The Department of the Air Force released updated guidance, Feb. 1, intended to accelerate Line of Duty determinations for Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard members serving on extended active‑duty orders.
The directive revises Department of the Air Force Instruction 36‑2910 to streamline the LOD process for continued access to health care for those Air Reserve component members who are activated for 31 or more consecutive days. The update prioritizes timely care and administrative consistency across components.
"This change reflects our commitment to taking care of our service members. The new directive removes bureaucratic friction and allows Airmen to focus on recovery and mission readiness," said Richard Anderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. "We will continue refining the process to ensure our Reserve and Guard forces receive the support they need and deserve."
Under the revised policy, LOD approving authorities will issue "in the line of duty" determinations when specific criteria are met, aligning procedures with those used for regular Air Force and active Guard and Reserve members. In cases that meet the criteria, officials will no longer need to determine when an illness or injury began -unless a commander requests a formal investigation.
Lt. Gen. John Healy, chief of the Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command, equates this change to a tangible demonstration of the command's commitment to readiness and Airmen‑first processes.
"When leadership talks about being 'Ready Now,' this is what it looks like in practice, empowering you to be healthy and mission-ready instead of leaving you stuck in a bureaucratic holding pattern," said Healy. "This is about cutting through the red tape to ensure you get the same level of care as your active-duty counterparts, because the mission depends on it."
To qualify for the streamlined process, members must be serving on a single active‑duty order for 30 days or more and must have at least 180 days of Total Active Federal Military Service. Members must complete an LOD Rights Advisement memorandum and submit medical documentation that includes a diagnosis and treatment directly supporting the claim.
Reservists and Guardsmen must initiate LOD requests before the end of their active‑duty orders, either through their Reserve or Guard medical unit or through the Headquarters Individual Reservist Readiness Integration Organization.
Requests that do not meet the new criteria will follow the standard informal or formal LOD processes outlined in current guidance.
Maj. Gen. Duke Pirak, acting director of the Air National Guard, emphasized the importance of removing administrative barriers for Guard members.
"This initiative directly supports wartime readiness by enabling our Guardsmen to return to the fight faster," said Pirak. "It provides a support structure for members during duty status transitions to ensure they remain mission ready. We look forward to future policy and system enhancements that will continue to refine and improve the Line of Duty process."
The directive applies to LOD determinations initiated on or after Feb. 1, 2026, and pertains only to health‑care access. Other programs requiring LOD determinations, such as medical continuation or disability evaluations, will follow the requirements listed in DAFI 36‑2910 and DAFI 36‑3212.
Additional procedural guidance and an updated publication of DAFI 36‑2910 will be released within 180 days.
