Palace Chase gets even better Published June 14, 2007 By Staff Sgt. Connie L. Bias 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- During this time of force shaping, the Palace Chase program is a win-win for the Air Force and active-duty Airmen wishing to shorten their service commitment. Palace Chase, an early release program, allows Airmen to establish a new date of separation and finish their commitment with the Air Force Reserve. Until recently, those who utilized the program owed the Reserve a bit more time than they owed the active-duty force; twice as much time for enlisted personnel and three times as much for officers. For example, a senior airman with one year left on their active-duty enlistment would owe the Reserve two years, if they used Palace Chase. That time commitment has been cut to a one-for-one requirement. The senior airman mentioned above will now just one year as a reservist if he applies by Sept. 30. "This change was established to help with the current force shaping movement," said Tech. Sgt. Kenneth Toon, Air Force Reserve recruiter, who is currently working with about 25 Palace Chase applicants. "It's basically an enticement to help the Air Force active-duty force reach its end strength." This is great news for Airmen who are looking to ease out of their active-duty commitments a little bit early. Moving to Reserve status allows separating personnel to leave their active-duty status while holding on to some of their benefits, which can ease some of the transition to civilian life. "Most of the benefits people enjoy while active duty, they keep in the Reserve, like base privileges and Commissary and BX access," said Sergeant Toon. "There's also medical and dental coverage available through United Concordia and through TriCare Select Reserve, which is premium-based. While it's not free like active-duty medical benefits, it's very reasonable compared to other civilian insurance plans." The application process for Palace Chase is pretty simple, the recruiter said. The active-duty member first fills out a few local forms which are routed through their chain of command for approval. "Then the paperwork flows to the Air Force Personnel Command," Sergeant Toon explained. "Ultimately, AFPC decides whether or not to release the individual, and unless there's some extenuating circumstance going on, that decision is based strictly on numbers." And the numbers are looking good with the current draw-down in effect. Sergeant Toon urges anyone planning to separate from the Air Force will take the time to look into Reserve opportunities. "What I hope to achieve is for people to make an educated decision on whether or not it's in their best interest to continue in the Reserve," he said. Sergeant Toon's office is located on the top floor of the Military Personnel Flight, and anyone interested in Palace Chase can reach him at 247-2976. He can also answer questions regarding the Palace Front program, a Reserve program which applies to Airmen at their normal date of separation, or any other subjects regarding the Air Force Reserve.