Financial management operations undergoing change

  • Published
  • 341st Comptrollers Squadron personnel
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The Air Force is transforming its financial management operations with the largest change in its 60-year history. The changes will help provide more effective and efficient finance operations within base-level comptroller squadrons. This will be accomplished  by consolidating processing operations currently provided by 93 base finance offices worldwide into one operation at the new Air Force Financial Services Center at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.

The workload currently performed at each base will migrate to the AFFSC by MAJCOM, starting with Air Force Space Commandin starting this month and ending in April 2008. Regardless of the changes, the same standard of service will be maintained while the Air Force saves $210 million.

The initial effort to consolidate the workload is designed to be seamless. Customer service will 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 FM'ers on base, but will have more flexibility in obtaining service through 24-hour self-service and contact center options, seven days a week. Base finance office walk-in service will remain for some services; however customers will be encouraged to use the new service options.

The financial services transformation cut-over team is assisting each base to transition to the new service center. The FST cut-over team visited Malmstrom in April to brief members of the comptroller squadron and wing leadership on the transformation initiative and to train the comptroller squadron personnel on the processes and technology solutions they will use in the future. Malmstrom will see its back-office processing move to the new Financial Services Center starting Oct 26. The transition is designed to be seamless to customers. Bases that have already migrated their processing to the AFFSC have not seen any impact to operations.

"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.

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 supporting the war-fighter and Air Force mission. More updates will be available on changes at the AFFSC Web site on the Air Force Portal. To access these, highlight the 'Life and Career' tab, then click 'Money - Finance Central' then select the 'Air Force Financial Services Center' link.