- The terminal illness of a family member (see paragraph above for definition of family members for the purpose of humanitarian reassignment) when death is imminent within 2 years. A doctor's prognosis of a terminal illness must be fully supported and substantiated by clinical data. In such cases, your presence is considered essential regardless of availability of other relatives to assist.
- An authorized state or local agency places a child in the member's home, and deferment is necessary to comply with state or local laws to complete final adoption.
- Reassignment or deferment is essential in establishing or operating an effective family advocacy program according to AFI 40-301, Family Advocacy. Documentation from the base Family Advocacy Officer is required.
- Sexual abuse and assault of the member's dependent when it has been fully substantiated and it has been determined by appropriate medical authority that remaining in the area where the incident occurred would be detrimental to the health of the dependent.
Reasons Humanitarian Applications are Disapproved
The approval authority will not approve applications for reassignment/deferment if the problem might exist for an indefinite period of time or the request is based on one of the following circumstances:
- A desire to provide emotional or domiciliary support to a parent or parent-in-law due to age, non-terminal or chronic illness, or recent death in the family.
- A terminal illness of a step-parent, unless they qualify as a family member (see above definition for the purpose of the humanitarian program.
- Problems associated with child care arrangements.
- Psychoneurosis (such as various psychic or mental disorders characterized by special combinations of anxieties, compulsions, obsessions, phobias, and motor or sensory manifestations) resulting from family separation incident to military assignment.
- Normal pregnancy, possible miscarriage, breech birth, Cesarean section, or RH blood factor.
- The existence of a housing shortage or home ownership problems.
- A financial problem, to include bankruptcy, resulting from over-extension of military income.
- A financial or management problem related to off-duty employment, the spouse's employment, private business activities, or to settle an estate.
- Passport or visa problems involving newly acquired dependents in the overseas area.
- Threatened separation, divorce action, or the desire to pursue child custody.
- The problem existed or was reasonably foreseeable at the time of latest entry on active duty without a break in service or prior to departure on PCS. A7.10.12. A consecutive PCS or deferment based on continuation of the same circumstances.
- A request based on the medical condition of the Air Force member. (Contact the local patient affairs office for information about reassignment based on a military member's medical condition.)
- Requests for PCS deferment will not be considered for members who have not been selected for reassignment.
Assignment/TDY Restrictions
If the Humanitarian Assignment/Deferment is approved, the TDY (Temporary Duty) assignment authorities will not select members for involuntary TDY exceeding 30 calendar days while the deferment is active. If granted a reassignment, members will not be reassigned PCS (permanent change of station) for at least 12 months from date arrived station. A deferment will initially restrict members from PCS or involuntary TDY for a maximum of 12 months. The initial period of assignment restriction for humanitarian reasons may be extended at the member's request provided the total period does not exceed 18 months. If a terminal illness is involved, deferment may be extended up to 24 months. Requests for such extensions must substantiate that:
- Every possible effort has been made to overcome the problem.
- The condition warranting assignment restriction still exists.
- The problem can be resolved within the extended period of assignment restriction.
For complete information about the Air Force's Humanitarian Assignments Program, see Air Force Instruction 36-2110, ASSIGNMENTS, Attachment 7.
