BY ORDER OF THE AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 36 …

1 BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE INSTRUCTION 36-2911 14 OCTOBER 2016 Personnel desertion AND unauthorized absence COMPLIANCE WITH THIS PUBLICATION IS MANDATORY ACCESSIBILITY: Publications and forms are available on the e-Publishing website at for downloading or ordering. RELEASABILITY: There are no releasability restrictions on this publication. OPR: HQ USAF/A1P Supersedes: AFI 36-2911, 15 October 2009 Certified by: SAF/MR (Mr. Daniel Sitterly) Pages: 45 This INSTRUCTION implements Department of Defense INSTRUCTION (DoDI) , desertion and unauthorized absence , 16 November 2012, and Air FORCE Policy Directive (AFPD) 36-29, Military Personnel Standards, 29 October 2009. It establishes standard procedures for dealing with desertion and unauthorized absence . It outlines Air FORCE procedures to reduce absents and return the absentees to military control. This INSTRUCTION applies to Regular Air FORCE (RegAF) and all military personnel on or ordered to report to active duty (AD).

2 It also applies to members of the Air National Guard of the United States (ANGUS) and Air FORCE Reserve (AFR) serving on or ordered to report to active duty or active duty for training, voluntarily or involuntarily. In collaboration with the Chief of Air FORCE Reserve (AF/RE) and the Director of the Air National Guard (NGB/CF), the Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services (AF/A1) develops personnel policy for desertion and unauthorized absence . This Air FORCE publication may be supplemented at any level: MAJCOM-level supplements must be approved by the Human Resource Management Strategic Board prior to certification and approval. The authorities to waive wing/unit level requirements in this publication are identified with a Tier ( T-0, T-1, T-2, T-3 ) number following the compliance statement. See AFI 33-360, Publications and Forms Management, for a description of the authorities associated with the Tier numbers.

3 Submit requests for waivers through the chain of command to the appropriate Tier waiver approval authority, or alternately, to the Publication OPR for non-tiered compliance items. 2 AFI36-2911 14 OCTOBER 2016 Refer to attachment 1 for glossary of references. Requests for waivers must be submitted through the chain of command to the OPR for consideration and approval. Ensure that all records created as a result of processes prescribed in this publication are maintained IAW Air FORCE Manual (AFMAN) 33-363, Management of Records, and disposed of IAW the Air FORCE Records Disposition Schedule (RDS) in the Air FORCE Records Information Management System (AFRIMS). This publication requires the collection and or maintenance of information protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 authorized by Title 10, United States Code (USC) Sections 885, 886, and 887 (Uniform Code Military Justice (UCMJ) Articles 85, 86, and 87).

4 The applicable Systems of Records Notice (SORN) F036 AFPC G, Absentee and Deserter Information Files is available at: Requests for records or documents contained in this System of Records should be processed under the guidelines outlined IAW AFI 33-332, The Air FORCE Privacy and Civil Liberties Program, and DoD 33-302, Freedom of Information Act Program. Refer recommended changes and questions about this publication to the Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) using the AF Form 847, Recommendation for Change of Publication: route AF Form 847 from the field through the appropriate functional chain of command. SUMMARY OF CHANGES This document has been completely revised and must be reviewed in its entirety. Most importantly, this AFI now applies to RegAF, AFR, and ANG. Where it does not apply to all components, the chapter, paragraph and/or attachment will reflect to which component it applies. In cases where it applies to both the ANG and AFR, the term Air Reserve Component (ARC) will be used.

5 Major revisions follow: Adds Purpose, Objective, and Responsibilities in Chapter 1. Updates list of offenses warranting determination of desertion under aggravated circumstances (attachment 2). Updates office symbols and phone numbers throughout the INSTRUCTION . Moves table to chapter 2 and renumbers as table Renames and updates samples of Commander s 72-Hour Status Report (figure ), 31-Day Status Report (figure ) and 60-Day Status Report (figure ). Adds requirement for After-the-Fact Reporting Memorandum and samples of After-the-Fact Memorandum (figure ) and Next-of-Kin Letters (figures thru ). Identifies tiered waiver authorities (TWA) for unit level compliance items. AFI36-2911 14 OCTOBER 2016 3 Chapter 1 unauthorized ABSENCES 6 6 Objective: .. 6 Responsibilities.. 6 When unauthorized absence (UA) Begins and Ends.. 8 Chapter 2 REPORTING unauthorized ABSENCES 10 Reporting Responsibilities.

6 10 Duty Status Reporting.. 10 Unit Commander Actions: .. 10 After-The-Fact Reporting.. 14 Commander s Support Staff or MPS ( FORCE Management Section).. 14 Servicing Security Forces: .. 15 Servicing Military Personnel Section (MPS): .. 15 AFPC/DPFCM (Air FORCE Missing Persons Branch): .. 15 Air FORCE Total FORCE Service Center (AFPC/DPTOS): .. 16 Air FORCE Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI ICON): .. 16 Financial Services Office (FSO): .. 16 Table Action Required When a Member is Absent Without Authority.. 17 Figure AWOL Sample Next-of-Kin Letter (w/dependents).. 19 Figure AWOL Sample Next of Kin letter (w/o dependents).. 20 Figure Deserter Sample Next of Kin letter (w/dependents).. 21 Figure Deserter Sample Next of Kin letter (w/o dependents).. 22 Figure Sample 31-Day Status Report FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY .. 23 Figure Sample 60-Day Status Report FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY .. 24 Figure Sample After-the-Fact Absentee Reporting Memorandum FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY.

7 25 Chapter 3 GENERAL APPREHENSION INFORMATION AND COOPERATION WITH CIVIL AUTHORITIES 26 Apprehension Procedures.. 26 4 AFI36-2911 14 OCTOBER 2016 Who Has Authority To Apprehend: .. 26 Notice of Air FORCE Deserters to Civil Authorities: .. 26 Investigations, Apprehension, and Cooperation with Civilian Law Enforcement Authorities: .. 27 Rewards and Reimbursements: .. 28 Chapter 4 ACTIONS TAKEN WHEN AN ABSENTEE RETURNS TO MILITARY CONTROL 29 Notice of Return to Military Control.. 29 Where Absentees Return to Military Control: .. 29 Defining an Absentee s Return to Military Control.. 29 Disposition of Absentee Returned to Military Control: .. 30 Escorts.. 30 Actions Taken After An Absentee is Returned to a Servicing Air FORCE Installation.. 31 Commander s Determination.. 32 Erroneous Reports of unauthorized absence .. 32 Table Disposition of Members Returned to Military Control at Other Than the Unit of Assignment (note 1).

8 33 Chapter 5 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AIR NATIONAL GUARD OF THE UNITED STATES (ANGUS) AND USAF RESERVE (AFR) MEMBERS 34 General.. 34 Determining unauthorized Absences.. 34 Reporting unauthorized Absences.. 34 Return to Military Control Responsibilities.. 34 Chapter 6 SPECIAL instructions FOR THE UNITED STATES ARMY, UNITED STATES NAVY, OR UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS MEMBERS WHO ARE RETURNED TO OR SURRENDER TO AN AIR FORCE INSTALLATION 36 instructions for a Service Member s Return or Surrender: .. 36 United States Army: .. 36 United States Navy: .. 36 AFI36-2911 14 OCTOBER 2016 5 United States Marine Corps: .. 36 United States Air FORCE Deserter Information Point: .. 36 Attachment 1 GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION 37 Attachment 2 OFFENSES WARRANTING A DETERMINATION OF desertion UNDER AGGRAVATED CIRCUMSTANCES 43 Attachment 3 CONTACT LISTING 44 6 AFI36-2911 14 OCTOBER 2016 Chapter 1 unauthorized ABSENCES Purpose.

9 The Air FORCE Strength Accounting Duty Status Program (SADSP) exists to enhance total FORCE accountability and improve crisis responsiveness. unauthorized absences (UA) are pay-effecting actions and also directly impact a unit s personnel accountability/readiness; therefore, it is imperative that commanders and supervisors act promptly when a member is not present for duty. This INSTRUCTION establishes policy, assigns responsibilities, and prescribes procedures designed to reduce unauthorized absences of military personnel. Objective: The objective of the SADSP is to capture and report all changes in a member s duty status to ensure these changes, regardless of length are reported immediately. Specifically, this INSTRUCTION defines procedures for the accurate and timely reporting of Air FORCE absentees and to support apprehension efforts of military and civilian law enforcement authorities.

10 Responsibilities. Air Staff (HQ Air FORCE /A1PP): Serves as the functional OPR for policy aspects of the absence Without Leave (AWOL)/Deserter program. (T-1) Directs USAF policy for AWOL/Deserter duty status reporting. (T-1) Airman and Family Care, Missing Persons Branch (AFPC/DPFCM): Serves as the Air FORCE Deserter Information Point and program manager providing policy oversight and administration of the AWOL/Deserter program for RegAF, AFR and ANGUS who are serving on active duty orders. (T-1) Develops procedures to implement USAF policy for AWOL/Deserter duty status reporting. (T-1) Maintains statistics on AWOL, Deserter and Returned to Military Control (RMC). (T-1) Provides management information to higher headquarters identifying the number of absentees and deserters returned to military control as outlined in DODI (T-0) Information includes, as a minimum, the following: Surrendered to military or civilian authorities.