Service center takes tier 1 casualty calls Published April 17, 2013 By Debbie Gildea Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas -- In December, the Total Force Service Center-San Antonio stood up a casualty service cell manned by TFSC-SA customer service representatives trained to support Air Force Casualty Services Branch customers, assuming responsibility for about 40 percent of their phone calls, and enabling the short-handed casualty team to focus on the more complex aspects of their mission, Air Force Personnel Center officials said. The casualty branch is the focal point for all questions and actions related to death of an active duty Airman or Air Force Reserve or Air National Guard member on active duty orders. The casualty team is the conduit for information and documents finance, personnel and other support agencies needed to take care of an Airman's family following the Airman's death. "Our primary mission is to provide prompt reporting, dignified and humane notification, and efficient, thorough and compassionate assistance to family members, said Tech. Sgt. Robert Payne, noncommissioned officer in charge of the branch. "We know every caller has important questions, but not every question needs casualty branch attention." The TFSC is the personnel center's "face to the customer," serving as the focal point for Total Force military and civilian personnel program information, said Lt. Col. Jenise Carroll, TFSC-SA Operations Division chief. "We are a customer service center, but much more than that,"she said. "We have access to a plethora of information and subject matter experts, and we train our service team members to provide peerless customer care. According to Payne, before customers contact the TFSC or casualty branch, they should check the myPers website for the host of frequently asked questions and answers. Considered "Tier Zero" support, myPers allows customers to locate the nearest casualty assistance representative for benefits counseling, and provides knowledge articles on Service members Group Life Insurance programs, benefits and entitlements. "Using myPers is convenient for customers who want information but aren't experiencing an active duty casualty situation," said Payne. "You can review knowledge articles at your leisure, and download or print them for your files." Some customers will need more information than myPers provides, and when they do, can click the "contact us" button at the bottom of every myPers page. That link will provide email and telephone contact information to enable customers to continue their search. "Using the 'contact us' link, customer will be able to access TFSC customer service representatives who handle 'Tier 1' requests," Payne explained. "A widow or widower reporting the death of their retired spouse could contact the TFSC for help finding the nearest casualty assistance representative or with benefits information." Taking on responsibility for the Tier 1 casualty calls required more than just flipping a switch, but thanks to careful planning and training, a cadre of representatives is serving customers' basic information needs, freeing casualty branch representatives for more complex processes, including overseeing benefits and entitlements payouts. "The casualty service CSRs handle over 700 phone calls a month with the goal of immediately responding to our customers' need for information and guidance. In the event of an actual death or questions that mandate Casualty Service Branch expertise, calls are forwarded to the appropriate offices," said Carroll. The transformation initiative enabled the casualty branch to overcome manning challenges, dismantle the mid-shift, and realign team members to increase manning in the two remaining shifts. "We're increasingly more efficient, thanks to the change," Payne said. "We used to get 30-40 calls a day, which averaged about 10 minutes per call. That's a significant amount of time that TFSC team members have helped us recover." Ensuring Airmen and their families get the help they need is integral to the TFSC mission. "We realize the sensitivities associated with every casualty affairs issue and understand the urgency for complete, accurate information. The TFSC is a 24/7, 361-day-a-year operation that is there to help these customers by either getting them the right information immediately or insuring the request is promptly channeled to the appropriate office to respond," said Tim Clary, TFSC-SA director. For more information about casualty assistance, benefits and other personnel issues, visit the myPers website at https://mypers.af.mil.