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News | Feb. 8, 2023

TAG Sends: Updated HRC Processes with IPPS-A

FROM: TAG
SUBJECT: Updated HRC Processes with IPPS-A

Teammates,

Appreciate all those HR Warriors who are helping others through IPPSA GO Live and through all of our business. Lots of changes in our space and I thank you for getting after it!

This is another Large and Lengthy TAG Sends here, but great info to use to keep the info flowing and create as much transparency on ops as possible.

Please see below updates from the Human Resources Command to answer questions from the field in reference to IPPS-A processes. The HRC Team is working hard to answer your questions, and provide transparency on the issues we are working through. Updates include the orders process, intra-post moves, TRANSPROC update, and a retain update.  I will also provide information about the IPPS-A Mobile App, Absence PAR processing in IPPS-A, Awards Processing in IPPS-A, the new Recruiting Ribbon and Soldier Referral Program, and the Parental Leave Policy.

Thank you for all that you continue to do for our People and making sure that IPPS-A is successful.  Lots of bumps along the way, but we will make it happen.

We all get better together!

v/r TAG 63

TRANSPROC Update

Transition Centers are now able to create and sign DD Form 214s and Separation Orders.

The fixes scheduled this weekend were successful and MPDs started working through the backlog of DD Form 214s. Please help me pass the word to your formations to ensure Soldiers that could not be assisted previously, come back for resolution, or understand how they can receive their DD 214.

Soldiers that experienced a delay can contact their transition center immediately for separation orders and to schedule an appointment to receive their DD Form 214s.

Soldiers already on transition leave or separated, but did not receive their DD Form 214, will receive a copy in the mail and in IPERMs. DD Form 214s for Soldiers who are on transition leave or separated will state “service member not available for signature.” DD214s marked this way instead of signed by Soldier are completely valid.

If a Soldier has not received a DD Form 214 in the mail and has not contacted their transition center by 15 February, are encouraged to contact the transition center at the installation they departed from for an updated status.

If Soldiers have corrections needed to their DD Form 214 after separation may contact the Army Service Center (#ASC) 24-hour line at 1-844-474-7772.

Orders Process

New Assignments: (Post BOCO and beyond) – Assignments are conducted in IPPS-A. Once HRC sends an assignment (Soldier linked to a job opening) into the IPPS-A Talent Management Workcenter, the service member will receive an email notification directing them to log into IPPS-A to make their member elections (e.g., which dependents will be moving with the Soldier/Officer).  Once a Soldier makes their elections, the local MPD will validate and publish the orders in IPPS-A. Once the MPD completes their portion, the service member will receive an email notification, letting them know their orders are available for viewing in IPPS-A on their mobile device.  Soldiers will have the ability to print their PCS orders from IPPS-A. MPDs will notify service members if additional action is required on their part. There is no need for a service member to physically go to the MPD to receive their orders. Soldiers will no longer receive assignment Instructions or a Request For Orders (RFO) from HRC or other agencies- it is now a draft assignment order for processing notifications from IPPS-A.  IPPS-A Assignment Approval Process for additional information and contact the Soldier’s career manager for specific questions related to an individual Soldier (see original message on S1Net for attachment).

Historical and BOCO assignments: (Pre-BOCO and assignments during BOCO) – HRC is loading all pre-BOCO and BOCO assignments into IPPS-A to allow for proper arrival and departure transactions within IPPS-A. As a general rule, this accounts for all officer, RFOs published before 21 DEC 22, or enlisted AI sent to MPDs prior to 18 JAN 23, which should result in the MPDs publishing printed orders upon receipt of the RFO or AI.  Any officers who has an RFO dated prior to 21 DEC 22, will still receive their orders via the legacy process from the MPD.  Officers in receipt of RFOs published on/after 21 DEC 22 should contact their career manager for advice on how to proceed.  In most cases, these orders will be re-transmitted via IPPS-A (follow New Assignments process listed above).

Soldiers who were notified for PCS movement with a current ETS date prior to their next assignment reporting date need to make immediate contact with their Career Counselor to reenlist or extend their current ETS to meet assignment eligibility requirements and facilitate the timely publication of their PCS orders.

We are aware that there are some issues with the assignment data process. Two examples are proper Unit Identification Code alignments tied to correct geographical locations and enlisted assignment logic that allows enlisted Soldiers to have assignment reporting dates beyond their current ETS date requiring their REUP prior to orders publication from the MPDs.  These issues are aggressively being worked at this time.

For questions about Soldier assignments and the assignment process contact the Soldier’s career manager.  Contact information is available at the appropriate link below.

Active Component Officer Career Manager point of contact information is located at: https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Officer%20Personnel%20Management%20Directorate

Active Component Enlisted Career Manager point of contact information is located at: https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Enlisted%20Personnel%20Management%20Directorate%20(EPMD)

Reserve Component Services is located at: https://www.hrc.army.mil/content/Reserve%20Component%20Services

Assignment Instructions Across ACOM and other internal-post moves

Unlike legacy systems, IPPS-A does not allow installations (SMC G1/MPDs) to reassign personnel across ACOM/ASCC/DRU lines.  This requires HRC involvement in these type of reassignment actions.

To facilitate cross Army Command (ACOM) and other internal-post reassignments, HRC provided a combined process (see message on S1Net for slide), AI Across ACOMs.  This is now the process to action reassignments within your Senior Mission Command mapping in-line with authorities published in the Active Component Manning Guidance. To properly reassign personnel on your installation, please follow the process map and select the appropriate IPPS-A UDL to route the PAR. Note, the losing command must initiate the PAR.  Furthermore, this process complements and works in concert with ATAP.

For enlisted personnel questions, please call or email Mr. Charlie Seigler: 502-613-5799 charlie.seigler.civ@army.mil. For officer personnel, please call or email their Branch Officer Readiness Account Manager.

Retain

Approximately 17,000 requisitions (REQs) were added to RETAIN on 24 January and Option 4 & Option 5 (OCONUS & CONUS Station of Choice) are available for the field to use.  These requisitions are only in RETAIN and available to Career Counselors for retention actions.  Once a Soldier is placed against a REQ that REQ is no longer available for others.  Currently, HRC is managing the the flow of new REQs into RETAIN while we work a digital feed into RETAIN. Once the system is completely functional, HRC will remove any temporarily created REQS in RETRAIN.

POC for Retain is: Mr. Jim Bragg: Chief, Retention and Reclassification Branch, at 502-613-5493.

IPPS-A Mobile App

There are only 168,000 Soldiers that downloaded the IPPS-A Mobile App.

The IPPS-A mobile app is here and allows Soldiers to access their personnel records using a mobile phone or tablet. The app is available for download on the Apple Store and Google Play Store.  For additional information on mobile functions/capabilities and instructions on how to download the app, please visit the following link: https://ipps-a.army.mil/mobile/

For assistance, contact the IPPS-A Toll Free Number at 1-844-474-7772 or email the Help Desk at usarmy.belvoir.peo-eis.mbx.ipps-a-help-desk@army.mil.

Absence PAR Process

Absences, formerly known as Leave and Passes, are for several different types of events. Absences can be chargeable, non-chargeable, or administrative. Chargeable Absences reduce a Member’s Absence Accrual, while Non-Chargeable and Administrative do not. Members will continue to manage, maintain, or track accrued leave balances in My Pay.  See the Absence PAR FAQs for helpful references to processing Absence PARs.

IPPS-A User Manual v5.2 Chapter 23 Absence

Process 23-1 – Create Absence Request on Behalf of a Member ( Absences may be submitted by a Member, Commander/Manager, or HR Professional. )
Process 23-2- View/Update an Approved Absence Request
Process 23-3 – Cancel Absence Request
Process 23-4 – View/Print Absence Request

Important note:

Submission of an Absence Request requires a Supervisor’s recommendation or approval (with Commander/Manager SUBCAT). Some absences require secondary approval from a Commander that must be manually added by the Supervisor; however, IPPS-A does not validate the authority of the second approving user. Commanders or Managers may delegate a Proxy as an approval authority in their absence (all Proxies are required to take the IPPS-A Leader Course).

AR 600-8-10 Leaves and Passes

Para 1-4 – Responsibilities
Para 2-2 – Annual leave program

IPPS-A Absence Knowledge Base –

Request an Absence PAR: https://hr.ippsa.army.mil/upk/onl_help/Publishing%20Content/PlayerPackage/index.html?Guid=9179d460-98db-4380-ae6c-e5a2fe0b4391

Verify/Modify an Absence PAR: https://hr.ippsa.army.mil/upk/onl_help/Publishing%20Content/PlayerPackage/index.html?Guid=b1ab5ab8-441e-43ad-a51b-fe33d4d637dc

Cancel an Absence PAR: https://hr.ippsa.army.mil/upk/onl_help/Publishing%20Content/PlayerPackage/index.html?Guid=f0cc33d2-3e1d-49c4-9cb8-4eea8280828c

Absence Approver: HR Pro – Elevated Access (CAC Access): https://hr.ippsa.army.mil/upk/onl_help/Publishing%20Content/PlayerPackage/index.html?Guid=a5129f04-c333-4975-963e-00a06dd56fec

Absence Approver: Non-government device access: https://my.ippsa.army.mil/upk/onl_help/Publishing%20Content/PlayerPackage/index.html?Guid=a5129f04-c333-4975-963e-00a06dd56fec

Link to HRC Leave and Pass FAQsLeaves & Passes FAQs

The Absence distro box is: usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-leave-and-pass-policy@army.mil

My POC for Absences are: Mr Mark Leighton, US Army Leave & Pass Action Officer at 502-613-8484, michael.c.klemowski.civ@army.mil. COL Greg Leiphart: Chief, Soldier Programs & Services Division (SPSD), at 502-613-8384, gregory.w.leiphart.mil@army.mil.

Awards PAR Process

The Award Recommendation PAR and My Buddy PARs replace the DA Form 638 to process awards for Legion of Merit and below for Members within the recommender’s chain of command. IPPS-A generates an order for all awards and directly uploads the orders to Soldiers’ records.

The Awards and Decorations Branch (ADB) and IPERMS Teams are continuing to see award orders that are generated inside of IPPSA with the incorrect awards approval authority.  We are aware that there is no function in place that will prevent the HR Professional from assigning the incorrect approval authority. However, we recommend prior to an S1/HR Pro creating an approval workflow for an Awards PAR, refer to AR 600-8-22, Table 3-3 Delegation of awards approval authority to ensure you are assigning the correct approval authority for that award.

Some helpful references for Awards Processing:

IPPS-A User Manual v5.1 Chapter 17 Awards
Chapter 3 – Army Individual Decorations
Para 3-1 – Overview/Intent
Para 3-5 – Who may recommend
Para 3-6 – Peacetime award approval authority
Table 3-3 – Delegation of Award Approval authority – peacetime criteria

My POCs for awards are:

CW4 Detricia A. Wikstrom , Awards and Decorations Branch, at 502-613-8565, detricia.a.wikstrom.mil@army.mil. MAJ Grekii Fielder: Chief, Awards and Decorations Branch, at 502-613-8547, grekii.y.fielder.mil@army.mil. COL Greg Leiphart: Chief, Soldier Programs & Services Division (SPSD), at 502-613-8384, gregory.w.leiphart.mil@army.mil.

Recruiting Ribbon Announcement

MILPER Message 23-038 was released on 25JAN23 with guidance on issuing the Army Recruiting Ribbon and implementation guidance for early promotion under the Soldier Referral Program.

For clarification or questions regarding the Army Recruiting Ribbon, contact the Awards and Decorations Branch, AHRC-PDP-A, 502-613-9126, (DSN) 983-9126, or by email at usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-awards@army.mil.

For clarification or questions regarding Early Promotion, contact the Enlisted Promotions Branch, AHRC-PDV-PE, 502-613-9013, (DSN) 983-9013, or by email RA usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-jr-enlisted-promotions@army.mil or USAR AGR usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-jr-agr-enlisted-promotions@army.mil.

Parental Leave Update

MILPER Message 23-044 was released on 1FEB23 with guidance on the Parental Leave Implementation.  See MILPER Message and FAQs sheet provided on this new program.

The Absence distro box is: usarmy.knox.hrc.mbx.tagd-leave-and-pass-policy@army.mil

My POC for Absences are:

Mr. Mark Leighton, US Army Leave & Pass Action Officer at 502-613-8484, michael.c.klemowski.civ@army.mil. COL Greg Leiphart: Chief, Soldier Programs & Services Division (SPSD), at 502-613-8384, gregory.w.leiphart.mil@army.mil.

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BG Gregory S. Johnson
The Adjutant General of the Army/
CG, Physical Disability Agency/
Executive Director, MPSA