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Show lo HILLTOP TIMES Personnel Center officials streamline PCS orders process BY TECH. SGT. STEVE GREVER Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas — Air Force Personnel Center officials here have centralized how Permanent Change of Station orders are processed, validated and authenticated. Since Oct. 2011, the Total Force Service Center-San Antonio has been managing the PCS orders process and has authenticated more than 82,000 orders and 19,000 amendments. Before October, the PCS orders and authentication program was managed by base-level military personnel sections and force support squadrons. "We centralized the PCS orders process because it saved money for the Air Force," said Master Sgt. Melissa Ross, TFSC-SA assignments section manager "By managing the process here, we are able to catch a lot of mistakes that base-level MPSs weren't catching. We are also saving man hours as well because we don't have to do as many amendments to correct entitlement mistakes on PCS orders." Today, MPSs approve PCS orders while TFSC-SA representatives validate and authenticate them. The entire process now takes two to three days and Airmen are getting their PCS orders about 120 days before their projected departure dates, which is 30 days faster than when the process was managed at base-level MPSs. The TFSC-SA is also taking on these additional responsibilities with no additional manpower or funding. "There are 82 MPSs in the Air Force with about five to six people managing relocations and we are doing it with a staff of 10 personnelists," said Senior Master Sgt. W T Littlejohn, TFSC-SA transitions superintendent. "The difference is we are using better technology combined with our online capabilities to manage the workload and be more efficient." To get the process up and running at the TFSC-SA, a team of personnelists spent three months developing an updated Personnel Services Delivery guide to provide specific guidance and instructions to the Air Force personnel community on how PCS orders were going to be processed and authenticated. The PSD guide also outlined the roles and responsibilities for program managers at AFDC and base-level MPSs. "The process was new last October, so we had to make sure our team understood all the policies and regulations that governed what Airmen were authorized on their PCS orders," said Tech. Sgt. Carlton Carter, TFSC-SA day shift assignments supervisor. "We spent about three months reviewing orders that had been previously authenticated to see what types of errors were being made. After that, we were able to Influenza season almost here 75th Medical Group The 2012 to 2013 influenza season is almost here and plans should be made to get a flu vaccine as soon as it is available. Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness, which may cause mild to severe disease and sometimes even death. It is spread from person to person through coughing, sneezing or by touching something that has the virus on it, and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes. While certain populations are at higher risk for flu-related complications— such as pregnant women, children younger than five years of age, people 50 years of age and older, people with chronic medical problems and health care workers—anyone who becomes sick with influenza runs the risk of serious complications. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches and fatigue. Some people may expe- rience vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults. Like last year, this season's flu vaccine will be available to all TRICARE beneficiaries and federal government civilian workers. Plans are being made to ensure that AFMC federal government civilian employees will receive their flu vaccine at the same priority as military members. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic many healthy children and adults became seriously ill from the influenza virus. For this reason, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that all people six months of age and older, without a contraindication to vaccination, get the influenza vaccine. As flu viruses are always changing, every year researchers determine which viruses are most likely to cause disease in that season. Therefore, even those that have received a flu vaccine in the past, should get a flu vaccine every year. The 2012-2013 influenza vaccine will contain three different influenza viruses. Recently some states in the U.S. have seen an increase in Influenza A H3N2v Virus Infections. While the seasonal flu vaccine will not fully protect people against this specific H3N2v virus, there are influenza antiviral drugs that can treat human H3N2v illness, as well as infection with seasonal influenza viruses. These antiviral drugs must be prescribed by a physician. Early antiviral treatment is most effective for treating influenza, so see a physician as soon as illness hits. As a last note, the safety of the flu vaccine is closely monitored by the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration; and millions of flu vaccines are given every year. For further information on influenza, please visit any of the following resources: www.flu. gov, www.cdc.gov or call 800-CDC-INFO. develop our own internal processes to manage the program here." The transition to centrally managing the PCS orders process is almost seamless for Airmen who are using the TFSC-SA for personnel assistance. "As long as Airmen meet all their PCS requirements, they won't see any differences as to who is processing their orders," Littlejohn said. "They get guidance and assistance on the PCS orders process through Tier 0 and 1 support at the TFSC-SA and myPers website." For general information about personnel services and programs, visit the myPers website . at httpi/mypers.af.mil • Hill AFB Job Openings Site Internal civilian announcements are posted on the USAJOBS web site. Announcements for bargaining unit positions are posted any week day. The website is www.usajobs.gov. On the home page type "HILL" in the box titled "What". In the box titled "Where" type "UT" and hit the Search Jobs button. To view all vacancies that are currently open, under "Refine Your Results", top left hand section, select the "Jobs for Federal Employees" bubble. 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Sponsor a pet photo on our special "Save A Life" page publishing on Friday, August 31, 2012. • Always wash your hands before eating and after using the latrine. • Wash hands for at least 15-20 seconds with warm, soapy water or alcohol-based gel. Only Your sponsorship will secure a space for a photo of a pet who is available for adoption and needs a good home. This special page has saved hundreds of lives all over the country, thanks to people like you! In the past year several hundred animals have been adopted in our community alone! Be a part of saving a life and feel great about doing it.This page is presented in conjunction with local Animal Shelters, Humane Societies and Animal Sanctuaries. For just $24, you can add your own special thoughts under the pet's photo. It will display your name as the sponsor of this pet, or you may include a loving memory of one of your own cherished furry friends. 10 — olire MUST BE RECEIVED BY TUESDAY, AUGUST 28! Find something? SAVE A LIFE SPONSOR FORM Name: Address' City: Credit Card#: Exp: Signature: Phone: E-mail Address' For check, make payable to: Standard-Examiner Text to appear in space below photo, 20 characters or less. Choose One: In loving memory of Sponsored by Check the Lost and Found heading in today's Classifieds for rewards! Ei Standard-Examiner www. 433504 080912ht standard.net State: Mail this form with your check or credit card information to: Save A Life, c/o Standard-Examiner Classified Dept. PO Box 12790 Ogden, UT 84412 Zip: or call 801-625-4300 |
