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Virtual inprocessing simplifies civilian PCS

Posted 12/30/2010 Email story   Print story

    


by Debbie Gilea
Air Force Personnel, Services and Manpower Public Affairs Office


12/30/2010 - RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) -- Revisions in the civilian permanent-change-of-station orders process at the Air Force Personnel Center are intended to save time and money, and reduce errors for hiring officials, relocating employees and personnelists, officials said.

The new civilian PCS process is conducted virtually through the Civilian Virtual Inprocessing system, or cVIP, that is available on the Air Force personnel services website.

"There used to be three or four different documents from different sources that had to be attached to an e-mail and sent to a selectee," said Maili Peters, a systems specialist at AFPC. "Now there's one online questionnaire that selectees use to provide all the information. It's easier and faster now."

Relocating for a position can be stressful, and officials said the PCS process should not add to that stress.

According to Tonya Harris, the PCS unit chief, cVIP helps eliminate the confusion and should decrease employees' stress.

"When a civilian is selected for a position, they will get an e-mail with a link that will take them to the virtual inprocessing page," Ms. Harris said. "From there, it's easy to follow the prompts."

In addition to simplifying the process for civilians, built-in system requirements are intended to help prevent errors that previously would have bogged down the process. For example, selectees will not be able to send the questionnaire until they complete all mandatory information blocks.

According to Ms. Harris, a time-consuming aspect of the relocation process is "reach back."

The more often a person has to go back to a document to correct information, the more time it takes to complete a process, she said. So, the new PCS process through cVIP decreases touch time, which increases productivity.

Also, once a selectee completes and sends the form, the next person in the process is automatically notified.

"Documents don't sit in limbo unattended, because hiring officials and personnelists are notified when a document needs their attention," Ms. Harris said. "That speeds up the process too."

Selecting officials who need access to cVIP should have their supervisor send a digitally signed, encrypted e-mail request to the AFPC Personnel Systems Operational and Control Center service desk at psocc.sd@randolph.af.mil. The request must include the last name, first name, Social Security number, base e-mail address or e-mail for life address, and DSN phone number. E-mail sent to the address must also be digitally signed and encrypted to protect personally identifiable information, such as a Social Security number.

For more information on this and other Air Force civilian personnel programs, visit the AFPC personnel services website at http://gum.afpc.randolph.af.mil or call the Total Force Service Center at 800-525-0102.



tabComments
6/14/2011 7:40:59 PM ET
On 17 May I accepted a tentative job offer from a Human Resources Specialist via e-mail notification. She told me within approximately 5 working days I would be sent an e-mail confirmation to begin the cVIP process. As of 15 June I still haven't recieved notification to start the cVIP process. I've asked her what's the hold up and get no answers. Makes me wonder if this is really a valid job offer. Does anyone know how long this cVIP process really takes?
DJH, Seoul Korea
 
6/7/2011 8:01:30 AM ET
So I accepted promotion to position in VA and completed my cVIP on 15 April. On 3 June finally heard something from AFPC - missing form will not allow them to complete my orders to PCS. Went and looked - sure enough I competed the form online at the cVIP website. Not sure how/where this is reducing/eliminating stress or confusion. No HR folks answer my e-mails and I have been waiting almost 2 months for PCS orders. Items in the cVIP process refer to a PCS guide which a HR person sent to me after 5 e-mails and a month after having to complete the cVIP. Don't think you have cracked this nut yet AF.
Chris, NE
 
1/3/2011 11:08:26 AM ET
Wonder what the expected flow time for order completion will be with their improvements. 90 days was unacceptable especially when selecting officials set start dates at 30 to 45 days.
Dennis, Dayton OH
 
12/31/2010 5:12:02 PM ET
The frustration I experience with the civ personnel system is that too much time is expended getting to the point where an offer is made. I sat for 8 months after a position was added to the manning document before finally moving. 6 months of it was waiting on AFPC to validate the position with AFMA....I see very little concern on the part of the AFPC staff getting and keeping prospective employees interested in working for the govt when it takes so long. This also creates an enormous void in a key position on a unit's staff. In-processing is easy get the front end of the process fixed as well.
PDawg, Japan
 
12/30/2010 3:16:22 PM ET
Can you share this technology with the Army? Air Force leading the way.
Tim, Virginia
 
12/30/2010 11:24:55 AM ET
Hopefully this will dramatically improve on the existing process where a civilian employee must wait many weeks after initial notification of selection before actually receiving orders denying the ability to conduct many preparatory actions and causing unnecessary stress.
Derek, Dayton
 
12/30/2010 10:02:32 AM ET
This is news? A questionaire is going to save the day for AFPC
JFR, Del Rio Texas
 
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