How to submit a DA Form 31 through your S1 for iPERMS upload

A DA Form 31 is used by a U.S. Army unit S1 to request or document a personnel action. It is not an evaluation form; an OER, NCOER or AER may support it, but the S1 normally enters the action into iPERMS after checking the packet. Complete the current form, send it to the personnel office, answer questions and keep proof of the handoff.

Your S1 validates the request, obtains missing approvals and submits records to the Army’s iPERMS system. Do not create a duplicate iPERMS entry simply because a document is absent from your file. The S1 can correct routing, but you must provide accurate facts, contact details and any required signature.

For Australian readers, DA Form 31 and iPERMS are U.S. Army tools. Australian Army personnel normally use Australian Defence human-resources processes and should not substitute a local form unless a U.S. Army authority directs it. Allied units may use “S1” for the battalion personnel office. Australian colleagues often say “diggers” and may call a handoff “chucking it through”, but official messages should stay precise.

Plan around time zones and approved channels. Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne use AEST or AEDT, Brisbane stays on AEST, and Perth uses AWST, so a request to a U.S. unit needs a clear timestamp. This is general guidance, not official policy; the issuing S1 and current Army instructions control the form version, signatures and attachments.

Understand the form and the personnel action

Begin by identifying the personnel action. The form, authority and evidence must match, and attachments vary. Use the version supplied or approved by your S1 rather than an old PDF found online. If a new rater is involved, the transfer an OER guidance can help identify which evaluation should move before filing.

Check every field against your records: name, service information, requested change, effective date and signatures. Explain unusual facts in a short cover note rather than guessing. A packet that answers the action question plainly is easier for the S1 to approve and upload without a second request.

Prepare the request and supporting evidence

Assemble the packet as though the reviewer knows nothing about your case. Keep the form and its evidence in the order requested by the S1.

Form and supporting evidence

• Use the current DA Form 31, with every required field completed.
• State the personnel action and effective date clearly.
• Attach orders, records, medical or administrative evidence specified by the S1.
• Include an OER, NCOER or AER when it is relevant to the request.
• Add approvals, amendments or correspondence required for that action.

Ready-to-send checks

• Scan the signed form so handwriting and signatures are readable.
• Use a sensible PDF filename without unnecessary personal details.
• Confirm the S1’s official email, secure channel or postal address.
• Send through an approved channel and save the delivery receipt.
• Keep a complete copy of the packet and the sent message.

Ask whether the S1 wants one PDF, a document index or an original by courier or post. Do not send sensitive Army records through a personal mailbox, and do not mail an irreplaceable document without tracking. If the format is unusual, a call or message can prevent a rejected upload; use the approved method and record the instructions.

Some S1 offices accept digital signatures, while others require wet-ink originals or a document countersigned by a witness. Follow the local instruction and note any date or witness requirement. The packet should be complete when it leaves you, even if higher-level approval is pending.

Send the packet to the unit S1

Send the packet through the channel the S1 recognises. Australian Defence units may use Defence Connect, MessageArea or official unit email. A subject such as “DA Form 31 personnel action – pending review” and a brief cover note help the S1 triage it when several soldiers await different actions.

Treat the handoff like enabling access to a record, not dumping a file in a folder. A civilian account-activation page such as activate your account shows the sequence of identity, permission and confirmation, but it has no authority over Army records. In iPERMS, the upload and certification belong to the S1 or another authorised HR user.

Have the S1 review and upload the action

After receipt, the S1 compares the request with the personnel record, confirms signatures and approvals, and selects the correct iPERMS document or action. The packet may be returned for clarification or referred for higher approval. An emailed form is not proof that the change has been accepted or made effective.

Ask for a status note identifying the action, receipt date and outstanding item. If access has expired, follow the reset your iPERMS password guidance, but password recovery does not replace a signed form. Only an authorised office should upload or certify personnel information; retain the approved copy.

Track the action and handle exceptions

Track the request using the S1’s status reference and the iPERMS transaction history. Record the receipt date, reviewer, document identifier and every correction. If a line must change, mark it clearly and send a replacement page with a short explanation. Avoid cancelling and resubmitting without advice, because duplicates can obscure the correct action.

Cross-unit and overseas cases can add routing. An S1 may coordinate with a gaining unit, military mission or authorised representative. Public mission pages such as the Ecuadorian Embassy in Spain resource can identify local administrative contacts, but an embassy does not approve a DA Form 31 for iPERMS. U.S. Army instructions remain controlling.

Keep a reliable personnel record

Keep the handoff in a secure personal records folder: form, attachments, approvals, sent message and delivery evidence. Record names and dates accurately, and follow Army privacy guidance for scans. If the action involves an evaluation, retain the related Army Evaluation Entry System (EES) or iPERMS record so the paperwork and system can be reconciled.

The Australian personnel market is separate from U.S. Army administration. Civilian recruiters, migration advisers and upload vendors cannot submit an iPERMS action unless authorised by the unit. Australian Army matters belong with its own people and records chain; use the DA Form 31 route only when the competent U.S. Army S1 requires it. A complete request, authorised submission, system confirmation and retained copy provide a durable audit trail.