JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
Receiving orders to permanently change stations, or PCS, and the lifestyle shift that comes with it can be stressful.
The 802nd Force Support Squadron Outbound Assignments office is a six-person team that annually out-processes more than 1,200 Airmen from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. Their primary goal is being proactive to help Airmen understand and engage with their PCS orders in a timely and stress-free manner, said Roberto Hernandez, outbound assignments team lead.
"There are approximately 1,200 individuals who are going to bases throughout the Air Force, filling slots that need to be manned," Hernandez said. "We’re talking doctors, pilots, firefighters and policemen. None of these individuals would get there if we didn’t complete this process."
Moving that many people is no small feat, since each PCS order issued is a highly-personalized case, dependent on factors arising from joint spouse, preference overseas, humanitarian or personnel reliability program assignments, according to Hernandez.
With so many moving parts to the process, the outbound assignments team works to help Airmen navigate the PCS process.
The PCS process starts with a notification email inviting Airmen to an initial assignment briefing. These meetings provide Airmen with a personalized checklist detailing training and certification they’ll need to acquire to successfully complete their PCS orders. The breifings are held 8 a.m. Tuesday for stateside moves and 8 a.m. Thursday for overseas moves.
Airmen receive a checklist of necessary actions to out-process them from the base and when they are completed, they are scheduled for a second meeting to finalize their orders.
This process might seem simple on paper, but Hernandez cautions Airmen – especially those going overseas - to take
a proactive approach in meeting these requirements. While most stateside transfers are relatively straightforward, overseas requirements can present challenges. Service members can expect additional tasks such as training for things like weapons certification, or completing medical clearances for dependents traveling abroad.
These overseas standards, even in the last few years, have become even more stringent, Hernandez noted. "
The threat overseas has increased," he explained. "Initially, we had a ‘minimal’ number of high and medium-threat bases overseas, but, the number of these bases has tripled over the past year alone."
With all these hoops to jump through, Airmen can expect the entire process to take about two months, Hernandez said.
The outbound assignments team recommends members turn in the necessary documents at the earliest possible date after notification of assignment. For example, a service member has an assignment with a report date of March 31, 2017, and sets the projected departure date for March 1, 2017. That person should then turn-in all required documents at least 10 calendar days prior to Jan. 1, 2017, to afford ample time to process orders within the aforementioned 60-day timeline Hernandez said.
"The importance of what we do is huge, even though it’s kind of behind- the-scenes paperwork," Hernandez noted. "With- out this office, the Air Force wouldn’t be able to fill the manning requirements for each of its installations."