366th Comptroller Squadron continues to change

Published Sept. 10, 2007
By Airman Samantha S. DeVries
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- Within the next few years, the 366th Comptroller Squadron will continue to shrink drastically as the Air Force streamlines its total force. To compensate for fewer comptrollers at places like Mountain Home, the Air Force has made plans to create more online resources and a centralized financial center to fill the gap.

The Air Force Financial Services Center, located at Ellsworth AFB SD, represents one of the largest financial management transformation initiatives in Air Force history. The center will centralize most Military Pay and Travel Pay processing, increase customer service, and provide the warfighter greater flexibility to complete financial business. The AFFSC will have a central processing center and a round-the-clock call center that eventually could employ about 775 military and civilian personnel. The center will conduct financial-services transactions and respond to calls from military personnel around the world.

"This initiative ultimately resulted in the savings of over 200 million dollars, and returned almost 600 positions back to where they belong, where they are needed most, which is the wartime fighter, the Airman," said John Vonglis, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management and comptroller.

From printing off financial documents to setting up allotments, Airmen can already do most routine transactions on their own with just a few mouse clicks though the Air Force's myPay site. As more financial services go online, base-level comptroller communities are shrinking while the AFFSC at Ellsworth is growing.

The 366 CPTS faced major changes when the Defense Department created the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, or DFAS, in the early 1990s. This centralized finance organization assumed primary control of military pay for each military service with the Air Force branch located in Denver.

With the new centralized financial center looming on the horizon, comptrollers here again face an extreme makeover. After the new AFFSC opens, face-to-face customer service will be mostly a thing of the past, said Senior Master Sgt. Jennifer Jones, 366 CPTS superintendent.

With a central processing center and 24/7 contact center, technicians will focus on base-level military pay questions and travel operations.

A few comptrollers will remain at each base to provide decision support and guidance and work through AFFSC, but base services will be limited to self-help business with technicians available for emergency use.

Phase I of the transition begins November 2007, which consolidates base-level back-shop operations to the central site at Ellsworth while limited, front-line customer service remains at base level for the time being.

The 24/7 full service contact center opens upon completion of phase II in October 2008 and features services available via phone, Web, interactive voice response, e-mail, and mail.

"After phase II is in effect, base-level customer service as we know it will no longer be here," said Sergeant Jones. "We're evolving with the rest of corporate America."

"Most of us already accomplish much of our banking via the internet," said Maj. Terri Jones, 366th CPTS commander. "The AFFSC will provide its customers service similar to what their banks have been providing for years... 24/7 service via telephone, web, interactive voice response, e-mail, and regular mail."

"Regardless if you work mid-shift, swing-shift, or are deployed, the AFFSC will always be within reach, anytime of the day or night," said the major.

However, centralizing comptrollers at one location will take time and understanding from the troops, said Sergeant Jones.

"What we really want to stress is that we're here to facilitate the change," added the sergeant. "We're here to answer questions and help make it easier for everyone involved."

More information can be obtained on the Air Force Portal under "Functional Areas A-Z "located on the right-hand side of the home page.

Please direct questions or concerns to Sergeant Jones through email.

366th Comptroller Squadron continues to change

366th Comptroller Squadron continues to change

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