Saving (or using) Leave

[Godspeed]

Had a question i'd like to run by those with some time in under their belts....

The mentality i've heard from most here in Kingsville is to use your leave up, because between here and the fleet, you probably won't have too many opportunities to use it (and you will obviously accrue a lot of it). Basically, "Use it up now or you will probably lose it."

I'm in the situation (thanks to BDCP) that I have 30 days saved up (I had 60, but used 30 for the holidays), and don't start Advanced until April.

My question to you guys that have been out in the fleet is: How much leave do you usually keep on hand for emergencies, vacations, etc? I want to keep enough to allow me to go places when the opportunity presents itself, but obviously I don't want to put myself in a position of losing leave later.

Thanks for your input.

GS

 

[Birdog8585]

I think you should spend it in your villa in Mexico with, um, what were their names...oh yeah Ismerelda and Gertrude - didn't know how to play poker AT ALL!
My $.02 :icon_smil

 

[FlyBoyd]

If you have nothing to do and want to actually go somewhere on leave...go. You will acrue leave easily at this point so no biggie.

but...

If you plan on staying local, don't take leave just to avoid showing your face somewhere everyday or every so often. If it gets you out of some BS work fine but try to work some time "off" without taking leave. If you truly have time off and you could have used leave then no big deal if/when you lose it. You got your time off.

Don't take leave just to keep your balance in check. If you don't have to take it in order to have the required free time then there is no reason to take leave. Most commands are sensitive to your use/lose balance and they try to accommodate you getting your leave. COs/XOs see it and track it. I have often forwarded a report to my COs of guys with high use/lose. It doesn't mean you will get leave but they do notice. If you do end up actually losing some days make sure it is well advertised. I have seen squadronmates be unable to take use/lose leave because of operational commitments only to work basket leave (amounting to more than what they lost) at a time of their choosing. If this happens and you have had other local "time off" as stated above, you actually end up getting more than your alotted 30 days per year. Mileage varies with use/lose and recovering lost leave so take everything above with a grain of salt. As of this year you can carry 75 days. This is a direct result of high operational tempo and a fair amount of lost leave over the past few years.

My 2 cents from what I have seen through the years.

OBTW, my minimum is 30 days because I have elderly parents and I am staying prepared for that day.

 

[exhelodrvr]

You can still have more than thirty days, but at the end of September you lose anything over thirty, right?

Over years 2-11, I gradually built up a balance of close to thirty days, then would take thirty days each year so that the balance was 30 at the end of September. (Lost maybe 5 or 6 days total over that time.) Took 45 days prior to starting at NPS, because that let us arrive mid-quarter, which meant that we could move into base housing right away. (Typically at that time there was about a 2 month wait if you arrived when the quarter started; with three young kids we didn't want to have to go through that hassle.) Then I built up the balance to thirty days again, didn't take any leave my last year, so I took leave my last thirty days, and sold thirty days back.

 

[HokiePilot]

I think now, you can carry 75 days over to the next FY.They bumped it up for sixty a year or two ago.

 

[FLYTPAY]

ALWAYS TRY TO ACCRUE LEAVE! Yes you are allowed to carry over 75 days now. So you could potentially never take leave over 2.5 years and have 75 days banked. The whole take it now thing I think is a crock. You need to learn to pair it with long weekends, be in a basket leaving command over the holidays, and if you want other tactics on how to preserve your leave balance give me a PM. I keep it maxed out for a rainy day and my terminal leave in about 11 years

 

[MAKE VAPES]

^Amen. Save leave as O-1, trade it (basic pay only dammit) in or use it up as an O-3 when you bail out, or as an O-5 and retire... Many dudes play out leave pay concurrent with airline (or whatever) initial training, double dip!

 

[sevenhelmet]

Don't overthink your accrued leave. If you have a reason to take some, then take it. Otherwise, hang on to it for later. It's really that simple.

 

[Huggy Bear]

Had a question i'd like to run by those with some time in under their belts....

The mentality i've heard from most here in Kingsville is to use your leave up, because between here and the fleet, you probably won't have too many opportunities to use it (and you will obviously accrue a lot of it). Basically, "Use it up now or you will probably lose it."

I'm in the situation (thanks to BDCP) that I have 30 days saved up (I had 60, but used 30 for the holidays), and don't start Advanced until April.

My question to you guys that have been out in the fleet is: How much leave do you usually keep on hand for emergencies, vacations, etc? I want to keep enough to allow me to go places when the opportunity presents itself, but obviously I don't want to put myself in a position of losing leave later.

Thanks for your input.

GS

I agree with those who said don't burn it just to use it. However, if modern advanced is anything like what I experienced a decade ago, you will not get leave except for christmas and emergencies. Same for the FRS. And likely the same for most of your fleet tour, except for maybe a week here or there. If you've ever kicked around the idea of that backpacking trip in europe for a month, NOW is the time to do it. Also, statistically you will probably be married or with somebody serious when you get to your first shore tour. Definitely forget about backpacking through Europe with your buddy then.

 

[bolterking]

It's up to you. Some caveats...

You can carry up to 75 day balance now (NAVADMIN change).

You can carry more then 75 days for the year and following year following a return from deployment...then back down to 75.

You can NOT sell back leave as an Officer (Enlisted only).

You can ALWAYS go in the negative for leave if emergencies arrise.

So that being said, if you want to take leave....do it. The time to take leave whenever you want will diminish as you go on to the fleet. Might not even get leave enroute to next duty station, many can attest to that...sucks.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shameless movie quote...I will take leave when I am god damn good and ready...you got that?

 

[bolterking]

I agree with those who said don't burn it just to use it.

Sorry....Disagree with that. Leave is yours. Although you are not entitled to it always, it is yours, and it's a sin to lose and give back those days at the end of year if you haven't used them. I would rather use 20 days vice give those 3 weeks of PAID vacation back.

Yeah carrying a balance of 95 days is nice, but it's a sin to give back to the govt those days after all you have endured to save up (sometimes not by choice either IE workups, deployment, Itempo)

 

[ChunksJR]

Yeah carrying a balance of 95 days is nice, but it's a sin to give back to the govt those days after all you have endured to save up (sometimes not by choice either IE workups, deployment, Itempo)

If you are married...don't ever "lose" leave. Or...don't let her know that you did. My mother was LIVID with my dad when he lost 2 days on 30SEP.

 

[HH-60H]

BAD GOUGE ALERT

You can NOT sell back leave as an Officer (Enlisted only).

This is completely incorrect.

 

[FlyBoyd]

It's up to you. Some caveats...

You can carry up to 75 day balance now (NAVADMIN change).

You can carry more then 75 days for the year and following year following a return from deployment...then back down to 75.

You can NOT sell back leave as an Officer (Enlisted only).

You can ALWAYS go in the negative for leave if emergencies arrise.

So that being said, if you want to take leave....do it. The time to take leave whenever you want will diminish as you go on to the fleet. Might not even get leave enroute to next duty station, many can attest to that...sucks.

Your statements are misleading so here is the source.

http://www.navyleave.com/files/New_Leave_and_Liberty_Policies_to_Implement_the_2008_NDAA.pdf

The 75 days expires.

Officers/enlisted can still sell back leave when leaving service (max of 60). The no sell back for officers you speak of concerns a one-time sell back of SLA while still on active duty. Officers are ineligible for that option.

Be careful what you state as fact here. Junior service members will (mistakingly) make decisions off what you say.

 

[bolterking]

Your statements are misleading so here is the source.

http://www.navyleave.com/files/New_Leave_and_Liberty_Policies_to_Implement_the_2008_NDAA.pdf

The 75 days expires.

Officers/enlisted can still sell back leave when leaving service (max of 60). The no sell back for officers you speak of concerns a one-time sell back of SLA while still on active duty. Officers are ineligible for that option.

Be careful what you state as fact here. Junior service members will (mistakingly) make decisions off what you say.

Hence the word "Caveats" (ca·ve·at n. a. A warning or caution) vice facts (fact n. 1. Knowledge or information based on real occurrences: 2.
a. Something demonstrated to exist or known to have existed )

No need to write a point paper when posting on all the possible options but it did correctly sum up the leave policy with one error....but I will in future

Sorry I was incorrect on the carryover of SLA from two fiscal years to 4 now post combat zone. Understandment vice over statement.

Officers can't sell leave back SLA. And since the person asking that question wasn't asking about the EOS situation and was in a student status (asking for info prior to the fleet), I don't think he falls under the EOS give back....which is why no mention was made.