AF officials raise awareness of personnel services for deployed Airmen

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Steve Grever
  • Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Air Force Personnel Center officials conducted site visits at three bases in Southwest Asia March 1-9 to get feedback on personnel support for deployed Airmen and inform them about personnel services available through the Total Force Service Center and Air Force Personnel Services website.

Col. Jim Davis, AFPC's TFSC director, led a four-person team that held 17 focus sessions over eight days with diverse groups of Airmen ranging from general officers to junior enlisted members.

"One of the biggest things we wanted to do during our trip was advertise our current capabilities and discuss how the TFSC operates and liaisons with force support squadrons and military personnel sections to get personnel actions accomplished for all Airmen," said Colonel Davis. "People need to understand that the AFPERS website and TFSC are the same entity. Much like customers who use online banking services from United Services Automobile Association via the web, email and through their phones, Airmen can access personnel information and other self-service applications through the same avenues."

Colonel Davis said they received constructive feedback about current personnel issues affecting deployed Airmen. Many said they had difficulty understanding where to obtain specific personnel information and how to request some personnel actions.

"We spoke to Airmen from various deployment categories who were down range from four to 12 months," the colonel said. "One of our key messages was that deployed Airmen should contact the TFSC for expedited service from our newly established deployment cell."

Tech. Sgt. Michael Condon from the 73rd Expeditionary Air Control Squadron superintendent and first sergeant at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, attended one of the focus sessions and said he had positive results using the TFSC for personnel assistance.

"I have contacted them about several issues and usually my issue was resolved immediately or I was given the information I needed within a day," said Sergeant Condon. "With the reduction of force in the personnel career field, the member may need to temper their expectations about what we are able to do and how easy it will be to accomplish at our home station MPS. But, I believe the service we receive is constantly improving."

Beyond the dedicated deployment cell in the TFSC, efforts are currently underway to stage customer self-help computers and telephones at most Personnel Support for Contingency Operations, or PERSCO, locations in U.S. Air Forces Central's area of responsibility.

"This initiative does not end with these site visits," said Lt. Col. Steve Zubowicz, AFPC's TFSC operations chief. " Our dedicated deployment cell will continue expanding to meet customer demand and we will stand up a provisional TFSC element within the AOR to gain a first-hand customer perspective and further shape reach-back personnel support." The new TFSC forward element would be in place by the end of April.

Colonel Davis also indicated that his directorate's field activities division will also be working with FSSs and MPSs to identify opportunities for improved personnel processes and programs administered at the base level for deployed Airmen.

"We believe this multi-pronged approach will lead to enhanced support and service for our warfighting customers across the entire personnel community," said Colonel Davis.

For more information on personnel services and self-service applications, log onto https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil. All active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian Airmen will need to create an account to log into the personnel services website using their common access card or a login name and password. Once they have an account created, they will be able to access personnel services, applications and information from home or any military computer.

Airmen accessing the information from personal use Web browsers may need to download Department of Defense root certificates at http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/announcements/dodrootcertificates.html if they are having difficulties accessing the personnel services website. For additional personnel assistance, call the TFSC at 800-525-0102, overseas DSN 312-665-5000 or use the form on the personnel services website under "My Account" using the "E-mail Us" link on the left side of the Web page.