DAFI38-404 — PROGRAM ACTION DIRECTIVES (PAD's, PROGRAM GUIDANCE LETTERS (PGLs), PROGRAMMING PLANS (PPlans), AND PROGRAMMING MESSAGES (PMsgs)

DAFI38-404 governs Program Action Directives, Program Guidance Letters, Programming Plans, and Programming Messages.

Search DAFI38-404

  • Publication number: DAFI38-404
  • Title: PROGRAM ACTION DIRECTIVES (PAD's, PROGRAM GUIDANCE LETTERS (PGLs), PROGRAMMING PLANS (PPlans), AND PROGRAMMING MESSAGES (PMsgs)
  • Date: 2024-02-13

View DAFI38-404 on armypubs.army.mil


DAFI38-404 covers program overviews, roles and responsibilities, guidance and procedures, entrance criteria, and development tools. It identifies phase-based PAD processes and tiered waiver authorities, and requires compliance with the publication.

Applies to: This instruction applies to all civilian employees and uniformed members of the Regular Air Force (RegAF), the United States Space Force (USSF), the Air National Guard (ANG), the Air Force Reserve (AFR), and those with a contractual obligation to abide by the terms of DAF issuances.

Topics covered

  • Program Action Directives
  • Program Guidance Letters
  • Programming Plans
  • Programming Messages
  • PAD and PGL entrance criteria
  • PAD planning and execution phases
  • Tiered waiver authorities

Questions and answers

How do PADs, PGLs, PPlans, and PMsgs align Air Force initiatives?

PADs, PGLs, PPlans, and PMsgs enable the alignment of Department of the Air Force (DAF) strategic objectives and Secretary of the Air Force (SecAF), Under Secretary of the Air Force (USecAF), Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CSAF), Chief of Space Operations (CSO), Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force (VCSAF), and/or Vice Chief of Space Operations (VCSO) approved initiatives with joint and national priorities.

How must records created under DAFI38-404 be handled?

Ensure all records generated as a result of processes prescribed in this publication adhere to Air Force instruction (AFI) 33-322 Records Management and Information Governance Program and are disposed in accordance with the Air Force Information Management System.

How are waiver requests for DAFI38-404 requirements submitted?

Submit requests for waivers through the chain of command to the appropriate tier waiver approval authority, or alternately to the requestor’s commander for non-tiered compliance items.

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