AEF Indicator: Don't go on leave without it Published March 28, 2013 By Senior Airman Daniel Hughes 99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. -- When in-processing to a new duty station, newcomers receive a checklist to accomplish before taking leave or going on a permissive TDY to look for a house. An item that gets overlooked while in-processing with the unit deployment manager is providing an Air and Space Expeditionary Force Indicator. The AEF Indicator is a letter and number combination assigned to military members aligning them with an AEF cycle, which is used to identify when Airmen deploy. "Airmen coming from an overseas [assignment] or short tour have six months before being [eligible] to be tasked for a deployment," said Jeri Cooper, 99th Comptroller Squadron, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center and 99th Air Base Wing Staff Agencies UDM. "Stateside to stateside moves are eligible [to deploy] within 45 days." Per Air Force Instruction 10-403, Deployment Planning and Execution, unit commanders are to ensure Airmen have contacted their UDM before they take leave. "Every Airman needs an AEF Indicator so they are prepared for upcoming deployments," Cooper said. "Without the AEF Indicator an Airman could get a tasking they might not have gotten if they had [the correct] AEF Indicator." When a tasking comes down, units have to fill them. The AEF Indicator identifies the person who is eligible for that deployment cycle. "AEF Indicators are assigned [based on] unit requirements," Cooper said. The AEF Indicator shouldn't change during an Airman's assignment either. "When you deploy within your designated AEF Indicator, upon your return you should maintain the same AEF Indicator," Cooper said. There can be consequences for not getting a AEF indicator from your UDM upon arrival at a new base to include disciplinary ones. "Disciplinary action, at the discretion of the member's supervisor, first sergeant or commander, can be taken against Airmen for failure to contact their UDM upon a PCS to their new assignment." said Master Sgt. Ashika Dyson, 99th Comptroller Squadron first sergeant.
