Earned and Used Leave The LES (fig. 17-1) contains all the details you need to keep a personal record of these items. Most of the blocks are self-explanatory. Some of the abbreviations and the use of some of the blocks are explained on the back of the form. After  receiving  your  LES,  check  it  carefully  to verify (make sure) that the information is correct. If it isn’t  correct  or  if  you  have  any  questions,  go  to  your personnel office or disbursing office. Leave and Liberty Leave  and  liberty  consist  of  the  times  you  are authorized to spend away from work and off duty. Each is a separate category, and the two cannot be combined. LEAVE.—Leave is an authorized absence similar to vacations in civilian jobs. Basically, you will earn 30 days of leave in each year of active duty. The various terms applied to leave are covered after you learn about the way leave is computed and earned. Leave is shown on your LES (fig. 17-1) in the row “LEAVE.” Vacations  and  short  periods  of  rest  from  duty provide  benefits  to  morale  and  motivation  that  are essential  to  maintaining  maximum  effectiveness.  The lack of a break from the work environment adversely affects  your  health,  your  availability,  and  your performance. Normally, you’re encouraged to use your entire 30 days  of  leave  each  year.  Congress  has  provided compensation  for  you  if  military  requirements prevented you from using your leave. You should not be required to expend leave immediately before separation simply for the purpose of reducing your leave balance. LIBERTY.—Liberty  is  an  authorized  absence from work or duty for a short period. The Navy grants two  types  of  liberty—regular  and  special.  Liberty is not shown on your LES. Regular liberty is usually granted from the end of one  work  period  to  the  beginning  of  the  next.  That period  may  be  from  one  day  to  the  next  or  over  a weekend or holiday. Special liberty is liberty granted outside of regular liberty   periods   for   unusual   reasons,   such   as compensatory time, emergencies, or voting. You may also receive special liberty for special recognition or to allow  you  to  observe  major  religious  events.  Special liberty is granted as 3-day or 4-day periods. Three-day  special  liberty  is  a  liberty  period designed  to  give  a  servicemember  three  full  days absence from work or duty. Three-day special liberty usually begins at the end of normal working hours on a given  day  and  ends  with  the  start  of  normal  working hours  on  the  fourth  day—for  example  from  Monday evening  until  Friday  morning.  When  a  3-day  special liberty is during regular liberty time, such as a Saturday and Sunday with Monday or Friday a national holiday (special  work  hours  aren’t  included),  the  time  off  is treated as regular liberty. Four-day liberty is a special liberty period granted by the CO that gives the servicemember four full days absence  from  work  or  duty.  Usually,  special  liberty begins at the end of normal working hours on a given day and ends with the start of normal working hours on the fifth day. Four-day special liberty includes at least two  consecutive  nonwork  days—for  example,  from Wednesday evening until Monday morning. CONVALESCENT  LEAVE.—Convalescent leave is a period of authorized absence given as part of care and treatment prescribed for your recuperation and convalescence.  If  you  have  a  medical  problem  that requires  a  period  of  recovery  but  does  not  require hospitalization, your doctor may prescribe convalescent leave. Convalescent leave is not charged to your earned, advance,  or  excess  leave  account;  it  is  computed separately. REQUESTING  LEAVE.—To  request  either regular or emergency leave, you should use the Leave Request/Authorization,  NAVCOMPT  Form  3065. When  you  submit  a  leave  request,  forward  the completed form through the normal chain of command. Emergency  leave  requests  are  hand-carried  for approval.  When  emergency  requests  need  approval after normal working hours, the command duty officer usually approves the request. 17-4 Student Notes: