Air cargo requires clearance.

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You can request air transportation for practically anything you order, but the Army Airlift Clearance Authority (AACA) will ensure that air cargo dollars are used prudently.

When the source of supply (DLA, AAFES, the home installation, etc.) prepares to fill a requisition requiring air transportation, they are required to submit a DD Form 1384, Advance Transportation Control Movement Document (ATCMD).

The info on the 1384 is eventually entered on the web-based Financial and Airlift Clearance Transportation System (FACTS). FACTS automates the validation of all Army air shipments by AACA.

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About 95 percent of all FACTS submissions are automatically validated and released for movement. When shipments exceed established criteria, they go to the AACA staff who will challenge affected shipments. The AACA reviewer contacts a POC in the geographic area of the shipment destination. That starts a three working day period for the requistioner to make a shipment mode decision.

The POC-armed with all the transportation data on the requisition-will contact the requisitioner to determine if air transportation is actually needed.

If the POC and requisitioner reach a decision, the AACA is notified. The AACA then releases the shipment and directs the shipper to use an air or surface mode depending on the decision.

If the requisitioner does not respond within the three-day window, the AACA diverts the shipment to surface mode.

The AACA has an extensive website to help users through air cargo shipping. The website also discusses how to use "green sheets" to expedite shipping through Aerial Ports of Embarkation (APOE).

You'll find more information about AACA and FACTS on the Logistics Support Activity (LOGSA) website. You'll need to use your logon and password for the Logistics Information Warehouse (LIW) to access the AACA webpage:

https://www.logsa.army.mil/ssc/aaca/aaca-main.cfm