Certifying Short Tours

Certifying Short Tours

The use of the AROWS-R online Tour of Duty Certification (TODC) for short tours (30 or fewer days) is mandatory, barring any technical issues. For instructions, go to the AROWS-R TODC Quick Guide.

If your supervisor or certifier is having issues, share this TODC Certifiers Guide with him or her. 
 

IMPORTANT TODC ISSUE AND WORKAROUND (1 May 2023)

We are aware that the Tour of Duty Certification (TODC) system in AROWS-R is not working ... emails are not consistently generating and sending to the supervisors for certification.  AFRC/FM is actively working to fix the TODC certification function, and HQ RIO is staying connected for any updates.  We will push out any change as it occurs. 

With that, right now very few short tours can be certified successfully via the TODC process.  In the meantime, I want to give you the steps to manually certify your orders and send them to the HQ RIO Reserve Pay Office for manual processing. 

1. Try the TODC. Sometimes it works.  I recommend you use YOUR OWN personal email to send the link.  That way you can tell right away if it the email went through.  If you receive the TODC email, simply forward that email to your supervisor.

2. If the TODC doesn't work, go into AROWS-R and download the PDF of the orders and any modifications associated with it.  The PDFs are password protected, which keeps you from digitally filling it out and signing it.  When you have the PDF open, select PRINT and then choose "Microsoft PDF" as the printer.  (NOTE:  NOT Adobe PDF, if that's an option available to do you.)

3. The system will prompt you to save the document. Do so with a different file name.

4. Close the downloaded PDF and open the PDF with the new name. Now there is no password needed to edit or sign the document.

5. Fill out blocks A-D with your itinerary, and don't forget the two circled questions and block 40.

6. Use the "certificates" tool in Adobe to create a digital signature area and sign.

7. If you don't have that option, print the PDF, fill it out and sign it with ink.  Printing it out and filling/signing with ink is another option if you have trouble with the "Print to Microsoft PDF."  You can then scan the PDF or take a picture of it to forward to your supervisor.

8. Once you get your supervisor to sign it and return it to you, submit via myFSS.  Always remember to search "IMA Management" and select the IMA Reserve Pay link from there. Submit it to the RIO RPO Pay Requests link.

Again, as we hear anything about the TODC process improving, we will share it with the field.  In the meantime, the Reserve Pay Office is standing by to manually process short tour orders. 

Orders Navigation


TYPES OF ORDERS
Annual Tour Orders
- Deadline for submission
- Annual Tour Special Request (ATSR) Form
- IDTs in Conjunction		 MPA Orders
- Fund Cite Authorization
- M4S Task ID
RPA Orders
- ADT Orders
- ADOS Orders
- School Tours		 TDY Orders
- Requesting TDY Orders
PCS Orders
- Household Goods		 Verbal Orders of the Commander (VOCO)
- VOCO Process
Telecommuting Orders
- Telecommute Agreement
- How to Request Telecommute Orders		  

ORDERS WRITING CELL

The Orders Writing Cell (OWC) is responsible for processing of AROWS-R orders request for Individual Reservist (IR’s) on various MPA/RPA tour types. The OWC role is to review the request for accuracy, validate if the member requires any waivers, and process orders request appropriately in accordance with the JTR and any other Laws/Regulations/Policies.

Order requests will need to have a detailed explanation for the request along with the support documents to assist with processing the request. Per DAFMAN 36-2136 and the IR Guide, orders request must be submitted at least 30 days before the tour start date. If the orders request is within the 30 days window, a Late Order Submission Memo for Record (MFR) by the member’s supported commander, first Colonel (O-6) or above in their chain of command, or civilian equivalent and uploaded with the orders request in myFSS.

Additionally, all Annual tour requests must be submitted by 31 May each year. This is to ensure they are published by 30 June each year per DAFMAN 36-2136. If you are in a situation where it is after 1 June and you haven't put your AT orders request into AROWS-R yet, you'll need to complete this MFR and have it signed by your Active Duty CC or Unit Colonel (0-6), Det CC and approved by the HQ RIO/DO prior to participating on the orders.  These requests can be disapproved at any indorsement level due to submission after 31 May or funding constraints.

OWC will review the orders request and respond with an appropriate action or comments within 4 business days. (dependent on the tour start date) Member's overall readiness should be green.

BENEFITS BREAKDOWN FOR 29, 30, AND 31 DAY ORDERS

Benefit Category Required Order Length Governing Law (U.S. Code) Joint & Departmental Policy
Short Tour Pay Processing (TODC System) 29 days or less 37 USC §204(a) (pay entitlement); 10 USC §101(d)(2) (tour-length definition) DoD FMR Vol 7A; AFMAN 65-116; DAFMAN 36-2136; HQ RIO Order-Based Pay Policy
Long Tour Pay Processing (Pre-Certification) 30 days or more 37 USC §204(a); 10 USC §101(d)(2) DoD FMR Vol 7A; AFMAN 65-116; DAFMAN 36-2136; HQ RIO Order-Based Pay Policy
Leave Accrual 30 days or more (consecutive); rate 2.5 days/month 10 USC §701(a) (incl. "more than 29 days" Title 32 clause); §701(i) (RC carryover) DoDI 1327.06; DAFI 36-3003
TRICARE Prime (Active Duty & Family) 31 days or more (order for more than 30 consecutive days) 10 USC §1074(a) (member); §1076/§1079 (family); §101(d)(2) (definition) 32 CFR Part 199
Line-of-Duty Medical Care (Short Tours) 30 days or less — conditions incurred/aggravated in LOD 10 USC §1074a DoDI 1241.01
BAH Type I & OHA (Locality-Based) 31 days or more (30 or less = flat BAH RC/Transit, unless contingency) 37 USC §403; §403(g) (RC rate) JTR, Chapter 10; DoD FMR Vol 7A, Chapter 26
Family Separation Allowance (FSA) Continuous duty away from dependents more than 30 days 37 USC §427(a)(1)(C) DoD FMR Vol 7A, Chapter 27
TRICARE Reserve Select (TRS) Suspended while on AD orders of more than 30 days (member covered as AD instead) 10 USC §1076d (TRS program itself — suspension rule is regulatory, not statutory) 32 CFR §199.24; TRICARE policy
Dental Care More than 30 days → Active Duty Dental Program; 30 or less → LOD care only 10 USC §1074/§1074a (see also §1145(a)(3)) TRICARE Dental Program policy
TAMP (180-Day Transitional TRICARE) Separation from AD of more than 30 days ordered under §12304b or a §101(a)(13)(B) mobilization authority 10 USC §1145(a)(2)(B) 32 CFR §199.3
Death Gratuity / SGLI No tour-length threshold 10 USC §1475; 38 USC §1965 et seq. DoD FMR Vol 7A, Ch 36; VA SGLI policy


 

myFSS Orders Request
- Link
- Quick Guide
- Requesting orders

AROWS-R Information
- Tracking your orders
- Printing your orders

Order Modifications
- Reasons for a modification
- How to request a modification or cancellation
- Submitting date change mods to RPO

Routing Information
- How is an order routed?
- When is it routed?
- Online Training
- ATSRF
- Sanctuary Waiver
- Fund Cite Authorization Letter
Transportation
- Modes
- Justification
- Corporate Limits/Commuting
- Travel Days

Per Diem
- Government Lodging
- Government Meals
- Non-Availability

Special Authorizations
- Rental Cars
- In/Around Travel
- Registration/Conference Fees
- Actual Expense Allowable (AEA)
- Variations
- Dual Lodging
Certifying Short Tours
- AROWS-R TODC - member
- AROWS-R TODC - certifier
- Troubleshooting

Certifying Long Tours
- Pre-Certification
- Final Certification
- Submission Instructions
Laws/Regulations/Policies (LRPs)

Orders Guidance
- Links
- Contacts for Orders Writers


 

Guides


Quick Guides page graphic link
 

Graphic link The Guide for Individual Reservists page