Laughlin AFB Updates Military Leave Program Rules for Airmen and Families

Laughlin Air Force Base's public affairs office highlighted a Department of the Air Force update to DAFI 36-3003, the Military Leave Program instruction, that carries real financial stakes for airmen in Del Rio: any leave balance above 90 combined days will be permanently forfeited when the new fiscal year opens on Oct. 1, 2026.

The Department of the Air Force released the updated DAFI 36-3003 on Feb. 26, revising leave policies to ensure Airmen and Guardians are fully aware of their entitlements. Laughlin's public affairs office separately amplified the announcement to reach the base's community of airmen and families in Val Verde County.

The forfeiture deadline is the most immediate concern. The maximum combined leave that can be carried into the new fiscal year is 90 days, structured as 60 days of annual leave plus 30 days of Special Leave Accrual; any balance above that total on Oct. 1, 2026, will be forfeited. Airmen who have built up large SLA balances from deployments or extended operations have one backstop option: enlisted members at risk of forfeiture have a one-time option to sell back up to 30 days of their SLA, which counts toward the career 60-day sell-back limit, and should contact their local servicing Military Personnel Flight to initiate the process.

The revised instruction also introduces a new benefit for Reservists. Inactive Duty Parental Leave is a new non-chargeable leave allowance for Air Reserve Component members that authorizes both the birth and non-birth parent to use 12 IDPL periods after a qualifying birth event, adoption of a minor child, or placement of a minor child for long-term foster care. The IDPL benefit is retroactive for members with a qualifying event between Oct. 1, 2024, and Aug. 7, 2025, with a one-year window from Aug. 7, 2025, to Aug. 7, 2026, to use it.

Terminology for reproductive health leave also changed. The label "Non-covered Reproductive Health Care" has been updated to "Non-covered Assisted Reproductive Technology" to align with DoD leave policy, with the full list of approved services under that allowance detailed in the updated instruction.

Airmen navigating a permanent change of station move will find expanded flexibility under the new rules. The DAFI incorporates recent changes to expand Permissive TDY usage during PCS moves, with PTDY now authorized incrementally between gaining and losing duty stations, as well as for packing and unpacking household goods. The instruction also clarifies that members are authorized to use at least 30 days of existing leave en route to a new PCS assignment to allow time for service members and families to settle in.

For members stationed overseas, tracking of the Overseas Tour Extension Incentive Program moved from manual processes to LeaveWeb, the same system the Air Force already uses for other leave actions, increasing visibility for members and commanders alike.

Members with leave management questions should contact their local servicing Military Personnel Flight, and all personnel are encouraged to review their leave balances and plan ahead before the Sept. 30, 2026, transition period closes.