by Jon Hanson
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs
3/23/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- Do you know your Air and Space Expeditionary Force Indicator, or AEFI? The two-digit code identifies when your deployment period occurs within an AEF Cycle. All Airmen should know their AEFI and be prepared to deploy during that time period.
AEFIs also give the Air Force Personnel Center's AEF and Personnel Operations directorate visibility of an Airman's AEF period and allow commanders to know when their Airmen should be prepared to deploy.
The use of AEFIs will not change with the implementation of AEF Next, a new methodology to present and generate Air Force forces. Working groups have been developing the AEF Next construct and expect to have initial operational capability by October 2012, with full operational capability by October 2013.
"Under AEF Next, commanders will continue to use AEFIs to ensure dwell time is not compromised due to a permanent change of station or assignment," said Bradley Higginbotham, chief of plans and policy for AEF and Personnel Operations. "This will ensure Airmen have sufficient time at the new unit to become fully mission ready for deployment.
Knowing their AEFI allows Airmen to better prepare for a potential deployment tasking and more awareness of the AEF process.
"Airmen need to be prepared to deploy in their window because they can be tasked at anytime during this period," said Ed Walker, an analyst with the plans branch with AEF and Personnel Operations. "Preparation includes getting any medical issue checked out before their deployment window. This not only helps the individual, but helps their fellow Airmen who might have to replace them.
"The general guidance is, Airmen need to expect to be tasked to deploy," he said. "Some Airmen in their deployment period may not be tasked depending on requirements, but being prepared to go is key to ensuring the Air Force can support the combatant commander's requirements."
Unit commanders are required to assign new Airmen to an AEFI within 15 days of arriving on station to ensure sufficient coverage for all taskings.
Once an Airman is assigned to an AEF, he or she will typically remain in it for the duration of their assignment to that unit. In special circumstances, unit commanders can work through their chain of command and request a waiver from their major command vice commander or equivalent.
Airmen can find out their AEFI by logging into the vMPF website, and can also get additional information from their unit deployment manager or installation personnel readiness office.
The AEF and Personnel Operations directorate typically e-mail Airmen who have an invalid or blank AEFI with instructions on how to correct the error. The notification ensures these members are not erroneously selected for the upcoming AEF period.
