The Air Force Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination (SNIAC) process identifies family members with special medical and/or educational needs for reassignment purposes. SNIAC is a mandatory enrollment process that ensures the availability of medical and educational services required for sponsors’ exceptional family members (EFMs) prior to reassignment.

 The Air Force defines a special medical need as any condition that cannot be resolved by a family practice physician and requires ongoing care or treatment by a specialist. Even if a patient is not currently receiving treatment but has a physical or emotional condition that may require medical care, he/she is considered to have a special need. Children with special educational needs are those ages three to twenty-one whose schools have them on an Individualized Education Program (IEP), those ages zero to three who have an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), or those who are being evaluated for special education, related services, or early intervention services. Air Force SNIAC guidance is contained in: 

• Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 40-6, "Educational and Developmental Intervention Services," June 30, 2006 certified current July 29, 2010
• AFPD 40-7, "Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination," March 16, 2007
• Air Force Instruction (AFI) 40-701, "Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination," August 8, 2008

The Air Force Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination (SNIAC) process identifies family members with special medical and/or educational needs for reassignment purposes. SNIAC is a mandatory enrollment process that ensures the availability of medical and educational services required for sponsors’ exceptional family members (EFMs) prior to reassignment.

 The Air Force defines a special medical need as any condition that cannot be resolved by a family practice physician and requires ongoing care or treatment by a specialist. Even if a patient is not currently receiving treatment but has a physical or emotional condition that may require medical care, he/she is considered to have a special need. Children with special educational needs are those ages three to twenty-one whose schools have them on an Individualized Education Program (IEP), those ages zero to three who have an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), or those who are being evaluated for special education, related services, or early intervention services. Air Force SNIAC guidance is contained in: 

• Air Force Policy Directive (AFPD) 40-6, "Educational and Developmental Intervention Services," June 30, 2006 certified current July 29, 2010
• AFPD 40-7, "Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination," March 16, 2007
• Air Force Instruction (AFI) 40-701, "Special Needs Identification and Assignment Coordination," August 8, 2008

Family Member Relocation Clearance (FMRC) is a mandatory process that the Air Force uses to screen all family members traveling overseas with their sponsors, as well as those family members with previously identified special medical and educational needs who are relocating within the continental United States (CONUS). The FMRC process follows these steps: 

1. Airman receives assignment notification and obtains FMRC paperwork during initial appointment with military personnel flight (MPF) for outbound assignments. 
2. At least six months prior to travel, the Airman completes "Request for Family Member's Medical and Education Clearance for Travel" (Air Force (AF) Form 1466) and "Dental Health Summary" (AF Form 1466D) for each family member over the age of two who has not had a dental check up in the past year or has unresolved dental needs. 
3. Airman coordinates completion of "Exceptional Family Member Special Education/Early Intervention" (Department of Defense (DD) Form 2792-1) with school/early intervention staff for each child with an IEP/IFSP. 
4. Airman coordinates completion of "Exceptional Family Member Medical Summar" (DD Form 2792) and appropriate addenda with medical care provider for each child with a special medical condition. 
5. FMRC coordinator at the military treatment facility (MTF) meets with the Airman to review and help complete forms, schedules joint screening interview, and gathers medical records for all family members. 
6. Airman and all family members have joint screening appointment at MTF with special needs coordinator (SNC) and medical review officer (only the EFM is required to attend if assignment is in CONUS). 
7. If special needs are identified, FMRC coordinator sends facility determination inquiry (FDI) to gaining MTF for determination (in coordination with the Department of Defense Dependent Schools [DoDDS], if overseas). 
8. If needs can be met, the FDI is returned within two weeks and assignment processing continues; if needs cannot be met at overseas assignment location, the FDI is forwarded to the gaining Major Command (MAJCOM) Behavioral Health Consultant to find an alternate assignment. 
9. For EFMs not recommended for travel to a CONUS location, the FDI is returned to the FMRC coordinator who notifies the SNC and sponsor and forwards documentation to the MPF.

Family Member Relocation Clearance (FMRC) is a mandatory process that the Air Force uses to screen all family members traveling overseas with their sponsors, as well as those family members with previously identified special medical and educational needs who are relocating within the continental United States (CONUS). The FMRC process follows these steps: 

1. Airman receives assignment notification and obtains FMRC paperwork during initial appointment with military personnel flight (MPF) for outbound assignments. 
2. At least six months prior to travel, the Airman completes "Request for Family Member's Medical and Education Clearance for Travel" (Air Force (AF) Form 1466) and "Dental Health Summary" (AF Form 1466D) for each family member over the age of two who has not had a dental check up in the past year or has unresolved dental needs. 
3. Airman coordinates completion of "Exceptional Family Member Special Education/Early Intervention" (Department of Defense (DD) Form 2792-1) with school/early intervention staff for each child with an IEP/IFSP. 
4. Airman coordinates completion of "Exceptional Family Member Medical Summar" (DD Form 2792) and appropriate addenda with medical care provider for each child with a special medical condition. 
5. FMRC coordinator at the military treatment facility (MTF) meets with the Airman to review and help complete forms, schedules joint screening interview, and gathers medical records for all family members. 
6. Airman and all family members have joint screening appointment at MTF with special needs coordinator (SNC) and medical review officer (only the EFM is required to attend if assignment is in CONUS). 
7. If special needs are identified, FMRC coordinator sends facility determination inquiry (FDI) to gaining MTF for determination (in coordination with the Department of Defense Dependent Schools [DoDDS], if overseas). 
8. If needs can be met, the FDI is returned within two weeks and assignment processing continues; if needs cannot be met at overseas assignment location, the FDI is forwarded to the gaining Major Command (MAJCOM) Behavioral Health Consultant to find an alternate assignment. 
9. For EFMs not recommended for travel to a CONUS location, the FDI is returned to the FMRC coordinator who notifies the SNC and sponsor and forwards documentation to the MPF.

Enrollment in the SNIAC process is mandatory. Airmen are required to initiate enrollment at their MTF as soon as special needs are known, without waiting for the FMRC process. Information on the DD Form 2792 and DD Form 2792-1 is used by the SNC in consultation with the medical reviewer to make enrollment decisions. Enrollment criteria is provided by the Air Force Medical Support Agency and based on DoD guidance. For a service member to become enrolled in the SNIAC, the SNC must:

• Initiate an assignment limitation code "Q" (by forwarding an authorization letter to the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) via the MPF)
• Open a "special needs assignment coordination record" at the MTF
• Enter identifying information into an electronic log, "Q-Base." 

To initiate enrollment of an Air Force family from another Service's MTF, DD Form 2792 and DD Form 2792-1 should be completed and forwarded to the SNC at the Air Force MTF where the sponsor is assigned or to the nearest Air Force MTF.

Enrollment in the SNIAC process is mandatory. Airmen are required to initiate enrollment at their MTF as soon as special needs are known, without waiting for the FMRC process. Information on the DD Form 2792 and DD Form 2792-1 is used by the SNC in consultation with the medical reviewer to make enrollment decisions. Enrollment criteria is provided by the Air Force Medical Support Agency and based on DoD guidance. For a service member to become enrolled in the SNIAC, the SNC must:

• Initiate an assignment limitation code "Q" (by forwarding an authorization letter to the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) via the MPF)
• Open a "special needs assignment coordination record" at the MTF
• Enter identifying information into an electronic log, "Q-Base." 

To initiate enrollment of an Air Force family from another Service's MTF, DD Form 2792 and DD Form 2792-1 should be completed and forwarded to the SNC at the Air Force MTF where the sponsor is assigned or to the nearest Air Force MTF.

The Air Force will authorize family travel for a Q-coded Airman to any location overseas where the MTF, in coordination with DoDDS, indicates that medical and/or educational needs can be met. Reassignments within CONUS are based on the gaining MTF's assurance that medical needs can be met. Airmen with EFMs are not exempt from unaccompanied assignments to remote locations and must remain worldwide deployable. Families whose sponsor takes an unaccompanied remote assignment with a follow-on assignment must be screened prior to the remote assignment and again within the six months prior to traveling to the follow-on assignment. Air Force assignment options are sometimes limited by the service member's occupational specialty. Airmen in this situation will often change specialties in order to better support the needs of their families.

The Air Force will authorize family travel for a Q-coded Airman to any location overseas where the MTF, in coordination with DoDDS, indicates that medical and/or educational needs can be met. Reassignments within CONUS are based on the gaining MTF's assurance that medical needs can be met. Airmen with EFMs are not exempt from unaccompanied assignments to remote locations and must remain worldwide deployable. Families whose sponsor takes an unaccompanied remote assignment with a follow-on assignment must be screened prior to the remote assignment and again within the six months prior to traveling to the follow-on assignment. Air Force assignment options are sometimes limited by the service member's occupational specialty. Airmen in this situation will often change specialties in order to better support the needs of their families.