Air & Space Force · Leave & Liberty · DAF Form 988, 20221220 edition

DAF 988: Leave Request/Authorization

The current DAF 988 (20221220): member data, type of leave, chargeable dates, leave address, approval, and the advance/excess leave section. For when LeaveWeb isn't used.

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Every block on the DAF Form 988

Laid out block for block like the official LEAVE REQUEST/AUTHORIZATION (20221220 edition), with the instruction for each block. Name, rank, and unit prefill from your service profile.

Section i

1
Date of Request
2
Type of Transaction (FMF / FSS / CSS Use Only)
Leave blank. Finance, FSS, or CSS completes this block.
3
DoD ID
Your 10-digit DoD ID from your CAC. The form no longer asks for SSN.
4
Name (Last, First, Middle Initial)
5
Grade
6
Current LV Balance
From your latest LES or the orderly room's leave listing. Confirms you have enough leave for the request.
6a
DOS
Complete only if your planned return is within 30 days of your date of separation.
7
Recommend Convalescent Leave (From / To; Provider's Signature & Stamp)
Completed, signed, and stamped by the medical provider only when convalescent leave is recommended.
8
Type of Leave (Check one)
Most requests are Ordinary. For PTDY, give the DAFI 36-3003 paragraph and a short purpose in Remarks. Parental leave and other programs are tracked in LeaveWeb; on paper use Other (Specify) and name it in Remarks.
Remarks: PTDY Reason (DAFI 36-3003)
9
No. Days Requested
10
Leave Auth No.
Your supervisor or designee gets this number right before approving. It can't be pulled more than 30 days before the effective date.
11
First Day/Time of LV Status
The earliest you may depart or sign up for Space-A. Non-duty day: that date and 0001. Duty day without working most of it: the time more than 50 percent of scheduled duty is done. Can't be more than 1 day before block 12.
12
First Day of Chargeable LV
13
Last Day of Chargeable LV
14
Leave Area
15
Emergency Phone No.
A number where you can be reached during leave.
16
Leave Address (Street, City, State, Zip Code, and Phone No.) (if different from phone number provided in block 15)
17
Duty Phone No.
18
Unit
19
Office Symbol / Duty Section
20
Duty Location
21
Member's Signature
Signing certifies the leave request statement: leave you can't earn before separation may be recovered from your pay.
22
Leave Is
Approver completes. For PTDY, the approval level is set by DAFI 36-3003.
Date
23
Approver's Name and Grade (Print or Type)
24
Duty Phone No.
25
Approver's Signature

Section ii (To be completed by supervisor/unit commander to authorize advance or excess leave)

26
Leave Available to ETS (From LES)
Complete Section II only for advance or excess leave.
27
Advance Leave Requested (Block 9 minus 6)
Advance leave: more than your current balance but not more than your balance to ETS. Complete 26–27 and send the form to the commander.
28
Excess Leave Requested (Block 9 minus 26)
Excess leave: more than your balance to ETS. Complete 26 and 28 and send the form to the commander.
29
Total Leave Approved
30
Unit Headquarters
31
Commander's Signature/Grade
32
Authorization Date
33
Authority for Advance Leave Over 30 Days
Record the message date/time group if approval came by message.

Draft / worksheet aid. Prepare it here, then transcribe into LeaveWeb (reached through myFSS / the Air Force Portal); the DAF 988 is the paper fallback. This is not an official submission. Check it against the current official DAF Form 988 before use.

How to fill out the DAF Form 988

The DAF Form 988 is the paper leave request and authorization for Airmen and Guardians. Almost all leave is requested and approved in LeaveWeb; the 988 is used when LeaveWeb isn't available, for certain terminal, advance, or excess leave cases, or when your unit or FSO tells you to use it. When: Draft it before you submit leave in LeaveWeb (the same data goes in), or when your orderly room / CSS asks for a paper 988.

Step by step

Check your leave balance on your LES (block 6). If you'll return within 30 days of your DOS, complete 6a.
Pick the type of leave in block 8. For PTDY, put the DAFI 36-3003 reason in Remarks.
Work out the dates: block 11 is when you can first depart (leave status), blocks 12–13 are the first and last chargeable days.
Give a leave address and an emergency phone (blocks 15–16) where you can actually be reached.
Sign the certification (block 21). Your supervisor gets the leave authorization number and approves (blocks 10, 22–25).
If the leave is advance or excess, the commander completes Section II (blocks 26–33).

What a strong one looks like

Block 11 rule: departing on a non-duty day, enter that date and 0001. Departing on a duty day without working most of it, enter the time when more than 50 percent of scheduled duty is done.
The leave authorization number can't be pulled more than 30 days before the effective date.
Signing up for Space-A travel starts your leave. Don't assume military air will get you back on time.
Members with mobility responsibilities must tell the unit deployment manager before departure.

Common mistakes

Requesting more leave than you'll earn before separation without the advance/excess leave section. The certification lets finance withhold up to 100 percent of pay to recover it.
A leave address or phone where you can't be reached. The instructions require that you can be contacted.
Using the 1991 AF Form 988. The current form is DAF Form 988 (20221220) and asks for DoD ID, not SSN.

References: DAFI 36-3003, Military Leave Program; AFMAN 65-116 Volume 1, Defense Joint Military Pay System Active Component (DJMS-AC) FSO Procedures; DoDI 1327.06, Leave and Liberty Policy and Procedures Checked against the official source: Sep 2026 Official blank form

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