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Center “supports” one-stop service around the world

  • Published
  • By Mike Molina and Tech. Sgt. Rob Mims
  • Headquarters Air Reserve Personnel Center Public Affairs
DENVER --  The Air Reserve Personnel Center here is more than 7,000 miles from Baghdad but for an individual mobilization augmentee serving in Iraq, the center’s personnel services are only seconds away.

Earlier this year ARPC officials released the Virtual Personnel Center for the Guard and Reserve, a Web-based personnel service portal for Air Force reservists and Air National Guardsmen. The new service at the center, an Air Force Reserve Command direct reporting unit, is already getting some valuable use.

“Being able to have your records updated with a simple click of a button was impressive,” said Master Sgt. Scott Davis, an IMA attached to the 7th Security Forces Squadron, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. “I was honestly expecting the records update to take weeks, but my records were updated within a matter of hours.”

The Web portal at http://arpc.afrc.af.mil has been online since April but was given a new look and re-released July 15.

That same day in Baghdad Sergeant Davis accessed the vPC-GR to request an update to his decorations. Within hours, the changes were made to the sergeant’s records and his questions were answered.

“This system saved me valuable time trying to match my schedule here with the time change back at ARPC,” he said. “It was important for me to have my records correct – just in case.”

Tech. Sgt. Jennifer Bye, NCO in charge of Contact Center Branch 3, said her branch tries to handle customer requests the same day they are received. She is responsible for managing and distributing Web requests to other contact center technicians and said she answered a lot of questions in less than 10 minutes.

“The new support site is still in its infancy, and yet the benefits to our members are already being felt worldwide,” said Col. Ann Shippy, ARPC commander.

Three days after the release of the redesigned site, Hugo Padilla, chief of ARPC’s personnel service systems support, helped an officer in Southwest Asia deployed from her home attachment at Scott AFB, Ill.

He helped Maj. Sharon Ross reset her password so she could access her personnel services account online.

“She was working in Southwest Asia, sitting there working real-time battlefield medical evacuations from the AOR,” said Mr. Padilla. “She thanked me. I said, ‘No way, thank you.’”

Major Ross said she likes the “key words” area on the “frequently asked questions” page.

“It makes it easier to hone in (on) pertinent topic questions” the major said. “I also like the site map – it’s much quicker to find needed topic(s).”

When Major Ross suggested a link to MyPay, it was added to the site map two days later.
“This is another shining example of the innovation and commitment to excellence our people here demonstrate by providing second-to-none customer service,” Colonel Shippy said.

Today at work, home or on the battlefield, regardless of the time of day or night, ARPC is only a mouse click or phone call away. It has a staff willing to help, to get the job done.

“It’s personnel services 24/7, no matter where you are,” said Dave Aldrich, director of personnel services. “If you can get on the Web, it’s available.”

“It is nice to be overseas and be able to keep up with my IMA side of the business,” said Major Ross. “One-stop shopping – it’s the wave of the future.” (AFRC News Service)