ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
316th Wing Public Affairs The 316th Comptroller Squadron is moving some of its current workload to a new Air Force Financial Services Center located at Ellsworth AFB, S.D. starting Nov. 2.
Air Force District of Washington is the second major command to transfer to the new call center which will eventually serve all active duty and Reserve Air Force bases worldwide by April 2008 and save the Air Force $210 million.
"The switch will be seamless," said Maj. Burke Beaumont, 316th Comptroller Squadron commander. Most of the changes will be behind the scenes. Instead of turning in finance paperwork and having an Airman work on it from Andrews, the documents will be scanned in and electronically sent to the new call center at Ellsworth.
Airmen will see fewer customer service comptrollers on base, but will be able to have service at any time of the day through online self-service forms and contact center options. Base finance office walk-in service will remain for some services; however customers will be encouraged to use the new service options.
"We'll still take vouchers and we'll still have people to field customers' questions," said Major Beaumont. Customers will have a live person to talk to that can champion issues with payments. "We're not going to shut the door on customers."
Major Beaumont said the call center was modeled after award-winning civilian business customer service. When customers dial the call center, their call won't be out-sourced. Customers will speak to real Airmen, possibly from their own base, as financial offices draw down and move their troops to Ellsworth to help the single call center process documents received from 93 active and Reserve bases around the world.
"We're moving three of our troops to Ellsworth in January," said Major Beaumont. By this time next year, all of Andrews' comptroller customer service troops will be stationed at Ellsworth and the amount that can be accomplished online with sites such as myPay will increase.
"MyPay is going to be the biggest advantage for Air Force members," said 2nd Lt. Adam Fitch, financial service officer for the 316 CPTS. Located on the web at https://mypay.d-fas.mil/mypay.aspx, Airmen can already use myPay to enroll in the Thrift Savings Plan, view leave and earning statements, purchase savings bonds and start or stop allotments.
Air Force Financial Management is transforming the way it conducts business to provide focused financial services to all Airmen in alignment with the Air Force's goals of ensuring its 700,000-plus men and women are provided with state-of-the-art technology and outstanding financial services that they and their families need.
The AFFSC will utilize the latest technologies and training to increase the efficiency of Air Force Financial Management operations and will free up resources that can be allocated to directly support service members and the Air Force Mission.
For more information, email the 316th CPTS customer service at 3
16cpts.customerservice@andrews.af.mil.