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Arctic Family Time and Payday Activities

United States Army Alaska (USARAK) Pamphlet 600-2
28 November 2012
a. Soldier and Family well-being is an Army priority. To ensure balance between personal time and performance of military duties, the last duty day of the week is designated as USARAK Arctic Family Time; a time dedicated to Soldiers and Families. USARAK will also observe monthly Payday Activities.
b. USARAK Arctic Family Time. Key elements of USARAK’s Arctic Family Time include:
(1) USARAK Arctic Family Time is observed on Fridays. All training, maintenance and administrative functions will end early to enable Soldiers’ release from duty no later than 1500. If Friday is a designated training holiday, Arctic Family Time will not be observed for that week.
(2) Brigade Commanders identify and approve essential functions and missions for exclusion from USARAK Arctic Family Time. Examples include unit staff duty, designated guard duty, courts-martial and approved field training exercises. The Commanding General is the approval authority for other exceptions to this policy.
(3) Unit training schedules will reflect Arctic Family Time. When Arctic Family Time and Payday Activities fall on the same day, Payday Activities will have priority.
c. USARAK Payday Activities. All USARAK units will observe payday activities on the last Friday following the end of month pay cycle. Dates will be identified by USARAK in the annual/quarterly training guidance and the Master Training Calendar. The same exception to policy conditions apply.
(1) Recommended morning activities on USARAK Payday include: unit physical fitness training/unit run; Army Service Uniform (ASU) and room inspections; award ceremonies (in conjunction with ASU uniform inspections); monthly counseling and administrative actions.
(2) Commanders will release Soldiers from nonessential duties for personal activities by 1200.
d. In order to provide more predictability to Soldiers and their Families, commanders will not schedule training or other activities during the weekend or holidays which can otherwise be accomplished during week days. Approval for weekend training is part of the QTB process. Any unforeseen circumstance which requires Soldiers to work outside normal duty hours requires my approval. United States Army Alaska (USARAK) Arctic Family Time and Payday Activities (CG Policy #0-15)