AFI 11-253, Managing Purchases of Aviation Fuel and Ground Services

The U.S. Air Force relies on timely and accurate purchases of aviation fuel and ground services to sustain flight operations and maintain mission readiness. 

AFI 11-253, Managing Purchases of Aviation Fuel and Ground Services, establishes the rules for how fuel is procured and how off-station services are paid for, including through the Aviation Into-Plane Reimbursement (AIR Card®) program. Recent updates to the AFI reflect the Air Force’s broader effort to strengthen internal controls, increase transaction traceability, and reduce fraud, waste, and administrative errors.

Why It Matters

Fuel is both high-cost and high-volume. Even small errors can quickly compound across hundreds of worldwide purchase locations. AFI 11-253 creates clear responsibilities, documentation requirements, and reconciliation procedures to ensure purchases are legitimate, properly authorized, and auditable—safeguarding taxpayer dollars while preserving operational flexibility.

Key Oversight Provisions

The AFI directly addresses oversight gaps identified in past audits by:

• Defining roles and segregation of duties. Clear responsibilities are assigned to purchasers, accountable officials, certifying officials, and program managers, ensuring that purchase, validation, and payment functions remain separate and monitored.
• Standardizing documentation. Required forms and templates—such as monthly validation memoranda and Standard Form 44—ensure consistent, traceable data across units, simplifying reviews, audits, and automated reconciliation.
• Mandating reconciliation. Regular reconciliation of fuel transactions, including receipt retention, helps detect billing errors, duplicate charges, or suspicious activity. Updated guidance stresses monthly validation and retention as a minimum standard.

The Need for Stronger Controls

Independent reviews by the DoD Inspector General and GAO have repeatedly highlighted weak documentation and reconciliation practices. Their recommendations—improved validation, better traceability, and consistent entry into financial systems—are directly reflected in AFI 11-253, which formalizes oversight responsibilities, reconciliation cadence, and documentation standards.

Ongoing Challenges

Despite progress, several issues remain:

• Data entry and traceability. Missing details or absent unique identifiers hinder end-to-end visibility. Addressing this requires process discipline and, at times, IT upgrades to support automated feeds.
• Human factors. Controls are only as effective as the personnel executing them. Training and continuity planning are critical to prevent turnover from eroding compliance.
• Vendor and regional variation. Global fuel vendors follow diverse billing practices. Standardized templates help, but local differences still complicate reconciliation and tax treatment, requiring close monitoring by accountable officials.

Path Forward

To maximize AFI 11-253’s impact, the Air Force should:

1. Enforce monthly reconciliation. Make validation memos mandatory and subject to audit.
2. Strengthen continuity. Standardized training, documentation, and automated workflows reduce risk from personnel turnover.
3. Leverage automation. DoD and commercial reconciliation tools can flag anomalies rapidly, enabling scarce personnel to focus on higher-risk cases.

Conclusion

AFI 11-253 provides a practical, mission-focused framework to improve oversight of aviation fuel and ground services purchases. Its success depends on disciplined execution: routine reconciliations, strong training programs, and program-level monitoring. When fully implemented, AFI 11-253 protects both mission readiness and public resources.