AFPC team spreads word at Offutt

  • Published
  • By Ryan Hansen
  • AFWA Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  The commander of the Air Force Personnel Center and a team of experts met with members of Team Offutt Dec. 18 and 19 to discuss a variety of topics during two "Spread the Word" briefings here. 

Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain led both hour and fifteen minute discussions designed to update and educate attendees about upcoming Air Force personnel changes as well as provide them with the rare opportunity to meet face-to-face with a few of AFPC's military and civilian leaders. 

"Air Force Personnel Center used to go out and do 'Spread the Words' a few years ago," General McClain said. "We quit doing these ... because we had a lot of other avenues and venues that we could use to talk to our customers." 

However, the Air Force's top personnel officer believed the command needed to get back on the road and visit with the Air Force family. 

"Given all the turmoil in our Air Force and all the changes that are happening, in particularly those changes that are resident in the personnel world, we said it's time to go back out and see our customers again," General McClain said. 

So in October, the AFPC team re-established the "Spread the Word" briefings and has been giving them at Air Force bases around the country. The general hopes she and her team can visit each Air Force base sometime over the next year. 

"We want to talk to them, tell them what's going on and more importantly for them to talk to us to help us figure out what the issues are," she said. 

Those in attendance seemed to appreciate that the general and her team visited the base. 

"I think it's really nice that they provide these briefings," said Master Sgt. Steve Fitts, Heartland of America Band. "It made me aware of some stuff that I did not know." 

"It's great to see who they are and hear the information straight from them," said Staff Sgt. Jacqueline Kinsfather, U.S. Strategic Command. "The information on the tempo band really clarified a lot questions for me." 

The AFPC team of experts included individuals from readiness operations, assignments, civilian personnel, personnel services as well as Chief Master Sgt. Andy Kaiser, AFPC command chief. 

Major points of discussion during the briefing included news about 365-day deployment options, the Global air expeditionary force tempo-banding system, civilian hiring procedures and assignment processes as well as some ongoing changes at the personnel center. 

"At AFPC ... we've kind of been that policy interpreter for the Air Force and now we're actually providing hands-on customer service to a specific customer," said General McClain, who took command of AFPC in January 2008. 

For example, all DD Form 214, used for retirements, discharges and other administrative actions, that were once generated at the base level are now created and produced by AFPC for the entire service. 

"We're having to change our skill set in order to provide the services that the Air Force needs us to provide," General McClain said. 

Each representative spoke for about 15 minutes and was available for questions following each brief.