TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Active-duty Air Force members approaching their end of enlistment or looking to close their enlistment early can transition into the Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard while keeping many of their military benefits and still have time to pursue another career or go to school full-time.
Standard Reserve and Guard members work for the Air Force one weekend a month and two weeks a year, but still receive access to benefits like tuition assistance, reasonably priced health care coverage and life insurance, and use of all base facilities.
Active-duty Airmen can use the Palace Front and Place Chase programs to easily transfer over to one of the other two Total Force components.
“The Reserve is a part-time job with great benefits,” said Master Sgt. William Pullion, 325th Force Support Squadron Air Force Reserve in-service recruiter. “These programs ensure some direction of people separating from the Air Force.”
Most situations allow members to keep their current rank and continue to work on their military retirement.
“The transition from active duty to the Reserves has gone a lot smoother than I was expecting,” said Tech. Sgt. Rashad Barnes, 325th Aerospace Medicine Squadron Occupational Health Element NCO in-charge. “I was hesitant and worried because I had already served over 16 years towards retirement and did not want to lose that time. This transition has allowed me to be back in a career field I really enjoyed without a break in service or change to my military benefits.”
Palace Front allows for a seamless transition from active duty after the end of the member’s enlistment. Ideally, candidates start the process around six months before the end of their enlistment working with their recruiter to collect the necessary documents and find a job for them at an ideal base.
Palace Chase is geared toward Airmen that want to separate before their contract has ended. Four-year enlistees can switch to the Reserves at their two year mark, and six-year enlistees at three. The process is very similar to Palace Front with added approval processes.
Individuals looking for more information on Palace Chase can attend a weekly briefing held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Building 662.
For more information on these programs and the Air Force Reserve call 850-283-8384, or for the Air National Guard, call 850-283-4701.