Finance transition moves base-level support to nation-wide center Published Nov. 27, 2007 By Staff Reports Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga., -- The Air Force financial management transformation currently underway - moving pay and travel issues from the base level to a centralized location at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. - is the greatest single change in the organization's 60-year history and will affect the way every servicemember at Dobbins and throughout the Air Force is used to working out pay issues. "We - and all of the Air Force financial management world - are transforming the way we conduct business to better provide expert decision support and analysis to commanders while continuing to provide high quality financial services to all Airmen," said Michael A. Carnahan, 94th Airlift Wing comptroller. The result of this effort will save the Air Force more than $200 million over the next 10 years, money that will be available for other programs supporting the war-fighter, said Mr. John G. Vonglis, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management and comptroller. One of the cornerstones of the financial transformation effort is the opening of the Air Force Financial Services Center at Ellsworth AFB. The AFFSC will centralize and streamline most financial processes now being handled by individual bases. The AFFSC opened its doors for business October 2007 and will centralize and transform the majority of financial services that are currently provided by 93 separate financial service offices at base level. "The AFFSC will be established through two phases, ultimately resulting in Airmen having the total force expertise of FM matters available at one location," said Roger Bick, director of Air Force Financial Management Strategic Planning and Transformation Program Management Office at the Pentagon. Phase one began with the opening of the Central Processing Center in October. The CPC will focus on consolidating base-level, back-shop operations. "Such operations include, but are not limited to, processing travel and military pay documents," said Mr. Bick. These transactions are termed "backshop" because they are not generally seen by the customer. Phase two of the transition will begin in October 2008 when a "24/7" full-service contact center is established. Knowledgeable staff in the contact center will provide top-quality pay and travel service to customers via telephone, Internet, and fax. From this point onwards, Airmen will only need one telephone number to find solutions to their financial issues. Having a single contact center eliminates inconveniences customers experience fixing financial issues during the regular duty day. A team of experts on the transition visited during November to brief wing and base leaders on the process and provided preparation and guidance to the finance personnel.
