High year of tenure change continues to affect assignments Published March 6, 2012 By Debbie Gildea Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- The January return to pre-2003 enlisted high year of tenure rates continues to impact assignments, Air Force Personnel Center officials announced today. Assignment cancellation has no affect on an Airman's promotion eligibility, said Col. Jerry Couvillion, AFPC personnel services directorate operations chief. As long as there are no other ineligibility conditions, Airmen affected will still be eligible to compete for promotion, he added. High year of tenure is the maximum number of years enlisted Airmen in each grade may remain on active duty. In 2003, HYT was adjusted upward to retain experienced Airmen for a longer period of time during a period of a robust economy and lower retention rates. In 2010, the Air Force began the process to normalize HYT, reducing senior airman, technical sergeant, master sergeant and senior master sergeant levels, effective in 2011 and 2012. In December, the Air Force announced that HYT would continue to be adjusted beginning in 2013 with changes to senior airman through technical sergeant limits. As a result, approximately 1,000 assignments have been cancelled for Airmen who no longer have the required service retainability for their overseas or overseas follow-on assignment. Action is now being taken to cancel the remaining assignments of those Airmen affected by the HYT changes. Although Airmen affected may be selected for promotion before they reach HYT, assignments require ability to get retainability up front, said Ron Gallucci, AFPC assignment programs and procedures chief. "These assignments are selected in most cases between 15 and 18 months in advance, so we must provide replacement action to the overseas area with individuals who have or can get retainability," he explained. "All Airmen affected by these recent assignment cancellations have been encouraged to provide us with at least eight continental U.S. choices for consideration." "We will do all we can to assign them to a base on that list," said Gallucci, "but Air Force needs must come first." Assignment actions should be complete by mid-March, he said. "Losing military personnel sections will contact affected members to determine if the cancelled assignment will result in a hardship for them. If a hardship is confirmed, we'll work with the member and the MPS to help resolve it," Gallucci explained. HYT is one of several force management programs the Air Force uses to size and shape the Air Force to meet current and future mission needs. "Normalizing HYT helps develop and maintain the right balance of experience in the Air Force," said Couvillion. "The future of the Air Force depends on balance in numbers, ranks, experience levels and career fields, so HYT is one way we can achieve that." For more information on high year tenure, assignments and other personnel issues, visit the Air Force Personnel Services website at https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil.