Author: Matt Miller

Matt is the civilian comptroller for the 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas and a Reserve finance officer. He spent seven years on active duty before returning home to Texas and beginning the second chapter of his life. He is an avid maker that loves golf, reading, welding, carpentry and tinkering with electronics. An amateur at many things and master of none.

How to use Gen.AI to Write Better Support Agreements


I created this video to demonstrate how I use Gen.AI to improve my support agreement review process. I no longer sign a support agreement without running it through an AI review.

The video is short and walks through each step and prompt.

This process has dramatically improved our agreements and identified deficiencies, I had not previously noticed. The AI isn’t just identifying financial issues, but general problems in the agreement and is helping remove ambiguity. This is all the more relevant with the onboarding of G-invoicing and the 7600A/B requirements.

Here’s a shameless plug for a Google NoteBookLM AI product I created specifically for G-invoicing. This tool has also proven invaluable in my support agreement review process and G-invoicing education.

Provide feedback and message me directly if you improve upon the prompts.

How to Use AI to Review Support Agreements

Prompts

I am the Comptroller and a signatory on all support agreement for my unit. Please read the attached regulation through the lens of both a comptroller and support agreement manager. The intent is for you to have the appropriate background and fully understand the rules I must be in compliance with. Once read, let me know and I will provide you a support agreement to review. Suggest ways in which we can improve the support agreement, not just grammatical errors. Think strategically.

Improve this draft verbiage. Ensure it is in compliant, clear and suitable for a support agreement: 

Attached is a draft support agreement. Take on the role of a support agreement expert and provide feedback, critiques and suggested modifications.

Reduction of FM Certification CET Requirements

The Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller) has issued a policy, reducing the number of Continuing Education and Training (CET) hours required to maintain your Department of War (DoW) Financial Management (FM) certification. This change is designed to emphasize quality, mission-relevant training over quantity while a broader review of the certification program is underway. This email provides details on the policy, incorporating clarifying guidance from the Office of the Secretary of War (OSW).

Key Policy Change:

  • Effective with the 2024 – 2025 CET cycle, the requirement for all certification levels is now 40 hours per two-year cycle. This reduction from the previous requirements breaks down as follows:
    • FM Certification Level 1: Unchanged
    • FM Certification Level 2: Reduced by 20 hours (from 60 to 40 hours)
    • FM Certification Level 3: Reduced by 40 hours (from 80 to 40 hours)

Implementation and Eligibility:

The policy change is effective for 2024 – 2025 CET cycle and all future cycles. FM Certification Level 2 or 3 personnel with non-compliant CETs for any cycle ending on or before 12/31/2024 are required to complete their original 60 or 80-hour requirement and are not eligible for this reduction for any past cycles.

CET Reduction Application:

To implement this change, a “CET Relief Reduction” line item will be added to the scorecards for all eligible FM Certification Level 2 and 3 members. This will automatically apply the 20 or 40-hour credit, respectively. Please be advised that the implementation of this system update is pending, and the exact date is to be determined.

Please note that requirements for obtaining an initial FM certification remain unchanged.

For questions regarding this policy, please reach out to your local or command component administrators or our SAF/FM Workforce Development Team.

The Ultimate Links List

Artificial Intelligence

Send an email with any high-quality resources you’d like me to add!

General Air Force

Systems

Power BI

AFRC

301 FW

Daily Systems

Regulations

DFAS

Official FM Sites

Knowledge Ops

Social Media

My Presentations

Air Force Total Ownership Cost (AFTOC) System

Have you ever looked for details beyond budgetary information for a weapon system or platform? If so, the Air Force Cost Analysis Agency (AFCAA) maintains a system called the Air Force Total Ownership Cost (AFTOC) which is a congressionally mandated compilation of over 23 official Department of the Air Force (DAF) data sources.

AFTOC is a designated Authoritative Data Source and houses discoverable, reliable, and trustworthy financial data for all DAF weapons systems from 1998 to present. The AFTOC database adds 30GB of cost information on a quarterly basis for over 100 weapon systems including Air Force One, the comprehensive fighter fleet, tankers, transport aircraft, and space systems such as satellites and ground stations.  AFTOC has agreements with nearly two dozen different data systems providing various information on a regular basis. Some of the major feeder systems are:

• Financial Data: Air Force General Accounting & Financial System, Re-Engineered (GAFS-R). GAFS-R provides quarterly updates.

• Logistics Data: Integrated Logistics Supply System (ILS-S) provides supply data to AFTOC on a monthly and daily basis.

• Flight Utilization Data: The Reliability & Maintainability System (REMIS) provides AFTOC with a quarterly feed of flying hours & inventory data by tail number.

• Fuel: The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) provides a daily feed of fuel data, which details how much fuel was provided for Air Force aircraft.

With so many systems providing data on a quarterly, monthly, or even daily basis, the enormous size and complexity of the AFTOC system becomes readily apparent and AFTOC analysts must act fast to ingest data from disparate feeder systems before the data is lost forever. These experts connect, classify, and bucketize over 30 billion data points, ~$200B of annual obligations in a standard structure by weapon system to paint a complete picture users can access 24/7 on the AFTOC website. Further, the AFTOC team maintains a comprehensive user guide, and video training library! Read the full article about AFTOC in the December 2025 SAF/FM Online Newsletter and visit the AFTOC website to explore the resources available to you.

DoD Financial Management Regulation Website Relaunch

OUSW is thrilled to announce the launch of the completely redesigned DoD Financial Management Regulation (FMR) website.

They’ve overhauled the FMR homepage to create a user-friendly experience that will revolutionize your workflow. Finding critical DoW financial and accounting policy has never been easier, helping you and your agency maintain compliance faster and more efficiently. Find the update here, https://comptroller.war.gov/FMR/.

Discover What’s New

Check out these powerful features, designed with the DoW financial community in mind:

  • FMR Alerts: Never miss a beat. Our new central hub for FMR Alerts keeps you instantly informed of the latest updates and critical policy memoranda.
  • Recently Published Updates: Stay ahead of the curve. Effortlessly track every change by viewing all FMR chapters and sections updated in the last 12 months.
  • Improved Navigation: Find what you need, faster. With the new accordion-style view to browse by Volume and Chapter, your answer is just a click away.

Direct Access to Resources: Your one-stop shop for everything FMR! Download the entire regulation as a single PDF, request archived documents, or contact the helpdesk—all from the main navigation menu.

Sign Up for Texts Alerts from CWT SatoTravel

Effective February 18, 2026: CWT SatoTravel, your servicing Travel Management Company (TMC), now offers SMS/text alerts to keep you informed of time-sensitive issues affecting your travel reservations, including:

  • Credit Card Declines: Get notified if a charge is declined during a ticket purchase or pre-authorization.
  • Missing DTS Approvals: Receive daily notifications if the trip is not yet approved in the Defense Travel System (DTS), beginning seven days ahead of travel.
  • Reservations Requiring Attention: Get alerts when a reservation is flagged due to missing information (i.e., form of payment, secure flight data, or AO Approval).

HOW TO OPT-IN

To consent to CWT SatoTravel SMS services, visit www.cwtsatotravel.com/tts/SMSOptIn.aspx  to provide your phone number and preferred time zone. Travelers will receive a text confirming their enrollment.

Travelers can stop receiving alerts at any time. Simply reply STOP in all uppercase letters. To resume service after opting out, reply START or UNSTOP in all uppercase letters. For more information, reply HELP.

How to use Gen.AI to Improve MICT Responses

I created two videos demonstrating how I use Gen.AI to improve my MICT responses as an assessor and how I am reviewing responses on the backend as a validator. The videos are short and walk through all steps and prompts.

I have already dramatically improved our writing and identified deficiencies I had not previously noticed.

Provide feedback and message me directly if you improve upon the prompts.

How to Use AI to Improve MICT Answers

Prompt

Here is our MICT internal inspection questions and my team’s response. Cross-reference the regulations included so you have the appropriate background and fully understand the rules we should be in compliance with. Then rewrite and improve our responses with an emphasis on clarity.

In addition, suggest ways in which we can improve our program; not just the write-up. Are there areas where we can improve our process or the way in which we document what we are accomplishing?

Question: ABC

Regulation: XYZ

Response: XXX

How to Use AI to Validate MICT Responses

Prompt

Here is our MICT internal inspection questions and my team’s response. Cross-reference the regulations included so you have the appropriate background and fully understand the rules we should be in compliance with. Then rewrite and improve our responses with an emphasis on clarity.

In addition, suggest ways in which we can improve our program; not just the write-up. Are there areas where we can improve our process or the way in which we document what we are accomplishing?

Our team should also identify where the supporting documentation is located. Point out areas where our team is not including a file path or location.

When possible, I want our team to address the who, what, when, where and why for each response. It doesn’t need to specifically be in that format, but our responses should anticipate any potential question an inspector may ask.

Weekly Comptroller Checklist

Monday (C2)

  • ODL
  • Review GTC notes
  • Plan out week/Review GTD from previous week

Tuesday (FMA)

  • DEAMS Inbox
  • GPC AFAOC Overview
  • CivPay execution/Analyze accruals every 2 weeks
  • Formal Liability Investigation/Report of Survey

Wednesday (FMF)

  • CSP download and analysis
  • DTS report pulls and analysis
    • DTS Debt Management
  • Disbursing (DDS) check-in
  • Leave Log audit and emails
  • BAH Check-in

Thursday (QA)

  • Discrepancy Tracker Form
  • QART
  • MICT review/improvement/delegation
  • Audit Liaison with Air Force Audit Agency (AFAA)

    Friday (Training)

    • UTM-OJT and CDC spreadsheets
    • FM Certification PBI Report
    • Awards-Identify and write
    • Leave Review spreadsheet and ATAAPS
    • Timecards
    • Weekly Review/Follow up

    Budget Checklist

    O&M

    ODL

    ALO

    RPA

    • Centrally Managed Programs
    • Decent
    • Check retirement listing to remove members from UTAPS

    QA

    Government API Collection

    SMSgt Sam Spaethe hosted a fantastic API and Power Automate trainng on 29 January 2026. You can watch the entire video here. My goal with this post is to collect helpful APIs sites or document ways our community is using specific API calls. Email me directly and I’ll add them to this page.

    DEAMS Weekly Checklist

    Daily-Health Check & Reconciliation

    • Review Invoices on Hold
      • Check the FM Morning Paper (Power BI) or Discoverer Viewer daily for invoices on hold. This is a critical task to ensure payments move forward.
    • DEAMS to ADS Daily Reconciliation (DADR)
      • Verify payments and collections processed by the Disbursing Office balance between DEAMS and ADS (Legacy).
    • Check DIMES Dashboard
      • Review Interface Metrics (DIMES) for transaction errors (e.g., WAWF, DCBS, DAAS) that require corrective action.

    Monday-Travel & Entitlements

    • Travel ODL Research
      • Review the Travel Open Document Listing (ODL). Use the Document Cross-Reference tool to research aged travel orders (DTS, RTS, AROWS).
      • Check for negative Unliquidated Obligations (UOO) or Accrued Expenditures Unpaid (AEU) balances.
    • AROWS/Travel Commitments Management
      • Run the FMA Open AROWS Commitments report. Identify unneeded commitments (often caused by duplicate submissions) and cancel requisitions using DEAMS Purchasing Buyer to free up resources
    • Travel Obligations Oversight
      • Oversee manual creation of travel obligations (Purchase Orders) for RTS/Manual orders. Ensure the correct PO Type (“RTS Orders – Manual”) and Payment Terms (“Immediate”) are used
    • Travel Corrections (JVs/1081s)
      • Process or approve Journal Vouchers (JVs) to correct travel overbills (PO-to-PO corrections) where charges hit the wrong line of accounting
    • Supplier/Vendor Verification
      • Query supplier records for individuals (Travel/Pay) to ensure proper setup in DEAMS (Prime vs. Travel sites) to prevent payment rejects

    Tuesday-Procurement & GPC

    • GPC Funding & Balancing
      • Validate GPC Balances by comparing Access Online (AXoL) balances against DEAMS commitments/obligations.
      • Manage GPC Planned POs. If obligations exceed expenditures, decommit funds at the Planned PO level or deobligate at the Release level to free up funds
    • Requisition (PR) Management
      • Review/Approve Purchase Requisitions (Form 9s, Form 4009s). Ensure funds certification is complete and Need-By/GL dates are in open periods,.
      • Handle “Rejected” or “Returned” PRs. If the originator is unavailable, take ownership of the PR to complete or delete it
    • MORD Management
      • Obligate Accounting MORDs using DEAMS Purchasing Buyer > AutoCreate. Ensure the PO type is set to “MISC” and receipt routing is “Direct Delivery”
      • Validate UOO and AEP amounts. Does the MORD accurately reflect the requirement? Are payments posting? Why not?
    • Purchase Order Adjustments
      • Process increases to MORD obligations or decrease POs using iProcurement (if eligible),.
        • Note: Do not decrease contractual documents in iProcurement; those must be done in the contract writing system
    • Miscellaneous Payment Processing
      • Create or review Miscellaneous Payment Purchase Orders (Category E for individuals or Category V for vendors). Ensure terms are “Non-PPA Immediate” for individuals

    Wednesday-Journal Voucher (JV) Review

    • Journal Voucher (JV) Approval
      • Review and approve/reject JVs and SF1081s. Check for required attachments (text explanation and supporting docs) and ensuring debits/credits net to zero
    • Expense Transfers (Correcting LOAs)
      • Execute SF 1081s to move expenses between Lines of Accounting (LOAs) if errors were found in DADR or ODL reviews. Use SF 1081 if moving between different Funds/AAIs
    • Receiving Report Management
      • Create or correct Receiving Reports for Miscellaneous Payments. Ensure the three-step process (Receive, Accept, Deliver) is complete
        • Note: As of Oct 1, receiving reports are no longer required for Category E (Individual) miscellaneous payments
    • Invoice Correction
      • Research Invoice Voids (VR codes) using PTP Inquiry to understand why DFAS rejected an invoice (e.g., VR08 – Obligation doc number mismatch),.
      • Correct rejected invoices by reversing distribution lines and re-entering correct data
    • Supplier Maintenance (Public Vendors)
      • Query public vendor records. If a vendor is missing or incorrect (e.g., wrong UEI/EFT info), submit updates to DFAS via the appropriate mailbox

    Thursday-Reimbursements (RBA) & Billing

    Focus: Orders to Cash (O2C), Inter-agency agreements, and Billing Events.
    • Agreement Management
      • Enter or amend Agreements (MIPRs, MOAs) in the Project Billing module. Ensure funds are baselined after entry,.
      • Verify Reimbursable Budget Authority (RBA) is loaded as “Available” before processing agreements
    • Create Billing Events
      • Create Billing Events for Federal or Public customers. Ensure “Bill Amount” equals “Revenue Amount” and the correct Event Type is selected
    • Draft Invoice/Revenue Generation
      • Run Generate Draft Invoice and Generate Draft Revenue reports for specific projects to trigger the billing process,.
      • Check for errors (e.g., Hard Limit exceeded) in the Events Summary
    • Reimbursement Balancing (D-to-R Transfers)
      • Process “Reimbursement Balancing” JVs to move Direct (D-Fund) obligations to Reimbursable (R-Fund) LOAs to free up direct budget authority.
      • Ensure invoices start with prefix “REIMBBAL”
    • 1080 Generation
      • Generate SF 1080s for transfers between appropriations using the AR Invoice Number

    Friday-Reporting, Analysis, Closeout

    • Status of Funds (SoF) Analysis
    • Run the Status of Funds report via Discoverer Viewer or OBIEE. Analyze “Available Obligation Authority” and “Uncommitted” balances. Also utilize the AFAOC SoF Tools.
    • Use Pivot Tables in Excel to summarize SoF data for leadership
    • Open Document Listing (ODL) Review
    • Run the Open Document Listing report. Search for dormant commitments or MORDs that need deobligation.
    • Check for duplicate commitments in AROWS and cancel if necessary
    • Residual Balance Cleanup
      • Identify PRs with residual balances where the PO has been finalized. Use the “Split PR Line” function if necessary to isolate the residual amount, then cancel the specific line
      • Document Cross-Reference Checks
        • Use Document Cross-Reference to trace specific POs to Invoices and Payments to resolve any “orphan” transactions found during the week
        • End of Month (EOM) Prep / Wrap-up
          • If near EOM, place holds on Billing Events to prevent processing during the DFAS “closed period” (last 5 workdays of the month),.
        • Set Vacation Rules if you will be out of office the following week to delegate approval authority

    Introducing Your Professional AI Tool: NIPRGPT

    Team,

    Have you explored the Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool available to the workforce? NIPRGPT is a comprehensive AI research and development platform featuring Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) that lets you build a relationship with your knowledge. Upload documents, chat with your data, and collaborate across the DoD on GenAI models and applications. NIPRGPT enables model evaluation, shared workspaces, and secure document processing workflows.

    Important Reminder:
    Your NIPRGPT chats (prompts/outputs) and uploaded documents are private and not shared or used to improve or train the model. NIPRGPT is not authorized for use with Information protected by the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (PII); or Information protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA/PHI).

    NIPRGPT is encouraging safe, responsible experimentation with Generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) throughout the entire Department of Defense. Please read the following guidance carefully:

    Write Better Justifications with AI

    I am using artificial intelligence to write better budget justifications and impact statements. This is the process I use. I will update this page with my most recent scripts and prompts as time goes on.

    Copy/Paste the template below into your favorite AI tool. Replace the questions with information relevant to your requirement. The questions are designed to get ideas flowing and guide you through the myriad aspects of any requests. I’ve included an example at the end of the post.

    In addition, upload the UFR Writing Script PDF I created inside the prompt box before submitting to the AI (download the PDF here).

    Unrelated to unfunded justifications, but relevant in terms of useful prompts. Download my Email Writing Script and generic Writing Script. Same process and concept, giving you a head start in improving your writing.

    Copy/Paste Prompt

    Read the attached UFR Writing Script before processing my draft below. Proactively ask clarifying questions, one at a time, to sharpen the writing and ensure a complete understanding of the requirement before rewriting a high-quality justification.

    *Who:  Who is the requirement owner? How many people does this requirement touch? How many people are in the unit? Is there a primary point of contact that can answer questions?

    *What:  What are we buying? Is there a stock number? Is there a specific name or model number? What does the acronym stand for? How does this requirement help further or improve our mission?

    *When:  When is the funding needed? Specifically what quarter? Is there a long lead time to procure this item?

    *Why:  Why is this requirement important? How does it contribute to our mission? Is it mission critical or mission enhancing? What happens if it is not funded at all? What happens if it is partially funded?

    *How: How will this requirement be procured: Government Purchase Card (GPC), contract, MIPR, MORD, supply system? Is this item commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) or unique?

    *Costs: What is your best estimate? How did you arrive at this estimate? Do you have any quotes? Have you consulted with contracting?

    Example Prompt

    *Who:  There are 18 civilians and 1 ART in our Comptroller unit. We provide financial management services to over 4,000 Airmen across the 301st FW and 10th Air Force.

    *What:  We have various professional development opportunities throughout the year. The primary conferences are: GSA Government Travel Card (GTC), Professional Development Institute (PDI), Customer Service Representative (CSR) Civilian Pay Conference and occasionally the Comptroller must attend meetings at AFRC HQ at Robins AFB, Georgia.

    *When:  Most of our conferences occur in the 2nd and 3rd Quarter

    *Why:  All financial managers are required to achieve a certain number of continuing education credits every two years to remain in compliance with the DoD FM Certification Program. This ensures we stay up to date with the latest FM rules and regulations and maintain professional proficiency. These conferences also serve as great networking events and enhance member morale. If we don’t receive funding, we will not attend these events and will resort to computer-based training (CBTs). CBT training is not as effective but does achieve the mission.  

    *How: All travel requests are entered into DTS and paid for via the GTC

    *Costs: Each TDY will have a separate cost estimate, and we don’t anticipate attending every course, every year. This year we are requesting $7K in travel funding and will allocate this to the various professional development opportunities

    A Reservist’s Guide to Choosing Military Pay vs. VA Benefits

    For Air Force Reservists, understanding how to manage military pay and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits is crucial, especially since you generally cannot receive both for the same period of service. Making the wrong choice can lead to a significant debt.

    This guide will help you navigate this important decision to maximize your earnings and stay in compliance with federal law.

    Key Takeaways

    • You cannot legally receive military pay (to include travel pay) and VA compensation for the same days. You must choose one.
    • For most reservists, it is more financially beneficial to waive VA benefits for the days you perform military duty, rather than waiving your military pay.
    • You must inform the VA of your choice by filing a waiver, typically VA Form 21-8951, on an annual basis.
    • In addition, you must inform the Reserve Pay Office (RPO) of your choice by filing a waiver, via the AF Form 1962, on an annual basis.

    What Are My Pay and Benefit Options?

    As an Air Force Reservist, you are eligible for two main types of compensation:

    • Military Pay (Drill & Active Duty Pay): This is the income you receive for performing training. For a typical weekend drill (e.g., UTA), you are credited with four days of drill pay. When on annual training or active duty orders, you receive one day of pay for each day of duty. Military pay is taxable income. In addition, you may receive travel entitlements while on both inactive as well as active duty orders (e.g., per diem, lodging, mileage, etc.).
    • VA Benefits: This primarily refers to disability compensation for service-connected conditions. A key advantage of VA disability benefits is that they are generally non-taxable income. In some cases, your total VA benefit can be greater than your military retired pay.

    Why Can’t I Receive Military Pay and VA Benefits at the Same Time?

    Federal law (10 U.S.C. § 12316 and 38 U.S.C. § 5304(c)) prohibits the concurrent receipt of military pay and VA compensation for the same time period. Because you are earning military pay for your drill weekend or active orders, you cannot simultaneously receive VA compensation for those same days.

    Important Exception: Incapacitation Pay

    There is one significant exception to this rule. Military incapacitation pay, which is paid for a line-of-duty injury or illness, can now be received at the same time as VA Compensation and Pension (C&P) benefits. This is different from standard drill pay or active duty pay.

    How Do I Choose Which Benefit to Waive?

    Since you can’t receive both, you must formally waive one. This is done by submitting VA Form 21-8951, “Notice of Waiver of VA Compensation or Pension to Receive Military Pay and Allowances.” This form typically needs to be submitted annually.

    When deciding, consider these factors:

    1. Taxability

    This is often the most important factor. Your military pay is taxable, while your VA disability compensation is not. This gives a financial edge to keeping your military pay and waiving the equivalent amount of VA pay.

    2. Which Option is More Financially Sound?

    You should always compare the daily rate of your VA compensation to your daily military pay. In nearly all cases, it is more financially advantageous for reservists to waive VA benefits.

    Here’s why: you only forfeit the portion of your VA compensation that equals the number of military paydays. You do not lose your entire monthly VA benefit.

    3. Your Duty Status

    • Traditional Reservists (Drill Weekends/Annual Training): You will only waive VA compensation for the specific days you receive military pay (e.g., 4 periods for a UTAs x 12 Months = 48 periods (or days) + 15 Annual Training days = 63 days).
    • Full-Time Active Duty (AGR, ADOS, Title-10): If you are on full-time orders, you are receiving military pay 24/7. You must immediately stop your VA compensation entirely. Failing to do so will result in a significant overpayment and a large debt.

    Example: Making the Smart Choice

    Let’s break down the math for an E-7 (12 years), traditional Reservist that is 100% disabled with dependents (as of 2025). Here are the military pay and VA benefits tables used in these calculations.

    • Scenario: You receive $4,210 per month in non-taxable VA disability compensation and perform a standard traditional Reservists year (12 UTAs [48 periods & 15 annual training days = 63 days total).
    • Calculate Your Daily Rates: Both the VA and military use a standard 30-day month for calculations.
      • $4,210 / 30 days = $140 per day in VA compensation.
      • $5,387 / 30 days = $180 per day in military pay compensation (does not include any travel pay you may be entitled to or incur during TDYs).
    • Calculate the VA benefits: By waiving VA benefits, you forfeit $8,820 ($140 x 63 days).
    • Calculate the military pay benefits: By accepting military pay benefits, you receive $11,312 ($180 x 63 days) throughout the year. Note, you are also eligible to receive travel entitlements, which can be sizable.
    • The Decision: You should waive your VA compensation. You will still receive the remaining $42,280 ($140 x 302 days) of your non-taxable VA benefit for the remainder of the year. This is a far better outcome than waiving your military pay.

    How do I fill out the AF 1962 benefits declaration?

    Again, the vast majority of VA beneficiaries should forgo their VA benefits in favor of their military pay (including travel). If you arrive at that decision fill out Section II (Election to Receive Pay and Allowances in Lieu of Benefits). The calendar is designed to help you map out your year and determine how much duty you plan on accomplishing. Transcribe the number of days you arrive at onto the VA Form 21-8951 as well so you don’t incur a debt.

    If you opt instead to forgo your military pay benefits and choose to only receive VA benefits, fill out Section III (Election to Receive Benefits in Lieu of Pay and Allowances). Be warned you are not only waiving your military pay, but travel entitlements as well. This decision could prove costly on a long-term TDY.

    Upload your signed form into the Comptroller Service Portal or drop off at your local RPO.

    What if I Get a Debt Letter from the VA?

    If you receive a letter from the VA’s Debt Management Center, do not ignore it. Contact them immediately, ideally within 30 days. Responding quickly can pause collection actions and may allow you to arrange a repayment plan or have the debt reduced or waived if it causes financial hardship.

    Official Resources and Regulations

    For personalized advice, always consult directly with the VA or your Reserve Pay Office (RPO).

    The FM Locator Tool – Quickly find FM POCs around the Air Force

    FM Team,

    We’re excited to roll out a new tool built with you in mind: The FM Locator – a Power App designed to help FMers quickly find points of contact (POCs) across Financial Management units around the Department of the Air Force.

    Whether you’re trying to solve a unique problem, coordinate training, or just need to know who to call at another base, the FM Locator makes it simple.

    Key features include:

    • A searchable directory of FM POCs across the DAF
    • Filters by Name, MAJCOM, Base, or even Accounting and Disbursing Station Number (ADSN) for fast results
    • Includes mailing addresses, org boxes, and other unit information
    • Quick links to contact the right person

    The FM Locator is about making connections easier and eliminating time wasted hunting down contact info.

    ➡️ Click here to launch the FM Locator now!

    We encourage you to give it a try and start building bridges across the FM enterprise. If you have feedback, questions, or a contact update to submit, reach out to FMEFDM@groups.af.mil.