With a current leave balance of 38 days and an ETS balance of 84 days, how many days will I be allowed to take for terminal leave?

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 12:29:18 -0500

Response by SFC Jerry Humphries made Jan 7 at 2018 12:34 PM

SFC Jerry Humphries — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 12:34:54 -0500

There use to also be Permissive TDY for house hunting.

Response by TSgt Joe C. made Jan 7 at 2018 12:36 PM

TSgt Joe C. — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 12:36:59 -0500

When does terminal start for you?

Response by CA Delete D. made Jan 7 at 2018 1:03 PM

CA Delete D. — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 13:03:07 -0500

I'd ask your LPO (whomever you report to directly for work) or someone at your local personnel support detachment office. When I was separating I had about 2 months on the books and ended up selling back a bunch because I still had to report to work (although, I rarely had to stay past muster). You should work it out to use at least a month of the leave at the end to wrap up with your separation physical and dental. Don't ignore this because if you have anything that may qualify you for a disability rating the first place the VA is going to look is your service medical records. Make sure you address any single issue you have had and that the doctor/dentist tells you plainly that it is being documented. Otherwise, try not to use every last day - sell the excess back for some extra cash in your last pay period.

Response by PO3 Bob Fetters made Jan 7 at 2018 1:03 PM

PO3 Bob Fetters — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 13:03:14 -0500

I was allowed to take 60 days for leave and sold back the rest

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2018 1:23 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 13:23:27 -0500

It depends on unit policy. When I ETS'ed lots of folks told me 60 was the max you could take but there was nothing in writing so I submitted a request for 89 or so days of leave and it was approved. On top of getting out of the Army and going back to school I was helping plan our wedding so the extra paid vacation was very nice to have.

Response by CW3 Michael Clifford made Jan 7 at 2018 1:33 PM

CW3 Michael Clifford — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 13:33:36 -0500

I could have taken the 90 days I had in the books but my future employer (an insurance company) who hired me as a fraud investigator asked if I could attend a two-week Special Investigations Unit (SIU) academy before the start of my terminal leave. So I took the two-weeks as leave, attended the course, returned to Fort Ord to outprocess and then went on terminal leave for the remainder of the time. I left my wife and kids in military housing while I reported in Denver, CO to start my new job. It took me about two-weeks to find a rental house and handled work issues, like having work equipment issued and the ordering of my leased company car. My employer paid for my family vehicle to be shipped from California to Colorado and my wife/kids flew from Monterey to Denver. Nice receiving two checks for 10 weeks.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2018 1:53 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 13:53:33 -0500

As many days as you commander approves up to the 84 days.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2018 3:02 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:02:23 -0500

I was looking into this myself because I retire next year and want to have a nice tradition period.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2018 3:09 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 15:09:54 -0500

You should get your 84 days; however, most BCs only approve 60 in my experience with soldiers ETSing. Regardless I would push for all 84 because you earned those days and they’re there to help you get set up elsewhere to transition. Good luck!

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Jan 7 at 2018 6:15 PM

LTC Jason Mackay — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 18:15:53 -0500

SSG Private RallyPoint Member you need to have a conversation with your chain of command to see how much leave the command will authorize. I went out with 90 days and it was an O5 Commander approval level. They may make you take some and sell some. Needs of the Army....

Leave:
- you earn 2.5 days per month.
- the link to the ETS brief has a slide that shows you how many days you accrue, down to the 0.5 day level depending on your ETs Date. Retirees can only retire on the last day of the month. ETS is the prescribed day.
- ensure your BN S1 is not holding a leave form from the last year that they "forgot" to process. Make them verify that you have 38 days earned right now.
- take the number of months remaining and multiply that times 2.5. Yes you can accrue leave while you are on leave. Sounds stupid but it is true.
- if you take the leave locally and are not in government quarters you can draw BAH.
- I believe there is a cap on days you can take, but don't remember what that is.

EDIT: I notice you are in Suwon ROK, that is going to change some things. ETS from overseas is "different". You may also be authorized proceeds time (up to 4 days) from OCONUS. This is just some slosh time to account for waiting Transportation like the theater rotator (aka freedom bird) and connections. I don't even know how they do separations overseas. You need to start talking to transition folks.
.

This should come up in your transition brief cycle somewhere. Recommend you look at the ETS brief from Fort Carson. http://www.carson.army.mil/dhr/DHR/MPD/PPB/Transitions/ETS.html?

ETS.html

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2018 6:18 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 18:18:20 -0500

You can request as may transition leave days as you have earned on your LES but it’s up to the BN CDR (and in some units the BDE CDR) to approve over 60 days. The decision usually rests on whether the unit wants you in their books for that long because they cannot request a backfill to arrive until your final date.

Response by SFC Chris Young made Jan 7 at 2018 6:32 PM

SFC Chris Young — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 18:32:27 -0500

122

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 7 at 2018 9:22 PM

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 07 Jan 2018 21:22:06 -0500

I have a cousin who took 3 months leave and returned the week of his ets date. But that was at haaf with 3/17th

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 14 at 2018 11:53 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 11:53:06 -0500

I guess it all depends on the unit. From what I was told COs could authorize 30, BN COs 60, and BDE COs 90. Hope this helps

Response by CPL Any Jim made Apr 26 at 2018 7:05 PM

CPL Any Jim — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:05:03 -0400

Just know unlike pcs orders ' that with ets orders you have to create your packet. An to turn in transtion packet need approaved or working da 31. Approaved preferably. So you want you ets orders atleast 90 days before ets date or preferably 90 days before transtion leave start date. An if want in an ets award best to turn in coa 60 days before ets orders created. Its weird but its easier to turn in ets award of coa for you self and let unit upgrade it to sumthing better ! Than to put in for an msm an leave with a coa or nothing at all ....

Response by CPL Any Jim made Apr 26 at 2018 7:17 PM

CPL Any Jim — Thu, 26 Apr 2018 19:17:41 -0400

Just do not forget you have to request your ets orders unlike pcs orders. Its best to have your transition packet at transition 90 days before ets date or 90 days before transtion leave start date! Remember its your leave not some one elses leave so they might not have you best interest or follow thru and follow up with your paper work ...

Response by SGT Koronda Singleton made Jun 10 at 2018 8:29 PM

SGT Koronda Singleton — Sun, 10 Jun 2018 20:29:50 -0400

Help I’m trying to calculate my terminal leave. I am Medically Retired my ETS balance says 144.5 and my CR BAL IS 58 not asking for the 144.5 but do I use that to go off of and sell the rest