What is AF Form 988?
AF Form 988 is the official U.S. Air Force Leave Request/Authorization form. Active-duty service members complete it whenever they plan to be absent from their duty station. The form covers all major leave categories: ordinary leave, emergency leave for family hardships, convalescent leave ordered by a medical provider, terminal leave at the end of service, and permissive TDY. A supervisor or unit commander reviews and signs the form to confirm approval before the member departs.
You can easily prepare the AF leave form document with this PDF editor. The following steps will help you create your document.
Step 1: To get going, press the orange button "Get Form Now".
Step 2: Now, you can begin editing your AF leave form. The multifunctional toolbar is at your disposal - add, delete, modify, highlight, and conduct other sorts of commands with the content in the form.
Fill in the following parts to create the template:
Fill in the LEAVE REQUEST CERTIFICATION:, APPROVED, DISAPPROVED, DATE, (From LES), (Block 9 minus 6), SECTION II (To be completed by, PRIVACY ACT STATEMENT, To authorize military leave, AUTHOR, IT 10 U, Information may be disclosed to, GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS, and (For emergency field with all the particulars requested by the program.
Determine the relevant data in the LEAVE REQUEST, AUTHORIZATION (See Privacy Act Statement and, TO: A, CFP 1, 5 A, FO Use Only), FROM, (Check one), Terminal (P), Emergency (D), Re, enlistment Graduation (J), PT, DY Reason (AFI 36, 3003 Ordinary (A), Appellate Review (R), Other (Specify), Convalescent (F), Special (H), Permissive TD, Y (T), REMARKS:, PROVIDER, 'S SIGNATURE & STAMP, CON, US OS to CON, US I acknowledge that the leave, and LEAVE REQUEST CERTIFICATION: part.
In paragraph LEAVE REQUEST CERTIFICATION:, APPROVED, DISAPPROVED, DATE, DATE, TIME DEPART PERM, DATE, TIME RETURN PERM, DATE DEPART DES, G DATE ARR CON, US DATE DEPART CON, US DATE RETURN DES, G DUTY STATION, DUTY STATION, PAY AREA, PAY AREA, SECTION II (For member's use to, and INSTRUCTIONS FOR MEMBERS DEPARTING, specify the rights and obligations.
Review the sections LEAVE REQUEST, AUTHORIZATION (See Privacy Act Statement and, TO: A, CFP 1, 5 A, FO Use Only), FROM, (Check one), Terminal (P), Emergency (D), Re, enlistment Graduation (J), PT, DY Reason (AFI 36, 3003 Ordinary (A), Appellate Review (R), Other (Specify), Convalescent (F), Special (H), Permissive TD, Y (T), REMARKS:, PROVIDER, 'S SIGNATURE & STAMP, CON, US and OS to CON, US and then fill them in.
Step 3: If you are done, choose the "Done" button to export your PDF document.
Step 4: Get around two or three copies of the document to avoid any upcoming issues.
Key Sections of AF Form 988
Understanding the major sections helps service members complete the leave request accurately before submitting it through their chain of command.
Section I - Leave Request (Member): The service member fills in their name, grade, Social Security Number (last four digits), unit, and duty station. They select the leave type (ordinary, emergency, convalescent, terminal, or permissive TDY), enter the requested departure and return dates, and provide a destination address and emergency contact number.
Section II - Authorization (Supervisor): The unit commander or designated approving official reviews the request. They mark the request approved or disapproved, add remarks if needed, and sign and date the form. The approving official records the leave balance before departure so the member's LES can be updated accurately.
Privacy Act Statement: AF Form 988 collects personal information under authority of 10 U.S.C. and Air Force Instruction 36-3003. The information is used to authorize military leave and may be shared with authorized DoD personnel for administrative record-keeping purposes.
Submitting and Tracking Your Leave Request
After completing AF Form 988, submit it to your supervisor or first sergeant at least 72 hours before your requested departure date for ordinary leave. For emergency leave, submit as soon as possible and coordinate directly with your unit orderly room. Always retain a signed copy for your personal records once the approving official returns the form.
If you need to change the dates on approved leave, complete a new AF Form 988 referencing the original request number. For civilian leave documentation, our leave of absence request form and employee leave request form cover similar workplace scenarios. For additional Air Force administrative paperwork, explore our full collection of Air Force forms.
