US Army Members Are Granted With Paid Leave Days Just Like Any Other Professions, But By Submitting Request First. Read About DA 31 Fillable 2021 Definition, Usage, Filling Method, And Upgrades Below!
One of the most frequently asked questions related to military life by its own personnel is about to leave. Leave, in this particular context, is defined as paid vacation or being relieved from job-related duties that are granted for soldiers by Congress according to federal law. There are plenty of reasons why a military member may need to take a leave, whether it is due to emergency or personal reasons. However, one thing that is sure, they need to fill and submit the DA 31 form. Find out more about the form of DA 31 fillable 2021 in this article.
What Is DA 31 Form?
DA 31 is formally referred to as the Request and Authority for Leave form. It is a document issued by the Department of the Army and is used when an Army member wants to request a leave for different reasons such as urgent family-related situations or even vacations and traveling.
Once the form is completed with accurate information, the soldier must submit it to the Commander to request temporary leave before their requested time of leaving. The form can be filled out manually by using print-out documents or through online tools.
What Is DA 31 Used For By Soldiers?
To gain permits for leaving, the military member must provide and sign the details that are comprised of:
- The total of chargeable leave days
- The records of pay
- The total of days taken off by the soldiers
- The information about where the soldier can be found during leaves
DA 31 form is required by the Commander so the temporarily leaving soldier can be reached easily and remain informed during their absent days. There is no form that must be submitted along with this particular form. Also, the form is no longer relevant once the period of leaves is over.
What Is the Inside Form of DA 31?
This form requires you to input various personal information such as full name, address, social security number (SSN), rank within US Army, and your current military station. It also enquires information in detail regarding your leaves, like who are you going to travel with and how many days you will be absent from duty.
Your request for leave might be received approval or refusal based on the information that you provide inside the form. To make the chance of your request being approved, try to input information as detailed as possible related to your military leave.
How to Fill DA 31 Form?
DA 31 fillable 2021 is an official form used by US military institutions across all departments. As mentioned above, it’s better to be highly specific when providing your information. Here is a detailed breakdown of how to fill this specific form correctly:
PART I – NAME, SSN, LEAVE ADDRESS
- Input your control number at the upper section of the form, then your full name with the order of last name, first name, and then middle name.
- Input your social security number (SSN), then your military rank, and the date on which the form is filled.
- Fill in the information about the location address that’s going to be your destination during the leave.
- Choose one of the choices in the column ‘Type of Leave’ – between emergency, ordinary, permissive TDY, or other types.
- Put details about the station you’re originated from and its contact numbers.
PART II – EMERGENCY LEAVE TRANSPORTATION AND TRAVEL
- Input the total amount of days that you’ve collected, that you’re currently requesting to see if you have remaining collective leave days.
Note: All military members are given 30 days of paid leaves each year, including public holidays and weekends. That gives you 2.5 days of paid leave each month. You may save up the paid leave days by continuously working for the entire month without taking even a day off throughout your monthly duty. - Input the dates you want to get your temporal leaves.
- Put your sign in the column for the requestor’s signature so your form will be considered valid and eligible to receive approval.
- Move to the column of supervisor’s signature, which also contains a box of approval and signature.
- Proceed to the next column, where you need to get signatures of three different persons on three different dates.
- The first signature is given when you depart to take your leave, with information about your departure date and time.
- The second signature column is provided in case your leave days need to be extended. You have to visit the nearest military office to receive approval. Similar to the prior one, it is also accompanied by the date and time where your extended leave is being approved.
- The third signature is used when you return to the military. It requires information about the date and time of your return as well.
PART III – DEPENDENT TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION
- Write the names of persons that are going to accompany you during the leave period. Their names should be written in the same order as your name in the previous section, which starts from the last, first, and then middle name.
- Inform what relationship you have with the person. You also need to write their birthdate if they are still minors and their passport numbers.
PART IV – AUTHENTICATION FOR TRAVEL AUTHORIZATION
- Input information about the location and designation of your headquarters, the issued date of your document of travel authorization, the order number of your travel, as well as the name and signature from the official that authorizes your DA 31 form.
To Whom Is DA Form 31 Sent To?
After you have completed all the required information accurately, you need to send the DA 31 form to your commander to get your signature. The document must be kept during the entirety of your leave period because it will be asked when you need to receive medical care or relocation.
Keep in mind that if you are failed to provide the required information correctly, your request has a chance to be rejected, so don’t fill the form in rush and take your time to complete it.
Differences of DA 31 2020 vs 2021
DA 31 hasn’t been changed since 1993. However, in June 2020, the US Military made an official report of improving and updating the form to suit ever-changing regulations.
Compared to the previous version in 2020, the DA 31 fillable 2021 will be more convenient for soldier. The upgraded version offers more clear differentiation between chargeable and non-chargeable leave. There are additional spaces in the left address, organizational address, and remarks section. Soldiers are also able to input more than three addresses now to information about where they stay – even though this isn’t strictly required.
The newly adjusted DA Form 31 is available to be downloaded at the official website of the Army Publishing Division. It is encouraged for all soldiers to download and use the most recent version because it will be continuously improved from now on.
DA 31 Form Fillable 2021 Download
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Open in new tab Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Answers
What Is a DA 31?
It is the Request and Authority for Leave form issued by the Department of the Army to be used by a soldier that wants to request temporal leave.
How Do I Fill Out My DA 31?
You must enter required information by the form, such as your full name, address, rank in US Army, current station, and others. You also need to inform details about your leave as well.
How Do You Get Emergency Leave In The Army?
You have to submit the form and provide an emergency leave reason inside. Remember that emergency leave in the military regarding of family only applies if your direct family members went through major medical emergency, disastrous life events, or passed away.
Can You Leave Bootcamp For Death In The Family?
Yes. However, verified emergencies regarding your family such as death or severe illness or injury are the only reasons you’re allowed to leave Bootcamp.
Can The Military Deny Leave?
Your request for military leave might be approved or denied by the commander with the consideration of your training or mission unit, administration matters, and the percentages of unit strength, as well as soldiers’ health and welfare.
How Long Is Army Emergency Leave?
Each Army member is granted emergency leave if it’s regarding their immediate family and entitled to a total of 30 days.
Do You Still Get Paid While Leaving The Military?
The military service members have the right to receive 30 days of paid leave annually as a part of the pay and benefits package in the military. If you constantly work without break for a month, your leave account will be added with 2.5 days for each month.
Do Soldiers Get Weekends Off?
Yes. Similar to most jobs in the United States and anyone that works in the job force, soldiers are entitled to off weekends and holidays.
As the last note regarding your military leave, you have to inform the commander as soon as possible if there are changes regarding your leave at the last minute, whether is it about the destination location or the extended days. You need to report and bring the DA 31 fillable 2021 when your arrival date comes around within 24 hours to the duty station.