen and help them get connected into their base community and bring them in as a member of a cohesive team.”