by Tech. Sgt. Steve Grever
Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs
10/10/2012 - JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) -- Air Force officials have given Personnel Support for Contingency Operations teams access to the Air Force Case Management System at more locations throughout U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Pacific Air Forces and Air Combat Command.
The Air Force Personnel Center's Air and Space Expeditionary Force Operations directorate and Total Force Service Center-San Antonio deployment cell are working hand-in-hand to provide additional CMS access, training and personnel assistance to deployed PERSCO teams outside of the U.S. Air Forces Central's area of responsibility.
"PERSCO teams can send us personnel questions through CMS that specifically deal with career-effecting cases for Airmen," said Master Sgt. Joseph Smith, TFSC-SA sustainment superintendent. "They have a direct line to our CMS box and we will be their liaison with AFPC program managers and each member's home station. We can reach back and touch these home stations a lot easier than deployed PERSCO teams because of the time difference alone."
Many PERSCO teams within AFCENT were given CMS access in 2011 to help them submit personnel inquiries to the TFSC-SA deployment cell, but now AFPC representatives are extending that access to deployed PERSCO teams in other regions.
"Once we set up a PERSCO team with CMS access, we will send them a tutorial guide and training documents to assist them in utilizing the system," said Shauna Walker, AFPC readiness systems support chief. "Since CMS is a home station tool for personnelists already, it should be simple for PERSCO members to utilize the system in a deployed environment."
PERSCO team members typically receive CMS access at their home station accounts and transferring them over to their deployed duty locations is a simple process.
"We are evaluating what the usage would be at the new locations based on number days a person is deployed to the location and if CMS access would be utilized," said Walker. "PERSCO teams set up with a constant rotation of personnel for only 30 to 60 days may not get as much use out of CMS as a PERSCO team with members deployed for 120 to 365 days."
Deployed PERSCO teams can work with the TFSC-SA deployment cell on a variety of personnel transactions including assignments, awards and decorations, Post 9/11 GI Bill, evaluations, promotions, reenlistments, retirements, retraining and separations inquiries.
