Personnel Support Department
The Servicing
Personnel Office (SPO) Section maintains and updates personnel data records
as well as investigating and resolving personnel and pay issues for various
assigned commands in the Alameda Area and students. The Payment Authorizing
Officials (PAO) at the SPO are authorized to create pay records using
Direct-Access, and through it to disburse funds on behalf of the Coast
Guard.
A group e-mail has been set-up for general pay questions and for the
transmittal of pay worksheets and documents. This e-mail is monitored
throughout the day by the Yeomen in the SPO and is the best method of
communication with the SPO. The e-mail is listed in the global address list
as D11-PF-PSSUAla_CustServ (D11-PF-PSSUAlaCustServ@uscg.mil).
Guidance on common personnel transactions along with check-off sheets can be
found in the Pay and Personnel Procedures Manual, PPCINST M1000.2A:
http://www.uscg.mil/ppc/3pm.asp.
Some common areas of concern for the SPO are:
A. Family Separation Allowance (FSA). Married members receive this
allowance after being TDY or deployed for more than 30 days. The SPO
recommends that for patrols/deployments of 90 days or less that FSA be paid
in one lump sum rather than starting the entitlement and then stopping it
when the unit returns to home port in separate transactions. This prevents
overpayments of FSA. To start FSA for a deployment, units should provide the
SPO with a roster of eligible members, noting the first and last days that
the member was deployed and entitled to FSA. For married members who go TDY
(as opposed to a whole unit deploying together) for more than 30 days an FSA
worksheet is required.
B. Sea Pay
and Sea Pay Premium. Units entitled to Sea Pay are strongly encouraged
to explain the entitlements to newly reported personnel and to explain these
entitlements to all personnel at least once per year. The pay system does
not allow for tracking of the 3 year consecutive date for Sea Pay Premium
and so in most cases the premium is started only after it has been brought
to the attention of the SPO by the member or unit.
C. Permanent Change of Station orders (PCS). Base Alameda SPO handles
about 2100 records and so transfer season can entail a large volume of
transferring personnel. To assist your members we ask that PCS departing
Worksheets are completed and transmitted to the SPO as soon as possible to
allow time to complete the orders so members may receive HHG counseling, set
up their HHG pick-up, and receive travel advances in a timely manner.
D. Overseas PCS transfers. It is important to begin the overseas
transfer process as soon as EPM/OPM issues the orders, the overseas
screening (PERSMAN, 4.H) is required to be completed within 10 days of
receipt of the orders and the entry approval from the receiving command is
required prior to allowing a member to depart the unit to begin leave/travel
to their new unit. In order to assist with this the SPO Section Chief will
watch for overseas transfer orders on the Direct-Access airport terminal and
pass information to the unit for the local records check part of the
screening . Any member or unit point of contact is advised to contact the
SPO Section Chief with any question about the overseas screening or to get
examples/assistance with the request for entry approval message . The SPO
Section Chief is also available to screen members if the unit does not have
the personnel to do so (screeners should be E-7 or above who have completed
an overseas tour).