ED NOTE: Page info re-verified 010133LAPR12 (that's local 1:33 a.m. on April 1, 2012--no joke)
The DA 31 (SEP 93) form, REQUEST AND AUTHORITY FOR LEAVE is available from a number of sources including the U.S. Army Publishing Directorate (your paramount source for official, updated and authenticated FMs, ARs and forms). However, all DA 31s are not created equal and an unofficial Microsoft Word version may be the one you want.
OPTIONS:
GOOD: The U.S. Army Publishing Directorate has a PureEdge (xfdl) and Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) DA 31 available for download. The PDF from APD has no form fields you can fill out rendering it pretty useless unless you have a typewriter. The PureEdge form is superior as you can fill out most fields and digitally sign the document. But you can’t type in the name of the approving authority in block 13.
BETTER: The United States Army Combat Readiness/Safety Center (USACRC) offers a link to a DA 31 PDF after you complete the TRiPS (https://crcapps2.crc.army.mil/ako_auth/trips) online trip-planning tool, Misnamed “DD31.pdf,” it was created when CRC was called “ASMIS-2.” You can fill out the form fields but “you cannot save data typed into this form.” Forget the phone number in block 8, you then get to retype the whole form. Still, not great and there is no field in block 13.
SOMEWHAT BETTER: Type in “da form 31” into Google and up pops “31.dot,” a Microsoft Word DA 31 (with wrong suffix) from USAREUR G1. You can save the data typed into the form and type in the name of the approving authority, but you can’t digitally sign the document. Unfortunately, line 15 is misprinted and should read "EXTENSION"; line 16 is misprinted and should read "RETURN.” It is the same document found on ArmyProperty.com.
THE ONE YOU WANT: Here is a DA31word.doc with the fields fixed. Let me know if there are any issues with this edited version at my civilian address (match AT picketttmedia.com).
FINAL WORD: If the U.S. Army Publishing Directorate offered a PureEdge form with a field in block 13, I would use that one and digitally sign my DA 31s. Until then I will use the one I fixed here.
20120723: For those who need to tinker, use "31" to unlock the form.
