Financial services: A fiscal year in review

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Eric Hulshizer
  • 23rd Comptroller Squadron financial services flight commander
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The Moody financial services flight (FMF) has overseen several significant and important changes over the past fiscal year.

These changes have affected the way we do business to ensure that Moody's Airmen receive timely and accurate financial support. In the past year, FMF has brought online eFinance and the PCS In-Processing System (PIPS).

These two systems dramatically change the way members can submit documents for payment. Additionally, a new government travel card, the Controlled Spend Account, has been issued to Moody's Airmen.

Beginning last December, Airmen began to receive the CSA card. As of today, the card has been issued to more than 3,700 Airmen at Moody

This card has changed the way the Air Force travels and enables units to decrease their workload by eliminating delinquencies and allowed all Air Forces travelers to have a travel card to use for reimbursable expenses. Once an authorization is created (DTS, Formal Training, PCS, etc.), an estimate balance is loaded to the travel card. In short-notice situations, members can request a temporary spend limit (TSL) by contacting Citibank. The balance is reconciled once the member returns from their travel and submit their final settlement voucher.

The CSA has eliminated the need for units to scrub delinquency reports and placed greater responsibility on individual members. In anticipation of the CSA card roll out, FMF briefed more than 700 members at 15 different commander's calls.

These briefings covered the expectations and use by members of the CSA. Additionally, three members attended the Air Combat Command CSA conference in January to discuss upcoming changes and pass along concerns.

Additionally, FMF has converted the processing capabilities to the Air Force Financial Services Center (AFFSC) at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. This change has resulted in more accurate, consistent and reliable processing of travel pay-affecting documents.
As of Aug. 1, Moody Airmen can submit pay-affecting documents through eFinance and PIPS without leaving their desk. This includes all in-processing documents. Members can now start, stop, and change allotments, start their family separation allowance, change their state of legal residence, and submit non-Defense Travel System travel vouchers and accrual payment requests through eFinance.

Lastly, members can submit their in-processing documents, to include their voucher and direct deposit form, through PIPS. The only necessary equipment is a CAC-enabled computer and access to the Air Force Portal.

There has been a positive response to these systems, as more than 100 documents have been submitted and reviewed by our office. As a result, members have spent less time in-person submitting documents.

In February, Moody and the rest of ACC converted 52 processes over to the AFFSC. Prior to this year, a member's travel voucher was computed and processed locally on base. However, for the past 8 months these documents have been reviewed by our office and electronically sent to Ellsworth for processing.

In total, FMF has reviewed and sent more than 1,500 documents to the AFFSC so far. This has enabled the Air Force to provide consistent, accurate and reliable processing to its members.

In the past year alone, FMF has changed more than 70 processes, implemented three new systems and informed members of the new travel card. These changes should result in more timely, accurate and convenient service for you and your unit.

For any specific questions related to pay and entitlements, email 23cpts.fso@moody.af.mil, call 229-257-1482/5233 or head into Bldg. 105 where the lobby hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday to speak with a Finance representative.