The Enlisted Assignments and Utilization Management Program is vital to the U.S. Army’s personnel management system. Within this program, the Army utilizes Assignment Eligibility and Availability (AEA) codes to effectively manage and track its enlisted personnel’s assignment preferences and availability status. AEA Codes play a crucial role in ensuring the right soldiers are assigned to appropriate positions, optimizing career development, and maintaining operational readiness. This article will explore the significance of AEA Codes within the Army’s Enlisted Assignments and Utilization Management Program.
Purpose of AEA Codes
The Assignment Eligibility and Availability (AEA) Codes are a standardized system that serves various essential purposes within the U.S. Army’s personnel management:
Assignment Management: AEA codes are used to assess a soldier’s qualifications, skills, and preferences for specific assignments. By using these codes, Army personnel managers can match soldiers to positions that align with their expertise and career goals, maximizing job satisfaction and performance.
Personnel Readiness: AEA codes play a pivotal role in determining a soldier’s availability for assignment or deployment. These codes provide critical information to personnel managers during the assignment process, ensuring that units have the right personnel ready and capable of executing their missions effectively.
Career Progression: The Enlisted Assignments and Utilization Management Program seeks to support enlisted soldiers’ career development. AEA codes are employed to identify suitable career opportunities that allow soldiers to grow professionally while contributing to the Army’s mission.

AEA Codes Table
Rule | Code | Description |
---|---|---|
1 | A | Soldiers permanently ineligible for future assignments due to— a. Approved retirement or request for retirement. (See AR 635–200.) Termination date will be the effective date of retirement. b. Being involuntarily ordered to active duty for 12 months or less in an individual status or as a member of intact units. Termination date will be the ETS date. c. Signing a Declination of Continued Service Statement (DCSS) or not being able to reenlist or extend to meet the serviceremaining requirement. Termination date will be the ETS date. However, these soldiers may be considered eligible for other reassignments (CONUS and OCONUS) provided they have sufficient service remaining to meet the requirements of the new assignment. d. Being dropped from the rolls as a deserter. |
2 | B | Soldiers being considered for elimination from the Service, or their assignment precludes their reassignment for an unspecified time. This code does not have a termination date. Examples are when a soldier is— a. Being considered for separation or elimination (request for hardship discharge, conscientious objection, or those being considered or investigated for elimination due to unsatisfactory performance or misconduct). b. Being confined, is under investigation, or is awaiting trial by court-martial or civil court, or is under suspension of favorable personnel action. (See AR 600–8–2.) (This code will not be awarded to soldiers whose suspension will end within 90 days.) |
3 | C | Soldiers temporarily ineligible for reassignment for the following reasons: a. Medical, convalescence, confinement as a result of conviction by special or general court-martial, and student/trainees (except IET). b. Enrolled in Track III of the Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) (See AR 600–85.) c. Soldiers with field bar to reenlistment. (Termination date will be the ETS date, not to exceed 18 months.) |
4 | D | Soldiers who have been cross-leveled within installation-directed manning levels (DML). This code carries a 12–month stabilization. Top of the system input only. |
5 | E | Soldiers approved for the Voluntary Early Transition (VET) Program, Voluntary Separation Incentive/Special Separation Benefits (VSI/SSB), or early separation application. The termination date equals the approved release date. |
6 | F | Soldiers who have pending personnel actions. For example, early separation requests. There is no termination date. |
7 | G | Soldiers stabilized under “special category.” (See AR 614–5.) The termination date will not exceed 36 months. |
8 | H | Soldiers awaiting PERSCOM approval for retirement. |
9 | I | Soldiers approved for warrant officer or officer candidate schools and are awaiting class start date or the Green to Gold Program. |
10 | J | Soldiers awaiting Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) or a Physical Evaluation Board (PED). This code is top of the system generated when the field deletes a soldier using deletion code ED. This AEA code carries a 12–month stabilization. |
11 | K | Soldiers who have returned from OCONUS deployment of 61 to 139 days. The termination date for soldiers deployed 61 to 139 consecutive days will be four months computed from the deployment return date. |
12 | L | Soldiers eligible for PCS reassignment, subject to normal PCS time on station restrictions. There is no termination date |
13 | M | Soldiers stabilized while awaiting a RETAIN System transaction for reenlistment or undergoing reclassification. This code will terminate upon completion of reenlistment/reclassification action. |
14 | N | Soldiers who have received a deployment indicator (DPLI transaction) denoting that they are currently deployed. |
15 | O | Soldiers who have received an approved deletion for operation reasons. The termination date will be based upon operational needs up to 12 months. |
16 | P | Soldiers who have an approved “one time special situation” request where stabilization would not be otherwise authorized. The termination date will not exceed 48 months. |
17 | Q | Soldiers ineligible for assignment under the Lautenberg Amendment. Affected soldiers are not eligible for firearms or ammunition. Soldiers cannot be assigned to units that require the possession, handling, or use of firearms or ammunition or be reassigned overseas. Soldiers cannot be deployed overseas. This code does not have a termination date. |
18 | R | Soldiers who have returned from OCONUS deployment of 140 days or more. The termination date for soldiers deployed 140 or more consecutive days will be 12 months, computed from the deployment return date. However, as an exception, soldiers deployed 140 or more days may be assigned CONUS to CONUS after four months and assigned an OCONUS area with a designated accompanied tour after six months. |
19 | S | Soldiers being reassigned or deleted from AI status for compassionate reasons. The termination date will be when the problem is resolved or 12 months, whichever occurs first. |
20 | T | Soldiers performing duties directed by PERSCOM or when they are in a nomination hold status. There may be a termination date. |
21 | U | Soldiers who have enlistment commitments. The termination date will be computed for soldiers enlisted for unit or station of choice from the date soldiers are actually assigned to the unit or station. Termination date will not exceed 12 months. (Soldiers may terminate their stabilization by signing a waiver to the contract.) |
22 | V | Soldiers who have received an “individual stabilization” (See AR 614–5.), other than special category. Termination date will not exceed 24 months |
23 | W | Soldiers who have received organization stabilization. (See AR 614–5.) Termination date will not exceed 48 months. |
24 | X | Soldiers stabilized for the following reasons: a. SSG through SGM assigned (and stabilized for 36 months) to Active Component/Reserve Component (AC/RC). This includes AC soldiers attached to ARNGUS or RC units for duty in full-time manning positions. b. Soldiers assigned (and stabilized for 36 months) to Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). c. Soldiers assigned (and stabilized for 36 months) to U.S. Army Recruiting Command in administrative or support positions. |
25 | Z | When reasons exist to remove AEA codes C and G. |