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New AF finance center takes it all

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Holly Brown
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Customers visiting the finance service counter may notice a change in the next coming months. As of Nov. 30, Shaw will no longer process financial service actions directly.

The Air Force Financial Services Center will open its doors Sept. 14 at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., in what will begin the largest single transformational effort the Air Force financial management field has ever seen, said John G. Vonglis, the principal deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for financial management.

The new financial center will process all Air Force customer service actions such as; allotments, travel vouchers, and pay-requests online verses the local customer service processing such paperwork.

"The change is going to be different," said Chief Master Sgt. Carol Archangel, 20th Comptroller Squadron superintendent. "It's the best possible way to provide service to more people."

"The change is mostly affecting the finance servicemember," said Lt. Rachel Kallenberg, 20th CPTS, financial services officer.

The finance office will lose half of its manpower with the change, leaving 10 Airmen in the shop, Lieutenant Kallenberg said. This is beneficial to the Air Force because other career fields in the Air Force can be filled.

All finance Airmen have been training for the new center and the changes it incurs.

"We've been preparing for some time - training at the online training center, which gives Airmen the capability to reach out and touch all training guides that have been created," Chief Archangel said.

The center is currently staffed by 75 active-duty members and is expected to be fully manned by March 2008.

"The initial cadre is already there, building the frame work. There is good leadership as well as young, energetic, creative people empowered to make this happen," Chief Archangel said.

The Air Force has not released an official Web site on the new system. However, members can still complete customer service actions on the MyPay Web site.

"The best thing about this is; finance will still be here. If for some reason the AFFSC can't help you, we will have a counter open," Lieutenant Kellenberg said.