DA Form 3986 at a glance
What it is: DA Form 3986 is the Personnel Asset Inventory.
Who signs: The commander signs in b. Signature in Section I; Section II (new commander, only after a change of commanders), Section III, Section IV and Section V each have their own b. Signature.
A filled-in DA Form 3986 example: a change of commander inventory
How to fill out DA Form 3986, box by box
Date, units and permanent station location
Enter the date in box 1 as YYYYMMDD.
Enter the Reporting Unit in box 2, the Parent Unit in box 3 and the Command in box 4.
Enter the Permanent Station Location in box 5 as City, State, APO, and the Unit Identification Code (UIC) in box 6.
Unit personnel accountability report and strengths
Enter the Unit Personnel Accountability Report as of (Personnel Readiness Roster) in box 7.
Under ITEM a., PERSONNEL b. lists OFFICERS c., WARRANT OFFICERS d. and ENLISTED e., then TOTAL f.
Boxes 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 each have an ASSIGNED line and an ATTACHED line.
Enter the date in box 10, adjusted strength as of (Date), and fill in box 11, personnel asset inventory.
Type personnel asset inventory and remarks
In box 12, TYPE PERSONNEL ASSET INVENTORY, mark CHANGE OF COMMANDER, UNIT INACTIVATION, UNIT MOVE or OTHER (Specify):.
Mark OTHER and write in (Specify):.
Write the REMARKS in box 13.
Commander's evaluation
Box 14: A personnel asset inventory was conducted as prescribed by AR 600-8-6 on the above date and the personnel strengths existed as entered above, with exceptions or corrections shown under comments or on the attached sheet.
For the commander's evaluation, enter the typed name, grade, branch and title in a. and the date (YYYYMMDD) in c.
In Section I, the commander's evaluation, the commander signs in b. Signature.
Authentication by new commander
SECTION II, AUTHENTICATION BY NEW COMMANDER, is to be completed only upon conduct of PAI as a result of change of commanders.
In box 15, REMARKS, mark CONCUR or NONCONCUR; for NONCONCUR, write the Reasons for nonconcurrence.
In box 16, enter the typed name, grade, branch of new commander in a., sign in b. Signature and write the date (YYYYMMDD) in c.
Personnel automation section coordination
In Section III, personnel automation section coordination, box 17 is remarks: mark CONCUR or NONCONCUR; unit personnel accountability report reconciled has its own box.
In box 18, the typed name, grade, branch and title go in a., the signature in b. and the date (YYYYMMDD) in c.
Authentication by commander (chain of command)
In Section IV, authentication by commander (Chain of command), enter TO:, FROM:, remarks, a. typed name, grade, branch and title, b. signature and c. date (YYYYMMDD) in boxes 19 to 22, 23 to 26 and 27 to 30.
Military personnel strength manager certification
In Section V, military personnel strength manager certification, enter TO: in box 31 and FROM: in box 32.
In box 33, mark APPROVED, DISAPPROVED or APPROVED FOR INSTALLATION CLEARANCE (Change of command).
Enter the remarks in box 34; in box 35, enter the typed name, grade, branch and title in a., the signature in b. and the date (YYYYMMDD) in c.
More rules for DA Form 3986
For use of this form, see AR 600-8-6.
The proponent agency is DCS, G-1.
Previous editions are obsolete.
Sources
[1] DA Form 3986 (MAY 2026), Personnel Asset Inventory, U.S. Army (the Official source link on this page).