Can an approved block leave cancel because I had to take emergency leave?

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 14:13:42 -0500

I was pretty much forced to take emergency leave to be able to see an family members that was at the hospital due to a complications with a tumor. Now I was told that because of that they are going to cancel my block leave even tho was already approved.

Response by SGT Joseph Gunderson made Dec 10 at 2018 2:29 PM

SGT Joseph Gunderson — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 14:29:58 -0500

Leave is not a right. Your commander does have the power to rescind your approved leave.

Response by SP5 Steve Powell made Dec 10 at 2018 3:24 PM

SP5 Steve Powell — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 15:24:53 -0500

It's always unfortunate when situations happen and loved ones are involved. In most instances everyone pulls together to try and make them better for everyone "if they can". First and foremost we are soldiers and have a mission to complete. In my opinion the mission comes first - always. That is what commanders are confronted with, too. I wish it was simple when things happen but you, I and the rest who have served find our position and duty as anything but easy. I do hope & pray your family member has received the medical treatment necessary for a positive outcome. While this certainly wasn't the "leave" you were anticipating it was, nonetheless, leave. Hang in there and reapply. I'm sure when the circumstances are favorable you'll be approved. I know that's not what you want to hear. But ours is not the reason why, but...UPWARD & ONWARD!

Response by Maj John Bell made Dec 10 at 2018 11:15 PM

Maj John Bell — Mon, 10 Dec 2018 23:15:10 -0500

Yes, the command can cancel your leave.

"...pretty much forced..." Forced by who?

What were the actual words used to explain why approval of your block leave was rescinded?

Response by SSG Laurie Mullen made Dec 11 at 2018 12:05 AM

SSG Laurie Mullen — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 00:05:48 -0500

How much leave did you have prior to taking the emergency leave and how many days of leave did you take? Emergency leave is still counted against your accrued leave.

Response by SFC Jo Ann Klawitter made Dec 22 at 2024 6:14 AM

SFC Jo Ann Klawitter — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 06:14:54 -0500

I worked for the Red Cross service to Military families a while ago

Response by SFC Jo Ann Klawitter made Dec 22 at 2024 6:15 AM

SFC Jo Ann Klawitter — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 06:15:50 -0500

I’m really sorry that you got canceled

Response by SFC Jo Ann Klawitter made Dec 22 at 2024 6:23 AM

SFC Jo Ann Klawitter — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 06:23:44 -0500

That is totally wrong to cancel something that was given to you

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Dec 22 at 2024 10:33 AM

MSG Thomas Currie — Sun, 22 Dec 2024 10:33:39 -0500

Lots of stuff here.

Can the command cancel your approved block leave -- certainly they can!
Should they? Maybe, maybe not. In this case, almost certainly yes.
Should you have gotten a better explanation than what you say? Yes.
Did you get a better explanation? You probably got a lot better explanation than you claim.

You haven't provided any background and your profile here has no information beyond listing you as a PVT E1. E1 seems unlikely, but would indicate that you are either brand new or had recently been demoted for misconduct. Based on what we know, I'm going to assume you are very new in the Army.

You asked for leave but you didn't have enough leave accrued to cover the leave you asked for, so you were told that ordinary leave wouldn't be approved.

You got the emergency situation verified through the Red Cross and you took emergency leave. You don't say how much emergency leave you took. Obviously it was at least a week, much more likely at least two weeks, very possibly a month. Your leave balance is now below zero. You have no leave coming to you and would have to serve for several months, perhaps a year, to cover the leave you have already taken.

Meanwhile you had expected to take an approved "block leave" over the Christmas holidays. Under ordinary circumstances each unit only allows a small number of soldiers to be on leave because the unit has to be fully capable of performing its missions even while people are gone. Block leave refers to a period when a unit allows more than the usual number of people to take leave. The unit is not mission capable during that period. Several units in CONUS do this over the Christmas / New Year holiday period (especially TRADOC units), other units may do it as part of their cycle between deployments.

You should already know that you only earn 2½ days of accrued leave for each month you serve (that was part of your training in Basic Training). Units rarely approve any ordinary leave that exceeds the soldier's accrued leave balance. Ordinary leave is charged against your accrued leave balance, but so is emergency leave, and so is block leave.

While the reason for cancelling your block leave MIGHT HAVE been described as "because you took emergency leave" the simple fact is that this isn't the reason. I'd be about 99% certain that you were told the real reason, which is that because of the emergency leave you have a negative leave balance and taking another leave would put you ever further "in the hole."