ANDREWS AFB, Md. –
If a natural disaster or large-scale crisis strikes the National Capital Region, the top priority for commanders will be the ability to account for all Airmen, civilian employees and family members. To help commanders contact everyone under their command, the Air Force District of Washington is implementing the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System.
The Web-based AFPAAS program is an easy, flexible, worldwide system for use by active duty, guard and reserve Airmen, Air Force civilians and family members to report their status throughout a disaster or crisis event. Specifically, AFPAAS allows commanders and units to account, assess, manage and monitor the recovery and reconstitution process for their people.
"The system is a big advancement from the current system," said Maj. Dianne Dzialo, AFDW/A1R. "AFPAAS gives us the ability to provide fast, reliable, real-time personnel accountability information to commanders during an exercise or real-world event within the National Capital Region, throughout the country and even for our Airmen deployed or assigned overseas."
According to Major Dzialo, the current accountability process works but it uses numerous manual steps that take too long to compile. Plus, the nature of the old system results in "exception" reporting - meaning it only identifies unaccounted individuals. In contrast, AFPAAS automatically captures a real-time snapshot of the status of all personnel.
The system is easy-to-use and allows for input from any Internet connection or telephone worldwide, increasing the access for displaced Airmen and family members. Air Force personnel and family members simply log into the system or call 800-435-9941 to report individual and family member status if affected by a disaster or crisis.
Log-in is accessible from any computer, but only approved readiness personnel and commanders with CAC access can view personal identification information.
In addition to increasing reliability of members' status, AFPAAS speeds up the assistance process to help affected family members. The system provides commanders a tool to identify and verify assistance and aid eligibility or entitlements for affected personnel and their families prior to or immediately following a disaster.