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The Air Force Personnel Center, with headquarters at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, is a field operating agency of Headquarters U.S. Air Force Personnel and has responsibility for managing the personnel programs and policies affecting Air Force active-duty and civilian members. It was formed during a realignment of the Air Force Military Personnel Center and Air Force Civilian Personnel Management Center Oct. 1, 1995.

Mission

The Air Force Personnel Center's mission is to provide Air Force commanders, military members and civilian employees world-class personnel operations. Its primary means of accomplishing this mission is to ensure the right numbers of people in the right grades and skills are available to perform the missions of unit commanders worldwide.

The center's responsibilities include overseeing performance evaluations, promotions, retirements, separations, awards, decorations, uniforms, education, personnel procurement, disability processing and the Air Force's voting program. It plans for contingencies, maintains active-duty personnel records, provides transition assistance and support to Air Force retirees. The center also manages and operates Air Force civilian personnel data and information systems and career management programs.

Personnel

There are approximately 1,900 military and civilian personnel who work at the center. The center implements personnel programs affecting more than 375,000 active-duty members and nearly 140,000 civilian employees through a worldwide network of personnel flights. Personnel computer systems affecting an additional 110,000 Air National Guardsman and more than 128,000 participating and non-participating reservists are also managed at the center.

Organization

The Air Force Personnel Center is comprised of eight directorates, each managing several key programs.

The Directorate of Assignments has the task of managing the assignments for all enlisted members and officers below the grade of colonel, with the exception of members of the staff judge advocate. In addition, the directorate handles humanitarian and exceptional family member assignments, joint duty, officer advanced academic and professional military education, and officer career broadening assignments.

The Directorate of Civilian Personnel Operations includes among its duties, the planning, development and integration of all actions necessary for establishment of the Air Force Regionalized Civilian Personnel Office, also known as PALACE Compass. This directorate will manage centralized civilian personnel processes for all Air Force installations to include: centralized external and internal staffing, data systems, official personnel folders and linked processes, certain benefits and entitlements, standard position description library and a call-in help center by 1999.

The Directorate of Personnel Data Systems takes care of the life-cycle management and the sustainment of personnel data and records management systems for the military and civilian members of the Air Force, Department of Defense civilians and more than 100 other federal agencies. Among the directorate's programs are two major modernization initiatives currently in progress-Military Modernization and the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System or DCPDS. Military Modernization will convert the current military personnel data system to a single-tier, relational database management system environment. The DCPDS modernization will provide the tools and data systems capability to support civilian personnel mission requirements at all DOD operational levels as the personnel work force downsizes to meet National Performance Review goals.

The Directorate of Civilian Career Management manages and operates the Air Force career management, recruitment, development and placement programs for more than 65,000 civilian employees in officer-equivalent positions worldwide. Through various programs the directorate is responsible for identifying, managing, training and filling civilian executive positions for 20 civilian career areas.

The Directorate of Personnel Program Management has the responsibility of overseeing more than 200 officer and enlisted personnel programs affecting every active-duty and retired Air Force member, such as accessions, retraining, evaluations, promotions, awards and decorations, separations, retirements, transition, retiree activities and the Air Force Disability Program.

The Directorate of Operations provides centralized assistance and information on total force management including military personnel flight, orderly room, social actions and call center operations, and entitlement, commander and fundraising programs. The directorate also provides surveys, research and analyses; functional management for personnel and personnel systems management career fields; the Automated Records Management system; and the functional requirements of personnel data system modernization. The directorate is the center's "face to the customer."

The Directorate of Personnel Accountability has responsibility for personnel policy affecting wartime and contingency operations for total force accountability, including active and Reserve components as well as DOD civilians. In addition, it develops readiness systems and functions supporting wartime operations such as mobilization and demobilization. The directorate is tasked with providing worldwide casualty reporting, notification and assistance to the next of kin. They are also the focal point for Air Force members missing, captured or imprisoned.

The Directorate of Mission Support provides internal support to the center by managing its budget, manpower, contracting, supply and information management resources as well the center's overall physical facilities. The directorate also serves external customers by responding to White House, Congressional and inspector general inquiries.

History

The Air Force Military Personnel Center began operations July 25, 1963, and in 1971 became a separate operating agency. Its name was changed to the Air Force Manpower and Personnel Center in 1978, when the Air Force integrated the manpower and personnel functions at U.S. Air Force Headquarters level.

In October 1985, the manpower function was realigned and separated from personnel. This resulted in the center being renamed the Air Force Military Personnel Center, Jan. 1, 1986. The center became a field operating agency Feb. 5, 1991.

The former Civilian Personnel Operations was established on July 1, 1976 and was a direct reporting unit of the Air Force Directorate of Civilian Personnel until Feb. 5, 1991 when it was renamed the Air Force Civilian Personnel Management Center and became a field operating agency. It became a directorate within the Air Force Personnel Center Oct. 1, 1995.

POINT OF CONTACT

Air Force Personnel Center, Public Affairs Office; 550 C Street West Suite 43; Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4745; DSN 665-2585 or (210) 565-2585; e-mail: afpc-pa@afpc.randolph.af.mil; Internet: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/

Above Information Courtesy of United States Air Force