AFPC officials deploy team to improve deployed personnel support Published April 20, 2011 By Tech. Sgt. Steve Grever Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- Air Force Personnel Center officials here are deploying a team to Southwest Asia at the end of April to examine personnel services and support for deployed Air Force members. The six-person Total Force Service Center-Forward team will continue to conduct customer need assessments and provide direct personnel support to active duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen at its deployed location, said Capt. Paul Sortor, AFPC's program manager for this initiative. "The (U.S. Air Forces Central) commander encouraged us to 'live the problem,'" Captain Sortor said. "Although we provide personnel services to customers from the Total Force Service Center, we are not always able to determine if personnel services and programs meet their intended objectives until we see firsthand how Airmen use them. "We also need to understand our Airmen's comfort level with using online personnel services and self-guided applications to determine if those products are also effective," he added. The research and continuous recommendations identified during the six-month deployment will provide AFCENT and the Air Force a comprehensive view of how deployed Airmen receive personnel services in the area of responsibility, said Col. James Davis, AFPC's TFSC director. Additionally, this initiative will provide a catalyst to revise programs and policies based on deployed mission requirements and feedback from Airmen. "Once we've collected the information and data, we will be able to provide recommendations on the final solutions for providing enduring personnel support for the warfighter," Colonel Davis said. "We believe a large portion of personnel support can be achieved through reachback similar to unmanned aircraft launched and flown in the AOR, but operated remotely from thousands of miles away." Colonel Davis said the deployed team will also help raise awareness for both the San Antonio and Denver TFSC locations and the Air Force Personnel Services website, as well as showcase how these capabilities are beneficial to deployed commanders and Airmen. "The TFSC and (Air Force Personnel Services) are one entity that seamlessly ties together our telephone and online capabilities to provide first-class personnel support to total force Airmen," Colonel Davis said. For more information on personnel services, visit the Air Force Personnel Services restricted website at https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil.