Expert: Rod Powers - 11/6/2007

Question
Hello, my Son went through Army Boot Camp and entered Airborne training straight out of boot camp with no leave home. After that he entered The Ranger Program (RIP)he washed out and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne AA, still no leave, he is scheduled for deployment to Iraq in 3-6 weeks and still can not get a pass or leave . Is there anything in the Army contract or regulations about this. Can he get any leave ? Thank You

Answer
Hi Gino,

Under standard Army policy, Soldiers are not granted their first leave until after they complete their initial training program (basic training, and job qualification training), unless the training program falls during the Christmas week (in which most Army Training Schools pretty much close down), and they are then granted leave for (about) 10 days during that period.

I'm afraid that your Son is probably not being entirely honest with you. Army policy is that Soldiers will be granted their first leave upon completion of initial training. The leave period is usually for (about) 7 days.

Such leave is not mandatory -- i.e. the soldier can take the leave, or not (military members earn 30 days of leave per year). Except for certain "R&R leaves" when assigned to a combat zone, the military does not pay for transporation for a member on leave.

In order words, if your son wanted to travel home, between the period of failing out of RIP and being assigned to the 82nd, he would have had to pay for it. My best guess is, he wasn't willing to do so, and so, elected not to take leave between the end of his training and the assignment to his first permanant duty assignment (the 82nd Airborne AA).

Now that he's signed into his first unit, available dates of leave are up to his supervisor/officer-in-charge/commander. He still earns 30 days of leave per year, but "when" he can take them is based on the "military necessity" of his unit. I'm guessing that his unit right now is more concerned with pre-deployment training (how not to get killed in a combat zone) right now, than with granting discretionary leave -- especially important for a "newby" in the unit.

In any event, the Army Leave & Pass regulation can be read online at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/armyreg/l/blar600810.htm

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Information Site at: http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com