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BY ORDER OF THE COMMANDER Central Command Regulation 600-21

(CCR 600-21) 10 December 2015

HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF

7115 SOUTH BOUNDARY BOULEVARD

MACDILL AIR FORCE, FLORIDA 33621-5101

Personnel General

LEAVE & LIBERTY POLICY WITHIN THE UNITED STATES CENTRAL 

COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

OPR: CCJ1-MPP Pages: 7

Supersedes: CCR 600-21, 20 October 2014

________________________________________________________________________________

SUMMARY OF REVISIONS

This revision contains minor administrative corrections, updates references, and provides 

clarification on R&R eligibility.

______________________________________________________________________________

1. PURPOSE

This regulation establishes policy for leave, liberty (pass), and administrative absences within the 

United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR) to meet the 

stated objectives outlined in reference (b) and (c).

2. APPLICABILITY

The policies established in this publication apply to all service members assigned within the 

USCENTCOM AOR on any type of assignment or movement orders (e.g. deployment, 

temporary duty (TDY), temporary change of station (TCS), temporary additional duty (TAD), 

permanent change of station (PCS), etc.).

3. REFERENCES

a. Central Command Regulation 600-21, 20 October 2014, Leave & Liberty Policy within the 

United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR); hereby 

superseded by this regulation.

b. DoD Instruction 1327.06, 16 Jun 2009, Leave and Liberty Policy and Procedures, 

Incorporating Change 2, Effective August 13, 2013.
CCR 600-21, 10 December 2015

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c. DoD Directive 5101.6, 11 Aug 2004, DoD Executive Agent for the U.S. Central Command 

(USCENTCOM) Rest and Recuperation (R&R) Leave Program, certified current as of 1 Feb 

2007.

d. USD (P&R) Memorandum, 19 Dec 2007, Subject: Request for Amendment to 

USCENTCOM R&R Program for Service Members Voluntarily Extending for 12 Months.

e. USD (P&R) Memorandum, 15 Mar 2013, Subject: Recertification of Iraq and Afghanistan 

as Non-chargeable Rest and Recuperation (NCR&R) Leave Areas.

f. Central Command Regulation 630-2, 21 Nov 2015, Environmental and Morale Leave 

(EML).

g. Department of Defense Foreign Clearance Guide (NIPR: https://www.fcg.pentagon.mil; 

SIPR: https://www.fcg.pentagon.smil.mil.

h. Defense Transportation Regulation 4500.9-R-Part 1, Passenger Movement, November 

2010. 

i. Joint Travel Regulations (JTR), 1 Oct 2014, Chapter 7, Part A: Leave.

j. PDUSD (P&R) Memorandum, Subject: Clarification of Memoranda Regarding Benefits, 

Allowances, and Gratuities for Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian Employees Assigned to 

Iraq or Afghanistan Under the Authority of Section 1603 of Public Law (P.L.) 109-234, as 

amended, 20 Oct 08.

k. PDUSD (P&R) Memorandum, Subject: Clarification to Policy Memorandum, "Benefits, 

Allowances, and Gratuities for Department of Defense (DoD) Civilian Employees Public Law 

(P.L.) 109-234, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on 

Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, Jun 2006, dated 4 May 07," signed 27 Aug 08.

l. PDUSD (P&R) Memorandum, Subject: Imminent Danger Area Designations, dated 31 

Dec 2013.

4. DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply for the purposes of this regulation.

a. “Assigned” and “attached” are synonymous terms. Assigned includes personnel deployed 

and on PCS orders. Personnel attending conferences or exercises are not considered as assigned 

for the purpose of regulation.

b. “Service members” refers to all Active Component (AC) and Reserve Component (RC) 

military personnel.

c. “Temporary personnel” refers to all service members within the AOR on any type of 

temporary orders/status (e.g. contingency, exercise, deployment, TDY, TCS, TAD, etc.).
CCR 600-21, 10 December 2015

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d. “Permanent personnel” refers to all service members assigned within the AOR on

permanent change of station (PCS) orders for any purpose (e.g. Military Assistance Advisory 

Groups, Attachés, Missions, Contingents, Security Cooperation/Assistance Offices (SCO/SAO), 

Foreign Military Sales (FMS), etc.)

e. “Unofficial travel” includes all types of travel related to or for the purpose of leave, liberty 

(pass), or administrative absence (e.g. permissive TDY).

5. RESPONSIBILITIES

a. USCENTCOM Manpower & Personnel Directorate (CCJ1) has responsibility for oversight 

of leave & liberty programs within the AOR. CCJ1 will:

(1) Establish policy, consistent with mission requirements and Department of Defense 

(DoD) guidance, for personnel serving in the AOR to participate in leave and liberty programs.

(2) Monitor execution and administration of leave and liberty programs.

(3) Approve/disapprove exception to policy requests on behalf of the Combatant 

Commander.

b. U.S. Army Central Command (ARCENT) is the USCENTCOM component tasked to 

establish and administer the USCENTCOM Rest and Recuperation (R&R) Leave Program. 

ARCENT will:

(1) Establish procedures for execution of the USCENTCOM R&R Leave Program in 

accordance with this regulation, reference (b), (c), and any other applicable DoD guidance.

(2) Establish necessary requirements (passenger loads, routes, and schedules) for intratheater and inter-theater transportation for the USCENTCOM R&R Leave Program, in 

coordination with U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and the DoD Executive 

Agent, HQ Department of the Army, for the USCENTCOM R&R Leave Program. See reference 

(c).

(3) Establish and operate intra-theater Gateway Aerial Port(s) of Embarkation (APOE) to 

support the USCENTCOM R&R Leave Program, when necessary. Coordinate intra-theater lift 

assets and passenger operations, as appropriate. See reference (c).

(4) Ensure any authorized commercial air travel for the USCENTCOM R&R Leave 

Program meets theater individual ticketing travel requirements outlined in references (g) and (h).

(5) Approve/disapprove exception to policy requests for R&R in conjunction with 

permissive TDY that is in the best interest of the government on behalf of the Combatant 

Commander.

c. Military Service Departments, USCENTCOM Components, SCO/SAO Chiefs, unit 

commanders, officials, senior leaders, and supervisors of service members will ensure proper 
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administration of leave and liberty program participation, subject to the guidance and restrictions 

contained in this regulation.

d. All service members must ensure their absence has been approved and processed in 

accordance with their respective Service regulations prior to beginning leave.

6. POLICY

The following establishes leave and liberty program eligibility criteria for personnel assigned 

within the USCENTCOM AOR. Any service member who desires to execute leave or liberty to 

an OCONUS location in accordance with this regulation must abide by the country specific 

provisions outlined in the Foreign Clearance Guide, reference (g).

a. General.

(1) Emergency Leave. All personnel are authorized emergency leave in accordance with 

their Service regulations. Use of emergency leave does not render a service member ineligible 

for other leave and liberty programs (e.g. R&R, FEML), regardless of the duration or date of 

execution.

(2) Regular/Special Liberty (Pass). All assigned temporary and permanent personnel are 

eligible to participate in regular/special liberty (pass) as determined by their immediate chain of 

command in accordance with DoDI 1327.06 and respective Service regulations. Use of

regular/special liberty (pass) within the AOR does not render a service member ineligible for 

other leave and liberty programs (e.g. R&R/NCR&R, FEML). Temporary assigned personnel on 

TCS, TDY, TAD, deployment or contingency orders in locations eligible for Rest and 

Recuperation Leave are not authorized regular/special liberty (pass) in conjunction with any 

official or unofficial travel that is outside of the AOR.

(3) Temporary assigned personnel on TCS, TDY, TAD, deployment or contingency orders

are eligible for participation in leave and liberty programs in accordance with the below guidance 

and criteria. Participation in authorized programs is determined by the service member’s unit 

commander or SCO/SAO Chief, subject to operational and mission requirements. Service 

departments and/or theater commanders may establish further restrictions, depending on 

operational and mission requirements. 

b. Rest & Recuperation (R&R) Leave Program. References (b) and (c) outline the authorities 

for the R&R Leave Program and reference (i) lists eligible locations. Contractors serving in the 

AOR are not eligible to participate in the R&R Leave Program. DoD civilians may participate in 

the R&R Leave Program, in accordance with references (i)-(k). All eligible service members

may participate in the R&R Leave Program, based on the criteria outlined below, subject to 

operational requirements and program constraints. Service departments and/or theater 

commanders may establish further restrictions depending on operational and mission 

requirements.

(1) Eligibility. See reference (i) for authorized R&R locations
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(a) Standard Tour: Service members on a minimum of 365-day deployment orders or 

365-day mobilization orders and projected to spend at least 365 days or more physically at any 

authorized R&R location are eligible for one R&R leave period. Note: Services may 

intentionally draft orders for less than 365 days with the knowledge that these personnel will not 

be authorized R&R.

(b) Extended Tour: Service members projected to serve at least 18 consecutive months 

on deployment or mobilization orders at any authorized R&R location(s) are eligible for two 

R&R leave periods. However, the second R&R leave period may not be executed until after 18

months have been served in the eligible R&R location(s).

(c) Voluntary Extension: In accordance with reference (d), a service member who 

volunteers for a 12 month extension supporting named operations, subsequent to a 12 month or 

longer contingency deployment or mobilization within any authorized R&R location(s) is

authorized an additional R&R leave period, but only between termination of the first deployment 

period and start of the voluntary extension. NOTE: This R&R leave period is in addition to the 

two R&R leave periods authorized for serving an extended tour. This R&R leave period may 

only be executed as chargeable leave.

(2) Authorization to participate in the R&R Leave Program begins after the first 60 days in 

theater and ends prior to the final 60 days in theater. Exceptions may be approved by the first 

General/Flag Officer (GO/FO) or Senior Executive Service (SES) civilian in the service 

member’s chain of command. Forward endorsed approval document to ARCENT (Attn: G1) 

with the service member’s R&R leave travel request.

(3) R&R leave periods may only be executed as a single leave occasion, not to exceed 15 

consecutive days. Approval authority for exceptions is delegated to ARCENT (Attn: G1), but 

must result in no additional R&R transportation costs nor cumulatively exceed 15 total days in 

R&R leave status.

(4) R&R leave may not be combined with other types of leave, liberty (pass), or 

administrative absence (e.g. permissive TDY). Any requests for exception to travel in 

conjunction with permissive TDY, when in the best interest of the government, must be 

supported by the service member’s respective Service Component or Joint Task Force (JTF) 

Chief of Staff and submitted to ARCENT (Attn: G1) for approval. This authority may not be 

delegated below the ARCENT general officer level.

(5) R&R leave may be combined with official travel such as TDY, if it is in the best 

interest of the DoD and approved by the first GO/FO or SES civilian in the service member’s 

chain of command. Forward endorsed approval document to ARCENT (Attn: G1) with the 

service member’s R&R leave travel request.

c. Non-Chargeable R&R (NCR&R) Leave Program. NCR&R leave is a category of 

authorized administrative absence, limited to 15 consecutive days. Contractors and DoD 

civilians serving in the AOR are not eligible to participate in the NCR&R Leave Program. 

Eligibility and procedures for NCR&R leave is the same as the criteria for R&R leave, 4.b.(1), 

with the added requirement that the service member’s assigned duty location is physically within
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the designated land areas and provisions outlined by reference (e), verifiable by deployment, 

mobilization orders, or command endorsement.

d. Unfunded Environmental Morale Leave (UEML). UEML may be authorized for eligible 

assigned permanent personnel in all locations and their command sponsored dependents and 

assigned temporary personnel in locations not eligible for R&R in accordance with reference (f) 

and the Joint Travel Regulation (JTR).

e. Funded Environmental Morale Leave (FEML). FEML may be authorized for eligible 

permanent personnel and their command sponsored dependents in accordance with reference (b) 

and the JTR.

f. Consecutive Overseas Tour (COT) Leave. COT leave may be authorized for permanent 

personnel in accordance with their respective Service regulations and the JTR.

g. Other leave programs. Permanent personnel in all locations and assigned temporary 

personnel in locations not eligible for R&R are eligible for participation in leave and liberty 

programs in accordance with the following guidance and criteria. Participation in authorized 

programs is determined by the service member’s unit commander or SCO/SAO Chief, subject to 

operational and mission requirements.

(1) Annual (Ordinary) Leave. The use of annual (ordinary) leave may be authorized for 

permanent personnel in all locations and assigned temporary personnel in locations not eligible 

for R&R in accordance with their respective Service regulations and command policies. All 

applicable provisions of the Foreign Clearance Guide, reference (g), must be followed.

(2) Paternity Leave. Paternity leave may be authorized for permanent personnel in all 

locations and assigned temporary personnel in locations not eligible for R&R in accordance with 

their respective Service regulations and command policies.

(3) Administrative Absences. Administrative absences may be authorized for permanent 

personnel in all locations and assigned temporary personnel in locations not eligible for R&R in 

accordance with their respective Service regulations and command policies.

7. RESTRICTIONS

a. Annual (Ordinary) Leave. Due to military necessity, annual (ordinary) leave is not 

authorized for assigned temporary personnel within the AOR in locations eligible for Rest and 

Recuperation Leave. Annual (ordinary) leave is not authorized in conjunction with 

official/unofficial travel that is outside of the AOR in R&R locations.

b. Administrative Absences. Administrative absences (e.g. permissive TDY) are not 

authorized for assigned temporary personnel within the AOR in locations eligible for Rest and 

Recuperation Leave. Administrative absences are not authorized in conjunction with 

official/unofficial travel that is outside of the AOR in R&R locations.

c. Paternity Leave. Due to military necessity, paternity leave is not authorized for assigned 

temporary personnel on TCS, TDY, TAD, deployment or contingency orders within the 
CCR 600-21, 10 December 2015 

USCENTCOM AOR in locations eligible for Rest and Recuperation Leave. Paternity leave is 

not authorized as a separate leave occasion or in conjunction with any type of official/unofficial 

travel (e.g. TOY, R&RINCR&R leave, etc.) in locations eligible for Rest and Recuperation 

Leave. Assigned temporary personnel, regardless of orders type, may execute their paternity 

leave upon completion of their tour in the USCENTCOM AOR in locations eligible for Rest and 

Recuperation Leave in accordance with the provisions outlined in their respective Service 

regulations. 

d. Permanent personnel on at least 12-month unaccompanied PCS orders may participate in 

the R&RINCR&R Leave Program, only ifthey abide by all of the same criteria and restrictions 

as temporary assigned eligible personnel, outlined under 4.b.l of this regulation, for the entire 

duration of their unaccompanied tour. Accordingly, eligible permanent personnel who choose to 

participate in the R&RINCR&R Leave Program may not execute/participate in any other leave 

or liberty programs outlined above that are normall y available to permanent personnel (e.g. 

annual (ordinary) leave, EML, FEML, COT, paternity leave, administrative absences) during the 

entire duration of their unaccompanied tour. Permanent personnel on accompanied orders may 

not participate in the R&RINCR&R Leave Program. 

8. PROPONENT 

CCJ I is the proponent for this regulation. Any requests for exception, clarification, or 

recommended changes should be forwarded, through the respective Service Component or Joint 

Task Force (JTF) chain of command, to CCJI -MPP, Policy & Programs, 

centcom.macdill.centcom-hq.mbx.ccj 1-mpp---policv a mail.mil. 

9. ACCESSIBILITY 

Publications and Forms are available on the USCENTCOM SIPRNet Releasable (REL) Portal 

Index for downloading at the following link: Consolidated Publications Portal 

10. RELEASABILITY 

There are no releasability restrictions on this publication. 

OFFICIAL: 

DAVID A. GALE 

Lt Col, USAF 

Chief, Command Records 

Branch, CCJ6-RD 

Majo General, U.S. Army 

Chief of Staff 

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