Why orders for change of duty station via Army+ are sometimes delayed – Ministry of Defence explanation

The functionality to change the duty station has been available in the Army+ app for almost two months. So far, 7,000 service members have received approval to continue their service in the unit they selected. 

At the same time, in recent weeks, we have received around a hundred inquiries from service members who are still waiting for orders or are being neglected in the execution of orders. We clarify each of these cases.

Why sometimes does it take a month or more to receive an order?

Daily, up to 1,000 reports are submitted to the Personnel Center of the Ukrainian Armed Forces through Army+. To date, 30,000 reports have been submitted. Some service members resubmit their reports 5-7 times, correcting mistakes following operators' advice or facing constant rejections due to the unit commander’s refusal, where their approval is necessary by regulation.

This increases the workload for operators who work round-the-clock. Sometimes, orders are processed within a few days, and service members can immediately see the order number and date in the app. However, at times, it may take weeks. 

What steps have we taken to streamline the work of operators?

We assessed the most frequent mistakes by service members and refined the report template in the Army+ app. We have included links to sample recommendation documents and a list of standard military documents with guidance on which pages to attach.

The order is already in the personnel office, but the commander ignores it and avoids responding.

“Artificial” obstacles can be imposed at the local level. We are already addressing these issues.

For example, in December, amendments were introduced to Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 1291, and the process of issuing orders for soldiers and sergeants was simplified by the directive of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, removing the requirement for a military position in the order. It is sufficient to provide the service member's name, rank, military unit number, and taxpayer ID number. This approach eliminated instances where orders for change of duty station were ignored due to changes in positions within the staffing table. 

In addition, the Central Department for the Protection of Service Members' Rights, in cooperation with military command authorities, addresses requests from service members and oversees the implementation of orders by unit commanders.

The essential principle is that an order for a change of duty station must be carried out. Commanders should not prevent service members from transferring to another military unit where they feel motivated, provided the transfer is lawful.

If such cases arise, please complete the form in the app, available via the following path: Menu → Support → Frequently Asked Questions → Change of Duty Station (Меню → Служба підтримки → Поширені питання → Зміна місця служби). At the top, select the relevant question. We will register and verify the order’s status.