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New accountability system to go online Air Force-wide

  • Published
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  A new personnel accountability system goes on-line April 1 and affects both Airmen and civilians.

The Air Force Personnel Accountability Assessment System is a new total force web-based program that assists Air Force people and their families after a disaster or large-scale crisis.

The old accountability system process used many manual steps and reported only unaccounted individuals. Old spreadsheets were consolidated manually and the results given to leadership were not in real time.

Accountability varied from organization to organization. Some commanders used recall rosters, while others used different means to account for their people, said Edgar Turner, personnel readiness man-day manager at Headquarters Air Force Reserve Command.

Now, the new AFPAAS provides accountability in real time and is accessible by all levels of leadership at the same time. It facilitates rapid, large-scale accountability.

If a reservist's personal data is already in DEERS, it will automatically transfer their personal data to AFPAAS. Initially, members will not need to enter their data into the system.

However, people will have to update their information to reflect any changes and ensure accuracy.

They can access and update their personal data on the AFPAAS Web site by logging into https://afpaas.af.mil from either a personal or a business computer.

"Each reservist must go to the Web site and update their personal data," said David Holly, chief of the personnel readiness operations branch at Headquarters AFRC. "Civilian employees are encouraged to enter their data as well."

The Air Force Personnel Center, Personnel Readiness Cell has the mission to carry out personnel accountability resulting from manmade or natural disasters. This cell will manage the personnel data and implement the web-based program.

With the new system, AFPC can notify members through the Air Force's Emergency Notification System before a disaster, if a warning exists, and call for accountability.

People will have 48 hours to respond by phone or by logging in to AFPAAS.

If people have filled out their location before evacuating an area, then the system would account for them without them having to respond twice if their status did not change.

AFPAAS will provide updated reports are available in real time to commanders at all levels. These reports will allow for commanders at all level to focus on assisting families.

Though a new Air Force system is in place, it does not replace AFRC's emergency notification system.

"AFRC's ENS, which calls your home and sends out an email, will continue to operate," said Tech. Sgt. Randy Britt, NCO in charge of contingency operations at Headquarters AFRC. "AFPAAS only accounts for a portion of what AFRC's ENS does."

Eventually the goal is to associate ENS with AFPAAS at AFPC, said Mr. Holly.

The Air Force will test the new system in March in preparation for going online in April. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)