Holidays in the military (Christmas, etc.)

[Sneedro]

Do students get any time off for holidays to go home such as Thanksgiving or Christmas?? If so how long do these last. Just curious and thanks for the help.

[GW]

At CBM we had something like nine days off for christmas and a four day weekend for turkey day. Obviously any other federal holiday was also a day off.

GW

[Flare]

Originally posted by GuardWaiver:

Obviously any other federal holiday was also a day off.

Not necessarily...especially if you're behind the timeline. I flew a 4-ship out-and-back on President's Day.

[Guest Walter_Sobchak]

I had a four day Thanksgiving weekend... which turned into a week when I got food poisoning and went to the ER. So that's ONE way of extending leave - technique only.

Aside from that there's Christmas and mabye a few days between phases.

[GW]

ENJJPT stud-

Good point, the flying schedual rules all, and if the squadron is behind due to Wx, you might kiss your weekend good bye too. So long story short, don't count on going anywhere for Columbus day weekend, or any other small one day holiday.

GW

[Guest Hvyplt]

Even the major holidays may not happen if you are behind. Xmas can be 9 days or it may just be Xmas day. DON'T by airline tickets. You will end up flying if you do.

[Guest MLH]

I'm AD at a ROTC detachment and rumor is that we get Monday off for the 4th of July? Since it falls on a Sunday this year, is that true for AETC?

[Guest AirGuardian]

Our United State Government Calendar shows Monday the fifth OFF as a holiday. Guardwise yes of course, I'm guessing it will hold true for AD folks in most capacities other than continuous missions out there for you flyer types and a few others (SP's) - sorry, normal ops for plenty out there!

[flynhigh]

So since it is a holiday, does that mean we still need to be at ASBC NLT 5 Jul as stated on our orders?

[Champ Kind]

On my orders for ASBC, it says that the report date is 5 July 2004. In-processing is 6 July, and class start date is 8 July. Shouldn't affect us any.

[Flare]

For you AETC-types, the 5th (Monday) is the federally-recgonized holiday, and the 2nd (Friday) is an AETC "family-day." So, if you're an AETC-type, you should have a 4-day weekend off (Friday-Monday).

[M2]

Hey, AG, if it makes you feel any better, based on a decision by our O-6 Army commander, we DON'T get US holidays off where I work at SHAPE. We only get full-up NATO holidays, and that doesn't include those holidays where US personnel are released for the day (such as July 4th). To put a bigger turd in the punchbowl, EUCOM ( ) constantly extends Monday/Friday holidays into four-day weekends, so we are doubly hosed ( ).

And you thought NATO was all smiles ünd sunshine! :cool:

F***ing Army...

Cheers! M2

[Stiffler]

Vance: We have off Friday and monday...there was rumor thursday was a no fly day, but I think they axed that because we are all behind.

[Guest guardhopefull]

Anyone know if MLK day 2006 is a day off in AETC as well as Presidents day?

I know they are both federal holidays but I was not sure if AETC follows all federal holidays. Thanks!

[Flare]

Both are off.

[Guest lovelacm]

Sorry folks.. need to vent here. WTF is up with AETC and the "Holiday Break" dates this year!? Is it just here at my locale where they can't get their act together and give us students CORRECT (emphasis on correct) date information in a timely manner!?

Here's my situation.. told dates for X-Mas break back in November.. my folks live in Hawai'i.. never been there to see 'em and we've lived overseas for past 3 years.. GREAT, we'll go see 'em this year! Buy tickets based on dates from Schoolhouse... come down here to flight line today and told NO.. wrong dates... you're FOOKED. Great.. now I've got to work with airlines to get tickets changed and with flying squadron to be SURE THESE DATES ARE SET IN STONE and SIGNED IN BLOOD.

I never had this much of a problem when I was in an operational unit! Will someone please just kick me in the nuts to add some fun to my day? I obviously haven't endured enough pain and suffering... damned Karma coming back to get me or something.

OK... I'm going to go pour myself a HUGE Jack Daniels and Coke for lunch... Come scrape me off the floor in about an hour.

Hey, I know... I'll go see the Flt Doc for a Blood Pressure Check! Yeah!

Linda

[Guest guardhopefull]

Had the same thing here at XL. Told one set of dates which changed to yet another (2 times). This occured over a 2 month time frame. We had several people not buy tickets cause the boneheads are unclear about leave, tavel days, or you name it when it comes to AETC holidiays. Thank goodness my home unit is not set up like the piss poor communication here is.

[ 12. December 2005, 15:53: Message edited by: guard/reserve hopefull ]

[Guest lovelacm]

Cali - We're cleared hot from 23 DEC - 02 JAN... gotta be back for a "Safety Day" on the 3rd, and the 22d is still slated as a training day.

[Guest sickels101]

Bring it up through the (hesitate to say it) chaing of command. I know from my schoolhouse experiences that they are generally forgiving if its their bad. I wouldn't change my tickets if they had previously given me dates.

[Guest deltaform]

Here's a dumb question tailing on this one, from a guy who's headed to OTS then UPT...

What typically happens in a flying squadron around Christmas? Does the AF give that entire week off to people who are not deployed? Is it taken from accrued leave? What about Thanksgiving?

[Guest Hoser]

In an Ops squadron, there always has to be a min manning kept up, in case something pops up that needs immediate tasking. There are normally enough dudes, normally family guys with kids, that are staying around the local area to cover the manning.

If you are going out to the 'local' area, you have to take leave. As for the holidays, they normally make it a 4 day weekend. For example, with Thanksgiving on a Th, they normally give us Friday off too.

Hoser

[FLY6584]

Hey guys just wondering what kind of time off you typically get in an active duty flying unit during the holidays?

Lets say for example Christmas is on a Wednesday. Would you get the whole week off or would you just get Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off? What about Thanksgiving? Also is it easy to travel and see family during the holidays?

Thanks

[speedy782]

I don't know if anyone wants to touch this one.... Depends what your job in the AF is and if you are in a flying squadron or not. Also depends on what command you are under. Usually in flying squadrons you have a "lottery" to determine who gets to take leave for what holidays. You usually won't get leave for both Christmas and Thanksgiving. You also will probably only get a few days around both holidays off if you don't take leave.

[Guest Hydro130]

If you are at the flagpole, and nothing funky is going on (exercises, etc), then federal holidays are all off (do not have to take leave). What I've seen done sometimes with holidays that fall 2 days from a weekend (like Thanksgiving), is that the WG or OG CC will declare the day next to the weekend a "Family Day" and thus most folks get a 4-day weekend. But, that move is at the sole discretion of the CC, so don't plan on it. That usually comes with a "min manning" caveat too, so depending on your job, you may well be at work anyway.

For flyers, Holiday leave is typically on a lottery or seniority basis. Definitely do not plan on getting leave for both Thanksgiving and Christmas / New Years. You may not get either, depending on the system in use. There are very specific rules about how many people within an operational unit can be on leave at any given point, so it's not an intentional effort to screw you. You'll learn the specifics when you get to your unit. They will be as fair as possible.

I've never gotten Christmas Eve off.

For travel, ask what your "Local Area" is defined as with regard to local area leave - there will be some radius within you can travel without having to take non-local leave. This can be a possible advantage around the holidays if where you want to go is within that radius.

Cheers, Hydro

[FLY6584]

For travel, ask what your "Local Area" is defined as with regard to local area leave - there will be some radius within you can travel without having to take non-local leave. This can be a possible advantage around the holidays if where you want to go is within that radius.

Cheers, Hydro

What is the typical radius and how is that radius defined? For an example would a 200mi radius mean that you are allowed to drive 200mi or would it mean that there is actually a circle surrounding the base with a 200mi radius?

Thanks

By the way does anyone know what that radius is at Columbus during Casual and during UPT? Are they the same/different?