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.

Records Disposition and Retention Regulations

Reports and Reconciliations Record Retention Memo – SAF/FM May 2022

DoD FMR Vol 1 Chapter 9

Notes

Also see DoDI 5015.02 – DoD Records Management Program, DoD Guidebook for Miscellaneous Payments and National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) GRS 1.1, Financial Management and Reporting Records.

Maintain documentation that attests to: Authority, Amount, and Date (2.2)

Great table in Figure 9-1, Minimum Retention Periods

Design Principles

Dieter Rams

  • Is innovative
  • Makes a product useful
  • Is aesthetic
  • Makes a product understandable
  • Is unobtrusive
  • Is honest
  • Is long-lasting
  • Is thorough down to the last detail
  • Is environmentally friendly
  • Involves as little design as possible

Nielsen

  • Visibility of system status
  • Match between system and the real world
  • User control and freedom
    • Consistency and standards
  • Error prevention
  • Recognition rather than recall
  • Flexibility and efficiency of use
  • Aesthetic and minimalist design
  • Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors
  • Help and documentation

Microsoft Teams Tips

Microsoft Teams Hot Keys

In the Teams search box, type the slash command /keys

Add a Chat link to your signature block, msteams://dod.teams.microsoft.us/l/chat/0/0?users=first.last@us.af.mil

  • You can control Teams with the top search bar with a “/”
  • For example, if you want to chat with someone, no need to click all over. Simply type, “/chat Stefan Choquette What are you doing?”
  • A new chat will open with Stefan and a message will be sent asking what he is doing

Here is a complete list of commands

You can quickly get the list just by typing “/” and a help list will appear

Emojis

  • Type “Windows Key + .” on your keyboard to get a pop up with emojis
  • Search for emojis by simply typing a word and the window will update

Use the Subject Line when starting a new conversation

  • When starting a new conversation, always add a subject line. Click the font icon (the A with the pen, next to the paper clip) This will also allow you to format the body of the message.
  • Also, when replying to a conversation, use the reply button. Do not start a new conversation with your reply.

Contingency Training Courses

We are pleased to announce that SAF/FM will be launching virtual contingency courses for the XFFA1, XFFA2, and XFFA7 UTCs starting 11 April. These courses can be accessed via MS Teams, and all the content will be available on the “SAF/FM Contingency Training” Teams group. The access code for the group is 3le921u, and everyone will be able to gain access by using this code.

The contingency courses will be divided into different blocks, with one block being offered each month (some blocks will have an additional hands-on portion as well). We kindly request that all members register for the courses based on their assigned UTCs. Several time slots will be available to accommodate everyone, but the courses will also be recorded in case someone is unable to attend. The attached guides provide additional information.

Please ensure your Airmen are taking these courses during their ‘Prepare’ phase so that they’re fully equipped and ready to deploy. Once training is complete, they’ll be ready to attend Silver Flag. These courses will also count towards the mandatory unit contingency training and will earn CETs (1 CET/60min.). Therefore, we highly encourage all members to participate in these courses to improve their skills and knowledge.

Contingency Training Quick Guide

How to Join the Contingency Training Team in MS Teams

How to Register for a Course

Air Reserve Technician Time and Attendance – Big Changes

BLUF:  AFRCMAN36-104, Air Reserve Technician Time and Attendance, 25 January 2023 supersedes AFRCI36-803, 2 April 2015.  Subsequent AFRCGM immediately implements a strategic pause on AFRCMAN36-104, Chapter 3.

POC:  Louanna Bledsoe, louanna.bledsoe.3@us.af.mil, DSN 497-1323

1.  AFRCMAN36-104, Air Reserve Technician Time and Attendance, 25 January 2023 supersedes AFRCI36-803, 2 April 2015.  This instruction has been substantially revised and must be completely reviewed.  Major changes include removing the following requirements this publication: AF 428, Request for Premium Pay, premium pay audit and maintaining a paper or electronic system of record copies (timecard folder). 

2.   Effectively immediately, AFRCGM implements a strategic pause on AFRCMAN36-104, Chapter 3, Time and Attendance Audit Procedures.  This strategic pause will allow the command to assess the audit process, develop training and pursue an audit automation tool.

3.  AFRCMAN36-104 removes the AFRC270 requirement.  The 2023 Timesheet Tool is available on the A1CE SharePoint for personal use.  

4.  Please ensure review of the applicable collective bargaining agreements to determine any local labor obligations and ensure those obligations, if any, are satisfied prior to implementing any associated changes. 

AFRCMAN36-104, Air Reserve Technician Time and Attendance

All A1 numbered messages can be found on the ‘A1 Emails’ SharePoint site at: https://usaf.dps.mil/sites/AFRC-A1/Lists/A1%20Emails/active1.aspx

AFRCMAN36-104-Air-Reserve-Technician-Time-and-Attendance

DoD FMR Vol 3 Chapter 3-Accounting Requirements for Expired and Canceled Accounts

DoD FMR Volume 3 Chapter 10

This chapter implements within the Department certain provisions of Title 31, United States Code, relating to expired and canceled accounts. The governmentwide amendments to Title 31 are contained in Title XIV of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1991 (Public Law 101-510, dated November 5, 1990)

DAU Appropriation Life Cycle

DoD-FMR-Vol3-Ch10

Air Force Writing Resources

These are my favorite writing resources listed in order of importance.

  1. AFH 33-337 – The Tongue and Quill
  2. 50 Writing Tools (Long, but amazing)
  3. Air University Leadership Library (not totally dedicated to writing, but worth checking out)
  4. How to Write Right – Dr. John Kline
  5. Listening Effectively – Dr. John Kline
  6. Air University Writing Style Guide
  7. Brown Bag Lessons – The Magic of Bullet Writing (Air University)
  8. AU-1 Style and Author Guide
  9. Speaking Effectively – A Guide for Air Force Speakers (Air University)
  10. Military Learners’ Communication Skills
  11. Defense Language Institute Evaluation Criteria (great resources)

Dormant MORD Performance Countermeasures

In response to recommended process improvements, the 31 December 2022 deobligations will be limited to dormant Accounting MORDs marked as “deobligate” in PowerBI. MORDs without comment in PowerBI, meeting the criteria in the Performance Metric Countermeasures Memo signed on 4 Nov 2022 will not be deobligated on 31 December 2022. Dormant MORD Performance Countermeasures

Performance Metric Countermeasures for
Dormant Accounting Miscellaneous Obligation Reimbursement Documents (MORDs)​​​​​​​

16 DECEMBER 2022 UPDATE: In response to recommended process improvements, the 31 December 2022 deobligations will be limited to dormant Accounting MORDs marked as “deobligate” in PowerBI. MORDs without comment in PowerBI, meeting the criteria for the Performance Metric Countermeasures for Dormant Accounting MORDs policy signed on 4 Nov 2022 will not be deobligated on 31 December 2022. Additional training on the process will be made available in January 2023 and monthly deobligations will continue as originally planned.

In accordance with the 4 November 2022 Air Force Accounting & Finance Office – Accounting (AFAFO-A) Performance Metric Countermeasures memo to establish a process to deobligate aged Accounting MORDs within DEAMS that are dormant for 180 days or more, the AFAOC has identified the specific documents that require research, validation and/or corrective action. The results have been consolidated and delivered as a new tool within the Open Documents portion of AFAOC Data Analytics PowerBI application entitled “DEAMS Dormant POs” located on the Data Analytics and Field Support SharePoint site. This module is updated daily and a training video will be made available soon for reference.

All bases should access the DEAMS Dormant POs application and take appropriate action IAW the instructions provided in the policy memo to either deobligate the MORD or provide an explanation for keeping the obligation balance open.  Any dormant MORDS  meeting the criteria established by AFAFO-A  (FY20 or older) will be systemically deobligated on 31 December 2022 and will continue to be deobligated monthly.  Bases will be required to review and validate dormant MORDs on a monthly basis until they are no longer open.

The DEAMS Dormant POs tool provides an “Age Band” filter, which allows users to view documents based on the number of days since last accounting activity. Users can select multiple age ranges from 61-90 days; 91-120 days; 121-150 days; 151-180 days; and 181+ days.

It is the base’s responsibility to ensure their open MORDs aged 180 days, or more are validated prior to the end of each month. To reserve the obligation, a MORD must be annotated with “Valid Obligation” within the PowerBi tool before the end of the month, along with all the following details:

Reason for the delay in expensing the obligation
A generic response WILL NOT be accepted; if this was processed as a TBO include the associated voucher information

Amount of the pending invoice
If the invoice is less than the MORD, you will need to decrease your MORD

Anticipated expenditure date
Documentation to support this date must be uploaded in FMSuite

Source of invoice
Performing organization or Vendor’s contact information is required

Note: MAJCOMs/FIELDCOMs are responsible for providing guidance on whether MAJCOM/FIELDCOM approval is required to keep the obligation in the system.