DA Form 3986 is the Army’s record of a Personnel Asset Inventory, and filling it out correctly means working through five sections in order: the commander’s evaluation and head-count reconciliation in Section I, then the authentication and endorsement blocks that apply to your particular inventory. The form is governed by AR 600-8-6 and proponent is the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1.1United States Army. DA Form 3986 Army Personnel Asset Inventory What follows is a block-by-block walkthrough.
Before You Start
Pull a current copy of DA Form 3986 from the Army Publishing Directorate at armypubs.army.mil. Using an outdated edition can delay processing, so download a fresh copy rather than reusing one saved from a prior inventory. The form header should read “For use of this form, see AR 600-8-6; the proponent agency is DCS, G-1.”1United States Army. DA Form 3986 Army Personnel Asset Inventory
Have three things ready before you sit down with the form:
- The unit’s Strength Zero Balance Report from IPPS-A, which gives you the starting assigned and attached strength.
- The Unit Processing Code (UPC) that ties the unit to its electronic records.
- Supporting documentation for every soldier who will not be physically present at the muster: leave forms, TDY orders, hospital admissions, confinement paperwork, and duty rosters for anyone on essential duties.
Not every section applies to every inventory. A change-of-command PAI uses all five sections. A PAI triggered by a strength variance skips Section II entirely. Read the reason for the inventory before you start filling in blocks.
Section I — Commander’s Evaluation (Blocks 1–14)
This is the core of the form. Most of the data entry lives here.
- Block 1, Date: the date the physical inventory is conducted.
- Block 2, Reporting Unit: the official designation of the unit conducting the PAI.
- Block 3, Parent Unit: the next higher headquarters.
- Block 4, Command: the major command or installation the unit falls under.
- Block 5, Permanent Station Location: city, state, or APO.
- Block 6, Unit Processing Code: the UPC assigned to the unit. This is what links the unit to its electronic records in IPPS-A.
- Block 7, Assigned/Attached Strength: the total personnel strength from the Zero Balance Report. Your starting point before gains and losses.
- Block 8, Gains: soldiers gained since the last report.
- Block 9, Losses: soldiers lost since the last report.
- Block 10, Adjusted Strength As Of: the adjusted total and the date it reflects.
- Block 11, Personnel Asset Inventory: the actual count from the physical muster and absence documentation.
- Block 12, Type: check the box that matches the reason for the inventory. The options are Change of Commander, Unit Inactivation, Unit Move, Change in PPA, or Other.
- Block 13, Remarks: explain every discrepancy between Block 10 and Block 11. Each gap needs a name and a reason.
- Block 14, Commander Signature: the conducting commander’s typed name, grade, branch, title, signature, and date. The signature certifies that the inventory was conducted as prescribed by AR 600-8-6.
The whole purpose of the form is the comparison between Block 10, the adjusted strength on paper, and Block 11, the actual count. If those numbers match, remarks can be brief. If they don’t, every discrepancy goes into Block 13 or onto a continuation sheet.1United States Army. DA Form 3986 Army Personnel Asset Inventory
Section II — Authentication by New Commander (Blocks 15–16)
Section II applies only to change-of-command inventories. The incoming commander reviews the results and records concurrence or nonconcurrence in Block 15, then signs in Block 16. If the new commander has not yet arrived, the acting commander signs here instead, and another change-of-command PAI will be conducted when the permanent commander reports.2U.S. Army. Personnel Asset Inventory Quality Assurance Checklist
Section III — Personnel Automation Section Coordination (Blocks 17–18)
The servicing personnel automation section, now the IPPS-A team at the Battalion S-1 or Military Personnel Division, reviews the form and compares its entries against the electronic system. Any discrepancies get noted in Block 17. Block 18 is the automation section’s signature. This is where system-level corrections are flagged for processing.
Section IV — Authentication by Higher Commanders (Blocks 19–33)
Section IV gives the chain of command above the reporting unit space to endorse the results. Each endorsement block includes To, From, Date, Remarks, and a signature block. The number of endorsement levels required depends on local policy and the reason for the inventory.
Section V — Military Personnel Strength Monitor Certification (Blocks 37–39)
For change-of-command inventories, Block 37 records whether the installation’s military personnel strength monitor approves or disapproves installation clearance. Disapproval means the departing commander cannot clear the installation until the discrepancies are resolved. The monitor signs in Block 39.
Documenting the Physical Muster and Absences
Block 11 depends on a physical head count. The PAI officer or designated representative verifies every soldier’s identity by matching a military identification card against the prepared roster. Every soldier who is not physically standing in the formation has to be accounted for on paper. AR 600-8-6 lists these absence categories:
- Assigned-not-joined
- Hospitalized
- On leave
- Temporary duty (TDY)
- Absent without leave (AWOL)
- Confined
- Pass, administrative absence, or sick in quarters
- Essential duties
- Missing
Every absent soldier needs supporting documentation: signed leave forms, TDY orders, confinement paperwork, or hospital admission records. Essential duties covers soldiers who couldn’t attend the formation because of guard duty, CQ, or similar requirements. Their first-line supervisor or duty officer should verify presence and identity separately. If you can’t produce paperwork for an absent soldier, that person becomes a discrepancy that goes into Block 13.
Where the Signed Form Goes
Once the commander signs Section I and any applicable endorsements are added, the completed DA Form 3986 goes to the Battalion S-1 or servicing Military Personnel Division. S-1 staff use the certified form to process corrective transactions in IPPS-A: adding soldiers missing from the system, removing those who should have been lost, and updating duty statuses. Getting these corrections processed promptly matters because IPPS-A feeds directly into pay. A soldier who shows as assigned-not-joined in the system may not be receiving correct pay or entitlements until the transaction clears.3U.S. Army Human Resources Command. Personnel Accountability – AR 600-8-6
HR professionals use IPPS-A’s Service for Analytics and Business Intelligence Reports (SABIR) to identify Failure to Gain and Failure to Lose discrepancies: soldiers the system says should be in the unit but aren’t, or soldiers physically present but not in the database.4Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army. IPPS-A Update – Personnel Asset Inventory PAI Reconciliation Job aids for the system-level reconciliation steps are on the IPPS-A training portal.5Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army. Training Aids
Accuracy of the Signature in Block 14
The commander’s signature in Block 14 certifies the count. A commander who knowingly signs off on a false personnel count risks prosecution under Article 107 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which covers false official statements. The statute applies to anyone subject to the UCMJ who signs a false official document or makes a false official statement with intent to deceive. Punishment is determined by court-martial and can include confinement and separation from service.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 10 USC 907 – Art 107 False Official Statements False Swearing If Block 10 and Block 11 don’t match, the answer is to document the discrepancy in Block 13, not to reconcile the numbers on paper.