1. A revised AFI 36-2911, Desertion And Unauthorized Absence (aka AWOL/Deserter Program) has recently been released to the field. Below are some changes that are important for your situational awareness:

a. Incorporates the AWOL/Deserter Program within Personnel Services Delivery (PSD) construct and codifies the use of the Case Management System (CMS) to report and document AWOL/Deserter actions eliminating the use of the old paper AF Form 2098. CMS case action, like the old paper AF Form 2098, is required for each change in duty status, meaning one CMS case to place a member "into" AWOL/deserter status, and another CMS case to remove.

b. Changes the amount of time commanders have to complete and distribute the DD Form 553 and DD Form 616. Old requirement was 24 hours, and the new requirement is within 1 duty day.

c. Eliminates the requirement to send a message confirming desertion status and a member's return to military control from desertion. All that is required are the appropriate CMS cases.

d. Includes samples of commander's 72-hour inquiry letter (figure 2.1), next-of-kin letter (figure 2.2), 31-day (figure 2.3) and 60-day status reports (figure 2.4). Allows TDY location commanders of AFRES/ANG personnel to declare them in an AWOL/Deserter status with
coordination of home unit commander.

2. Most importantly, we would like to take this opportunity to address a continuing problem, and that is timely reporting. AWOL/Deserter unauthorized absences are pay-effecting actions and directly impact a unit's personnel accountability/readiness; in that regard, it is imperative that timely reporting is completed. AFI 36-2911, paragraph 2.1, requires that "Unauthorized absences must be reported immediately". The CMS case should be processed 24 hours following the absence. We have experienced significant delays in reporting in some cases and ask that you reinforce with your unit commanders the need for timely reporting. A good first
step is for your Duty Status Program Manager to verify all serviced unit commanders have access to CMS; this will help mitigate any delays in CMS case processing.