ARMS system online soon Published April 8, 2008 92nd Mission Support Squadron FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Air Force Personnel Center headquarters has completed scanning Unit Personnel Record Groups for Fairchild personnel. Access to the Automated Records Management System will be available to active duty personnel no later than March 28. Personnel will have an ARMS Member button to view their own record by logging on to AFPC Secure https://wwa.afpc.randolph.af.mil/afpcsecure/MainMenu.asp to access ARMS or through the Air Force Portal. If any user has difficulties with ARMS (i.e., ARMS button not available, unable to view documents, documents missing, etc), consult the point of contact listing below, and/or send an email to arms.conversion@randolph.af.mil, with your name, social security number (encrypt your email if sending SSN, or send last four numbers of SSN), and as much information as possible about the problem. A list of documents authorized for file in the personnel record can be found in AFI 36-2608, Military Personnel Records System, Table A2.1. Personnel who arrived on station after Fairchild shipped their UPRGs will not see all their documents until their record is sent to AFPC. Those personnel should contact the MPF on the status of your records. If personnel are experiencing difficulties with their AFPC Secure account, they should contact the Personnel System Operations Control Center at DSN 665-5004, commercial (800) 616-3775 (options 1,1,4 for military and 2,4 for civilians). Do not state the problem is with ARMS if you call the Control Center. AFPC Secure and ARMS are separate entities. All personnel should review their record in ARMS within 90 days and notify arms.conversion@randolph.af.mil of any discrepancies. We do perform quality assurance checks on random records but due to the large amount of documents, a full check of each record is impossible. Since there is such a large amount of records and we have limited storage space, we are slating the records "ready for destruction" (approved by the National Archivist) shortly after they've been converted; records will not be returned. If record discrepancies are not reported within the above time period, documents/records may not be available to research and correct the problem. All Military Personnel Flight commander support staff personnel should use the "U" group when attempting to retrieve documents, unless told otherwise by the local MPF commander support staff management team. ARMS MEMBER BUTTON (MEMBER ACCESS) Members must contact their local MPF for resolution. If the MPF is unable to resolve the issue, the MPF point of contact will reach the appropriate ARMS contact for resolution (arms.conversion@randolph.af.mil; Mike Green at DSN-665-2695 and robert.green@randolph.af.mil; or Tech. Sgt. Yolanda Murray at DSN 665-1501 or yolanda.murray@randolph.af.mil). If a member moves from a "converted" base to a "non-converted" base their access will be immediately forfeited. ARMS MEMBER "DEPLOYED" BUTTON (MEMBER ACCESS) A web site has been established to support deployed Air Force members who don't currently have access to the ARMS Member web application due to their current location not being reflected as a military site. All deployed members without access can use their Common Access Card to authenticate to either the AFPC Secure or the Air Force Portal, and access their web application. This will give them access to their UPRG military records if contained within ARMS. This application, while not .mil restricted, will only be accessible when using the CAC. Any questions can be directed to the AFPC Personnel Systems Operations Control Center at psocc.sd@randolph.af.mil or DSN 665-5004; or Bobbie Sloan and Robyn Moak at DSN 665-5012, option 2, or afpc.dpdopu.arms@randolph.af.mil. Please courtesy copy the ARMS Conversion Box at arms.conversion@randolph.af.mil for all requests. GENERAL ARMS ACCESS (AFPC/ARPC) Requestors must contact Geralyn Stead for guidance at Geralyn.stead@randolph.af.mil or DSN-665-2692. Requestors will be asked to fill out an ARMS Request Form with specific access need and justification. Accounts are not easily obtainable and must relate to mission need. If Ms. Stead is unobtainable, requestors can contact Bobbie Sloan at afpc.dpdopu.arms@randolph.af.mil or DSN-565-5319. Common questions and answers · How do I log in to ARMS to view the UPRG? Go to the AFPC website, www.afpc.randolph.af.mil, and click on the "Secure Apps" tab. You will log in to AFPC Secure with your CAC or you can use your AFPC Secure User ID and password. Once logged in you'll have an ARMS MPF/CSS button and/or an ARMS Member button. Military Personnel Flight commander support staff personnel (indicated on your access listing) will have an ARMS MPF/CSS button. Each individual will view their record through the ARMS Member button. Access is from .mil or .gov addresses only. · I'm trying to view/print a document in ARMS. I can view/print some, but I get blank pages on some and missing pages on others. How can I fix this? There are two possible solutions to this problem. Removing QuickTime from your system seems to be the best solution. Currently there are major compatibility issues with QuickTime and a multitude of Air Force applications, including ARMS. QuickTime, under the Air Force standard desktop configuration, attempts to take control of the TIF File association and forces users to use the QT application as the default image viewer. The 92nd Communications Squadron helpdesk can remove QuickTime from your computer. QT is being removed from the Air Force-wide standard desktop configuration base implementation software as well because of its multiple conflicts. Proper TIF/TIFF association for ARMS is "Microsoft Office Document Imaging". If a blue Q appears when pulling a document you'll need to have QuickTime uninstalled. If you must use QuickTime, you can attempt to disassociate QT with TIFs by following the instructions below. - Go to My Computer or Windows Explorer - Click on Tools - Folder Options - File Type - Find TIF and TIFF - Click Change - Select Microsoft Office Document Imaging - Click Okay, click Apply, click Okay If the user doesn't have permissions to make these changes on their system, they will need to contact their network administration representative. · I login to AFPC Secure and I don't have an ARMS button. How can I fix this? If AFPC Secure cannot verify that your IP address is .mil or .gov, the ARMS buttons will not be visible. Reboot your computer and try again. If you still don't see the ARMS button after rebooting, click the Contact Us link at the top right hand corner of the AFPC Secure page. When the next page appears, click the .mil restricted access check at the bottom of the page. The next page will show your IP address, Host Resolved As, and IP Resolved From Host As. If any of these show unknown or the IP address does not match, you will not be able to see any type of ARMS buttons. You'll need to contact your network administration representative to verify your IP address. If you have moved to a base that has been converted and your record has been converted, you will not have an ARMS button until you have been gained by your commander support staff in MilPDS. Once you're gained and ARMS refreshes (every Monday and Wednesday) you will have an ARMS button. If your base has been converted but your record hasn't been, you will not see all of your UPRG documents until your MPF has forwarded your UPRG to AFPC. Some documents maintained in the UPRG (reenlistments, extensions, ADSCs, etc.) are also maintained in the master personnel record at AFPC. Therefore, even though you may see some documents, it doesn't mean your UPRG has been scanned into ARMS. Members only have access to ARMS when they are currently affiliated with a converted base. Member buttons are based on a PAS identifier, used to determine current location. The PAS identifier populates the member access accordingly and the button self populates through an automatic update. All local MPFs have access now, and can service these members as needed. · What is the "Create Multipage Document" for? The purpose of the link is to allow users to pull, print and download an entire record in one TIF file. There is one problem with the document. Some documents loaded into ARMS are PDF files. If that's the case they will not download into the multipage document because it's a TIF file. In these cases you'll see a document in the file telling you that a particular document did not download into the multipage document. You'll need to download those documents individually. · I have the ARMS MPF/CSS and ARMS Member buttons. I was in the ARMS Member area then tried to go in the ARMS MPF/CSS area (or vice versa) but I only saw my record. How do I fix this? Exit/close your web browser and log in again. · What is the ARMS Member Deployed button? It's a feature added for individuals whose duty status shows as deployed in MilPDS. It enables them to view their ARMS record without having access to a .mil or .gov network, because deployed personnel do not always have such access. Even if an individual's record hasn't been converted yet, they will still have access. However, they will only have access while they're deployed and their duty status reflects as deployed. Once they return to their home station they'll lose their "deployed" button. · When viewing documents in ARMS, I can view the first one but every other document comes up the same as the first one. How do I fix this? You'll need to clear the cache on your computer. - Open Internet Explorer - Click Tools - Click Internet Options - Click the General tab - Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files, click OK Or... - Close out all Internet Explorer windows. - Right click on your Internet Explorer icon on your background screen. - Select Properties from the drop down list. - Click the Delete Cookies button then OK on the next display that appears. - Click the Delete files button then mark "Delete all offline content" and click the OK button on the next screen. - Click the clear history button. · I have a problem with a document (i.e. document labeled wrong, somebody else's document, etc.) in ARMS. How do I fix this? Send an email to arms.conversion@randolph.af.mil and include your information, type of problem, to include item number and document ID. · How and when will we be given access to ARMS? Only authorized individuals will be given access based upon job requirements. Each individual member will have access to their personnel record and designated personnel will also have access to the UPRG, mirroring the same access as today but paperless. The Air Force will establish access-level controls at the MPF to ensure only appropriate personnel have access to individual personnel data. Each MPF will appoint an ARMS representative who will complete and maintain the ARMS Access Template for the MPF and each CSS and send to AFPC. ARMS accounts will be built according to each base's scheduled conversion date. Once your records have been scanned, all of your accounts will be turned on and you will be informed through an e-mail. If you gain an individual to your base whose record has been converted, send an email to arms.conversion@randolph.af.mil and designate four MPF personnel only (two being the CAR and his/her alternate) on your ARMS Access listing, and their accounts will be built. Additional accounts may be granted as you gain more personnel whose records have been converted. These guidelines are based on security, need to know and system restraints with the current interim viewer. Once the role base viewer is implemented all personnel will have access to ARMS based on their current Air Force role and member status. The current ARMS viewer is just an interim solution to PRDA, and is not designed for full access. · How do I get access to the Automated Records Management System (ARMS)? Military Personnel Flight commander support staff personnel must contact their ARMS representative. Member access will be built once their bases records have all been scanned. · How many ARMS accounts can the MPF or CSS have? Each person in the MPF needing access to personnel records is authorized an account. We are only granting two accounts per CSS unit or three accounts if the unit has a Personnel Readiness Program monitor. In the case of a consolidated CSS, you'll need to determine how many squadrons the consolidated CSS supports (i.e. four squadrons serviced equates to eight accounts). · Will major commands, numbered Air Forces, commanders, first sergeants, legal offices, the Office of Special Investigations and other such offices be given ARMS access to view the UPRG? Currently only MPFs and CSSs are given access. The current ARMS viewer is an interim viewer, and accounts are manually built. However, a role-based viewer PRDA is being built. In the meantime, those without access will need to contact the MPF or CSS, just like they do today, for access to records. OSI agents must contact OSI headquarters to obtain copies of records. · When viewing my record in ARMS, it appears as if some of my documents are no longer there. Previously in ARMS, each individual had access to all personnel records scanned into ARMS from the master personnel record and the UPRG. Due to Privacy Act concerns, members access is now limited to just the UPRG. MPF CSS access has not changed. Within the military personnel records system, as defined in AFI 36-2608, there are different types of personnel record groups, mainly the UPRG, which contains temporary and permanent documents; and the master personnel record group, maintained at AFPC, which contains permanent documents. Some documents are maintained in both groups, such as Officer Performance Reports and enlistment contracts. Other documents are maintained in only one group, such as SGLI and testing RIPs maintained in the UPRG; and AF Form 133, Oath of Office, and original Article 15s, maintained in the master record group. · I have MPF/CSS ARMS access and I used to be able to see the entire UPRG, but now all I see are performance reports. What happened to my access? When you open the "Single SSN" window, you should have a drop down menu in the Group ID block. Either select "U" for UPRG or "S1" for performance reports. · What type of functions can I perform or reports can I pull in the Automated Records Management System (ARMS)? ARMS is a records storing system. Its only function is to store and retrieve records. · How long will it take to access the Automated Records Management System (ARMS) on a daily basis if everyone tries to access it all at once? Since access is strict, the number of users accessing ARMS should not affect the server. However, ARMS is web based, so if the server is down you won't be able to access ARMS. · Can I view my e-Records in ARMS from home? ARMS is viewable from .mil and .gov e-mail addresses only. · Will I still have access to ARMS if I transfer to the guard or reserve? Not at this time. Only personnel on active duty will have ARMS access. Guard and reserve will not have access to ARMS until Guard and Reserve records are converted. · Will I still have access to ARMS after I retire? Not at this time. This process is still being considered and will be worked in the near future.