An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : News
JBSA News
NEWS | Nov. 21, 2008

Web Self-Service provides answers on pay, allowances

By Sean Bowlin 12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

"When can I apply for PCS advance military pay and when will I get it?" 

"Why do I only get 80 percent of my entitlement on a travel advance?" 

"If I don't know my Government Travel Card (GTC) balance, will finance know it?" 

"I filed an accrual last month. Why is my GTC overdue?" 

These are just four of the 25 most-asked questions many Airmen who show up at Randolph Air Force Base's Pitsenbarger Hall have for the financial services staff. 

Now, Airmen who have these questions about their pay and allowances can use the Air Force's Web Self-Service concept -- from their computers -- and obtain quick answers. 

They don't have to stop what they're doing during a busy workday and drive over to financial services, sign in, wait and lose work time to obtain answers. 

Nor do they have to pick up a phone at work or run up the chargeable minutes on their cell phones to do so. 

The answers now are a Web site away on the Air Force Portal. 

The 'Money - Finance Central' portion of the Air Force Portal was introduced about two weeks ago, said 1st Lt. Cormick Wong, 12th Comptroller Squadron financial services officer. It can be accessed under the "Life & Career" tab on the Air Force Portal. 

The lieutenant said viewing the financial services frequently asked questions, or FAQs, are key to getting answers on pay and allowance inquiries -- inquiries that about 25 percent of Airmen customers arrive with at Pitsenbarger Hall. 

Lieutenant Wong added the 25 questions most Airmen ask about their pay and allowances -- and answers to those questions -- are up on the Web site now, plus about 150 more question and answer sets on pay, travel, retirement and separation topics. The site also features a search option where people can input key words to look for information. 

All in all, he said the Air Force plans to put around 1,600 pay and allowance questions and answers on the site. 

In browsing on the left side of the page where FAQs are listed, people can look under "User Type" and see sections for "Active Duty", "Reserve," "Guard" and "Civilian." 

Underneath that section, there's a "Topics" section. It's broken down into browseable areas such as "Pay," " Travel" and "Retirements/ Separations." 

"Pay" is broken down into Base Pay, Allowances, Debts, Allotments, Entitlements and Leave. The "Travel" section is separated into PCS, TDY, Accruals/ Vouchers and Deployments. Finally, "Retirements/Separations" has five subsections: PCS, Base Pay, Entitlements, Leave and Debts. 

There is also a "Top Viewed items" list where "Money Top Ten" topics are listed; and a "CASH Forms Lite" section that provides Airmen a time-saving option by reducing the need to visit the financial services office for assistance with completing forms. 

"CASH Forms Lite" uses a forms wizard to walk customers through the process. It produces a properly completed and ready to sign document. There's even a video demonstration. 

"The tool is out there now," Lieutenant Wong said. "Now Airmen can start informing themselves with 24/7 access, whether at work, home, deployed or traveling. As long as they can use a computer, they can reach the Web site. This will empower our Airmen and Air Force civilian customers with knowledge."