Financial management program changing

  • Published
  • By FMT Strategic Communications Team
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  The Air Force is transforming its financial management operations in the largest change in Air Force FM's 60-year history. The changes will help to provide more effective and efficient finance operations within base-level comptroller squadrons by consolidating the back-shop processing operations currently provided by 93 separate base finance offices worldwide (active and Reserve bases) into one operation at the new Air Force Financial Services Center at Ellsworth AFB, S.D. The workload currently performed at each base will migrate to the AFFSC by major command, starting with Air Force Space Command in October 2007, and will conclude in April 2008. As a result of the changes, the Air Force will save $210 million, while still providing outstanding service to the customer.

The initial effort to consolidate the workload is designed to be seamless, and how customer service is provided does not change in the initial stand-up of the AFFSC. In October 2008, the initial operational capability of the contact center will be reached. In this phase, additional options for customers to get service, including Web self-service and a contact center, will be available. Much like other career fields, Airmen will see fewer financial managers on base, but will have more flexibility in obtaining service through 24/7 self-service and contact center options. The base finance office walk-in services will remain; however customers will be encouraged to use the new service options.

The Financial Services Transformation team is preparing each base to transition to the new service center. Recently, the FST team visited Grand Forks AFB to brief the 319th Comptroller Squadron, as well as wing and base leadership on the transformation initiative. They also trained the CPTS on the processes and technology solutions they will use in the future. The 319 CPTS will see its back-office processing move to the new AFFSC starting Feb. 22. The transition is designed to be seamless to customers. In fact, bases that have already migrated their processing to the AFFSC have not seen any impact to operations.

Air Force Financial Management is transforming the way it conducts business to better provide focused financial services to all Airmen. This change is in alignment with the Air Force's goals of ensuring its 700,000-plus men and women are provided with the state-of-the-art technology and outstanding financial services that they and their families expect and deserve.

"Financial Management's transformation objective is to provide the Air Force 'a longer tooth and a shorter tail' by returning resources from support operations to direct war fighting capabilities," said John Vonglis, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller.

For more information, visit the AFFSC Web site on the Air Force Portal by highlighting 'Life & Career' Tab, then clicking on 'Money - Finance Central', then select 'Air Force Financial Services Center (AFFSC)' link.