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IPPS-A News

News | Dec. 2, 2025

IPPS-A Updates: DAES, Absence Requests, OML Updates, Roadmap, STP Survey and SGM Farewell

Teammates,  
 
We are rapidly approaching the three-year anniversary of IPPS-A going live for all Soldiers across all components!  This is a great moment to reflect on the successes we achieved throughout 2025.  None of this progress would have been possible without the dedication of HR Professionals and Soldiers in the field.  Your engagement and support over the past three years continue to drive the change our Army needs.   
 
Please see the updates, guidance, and resources below:  
 
Department of the Army Exit Survey (DAES)  
 
The DAES supports retention efforts and quality-of-life improvements.   
 
IPPS-A now emails the career exit survey link to COMPO 1 and 3 Soldiers when they submit a separation PAR — or, if not retiring, at 12 months and 2 months before their Expiration Term of Service (ETS) — using both primary and secondary email addresses on file in IPPS-A.   
 
To confirm your email data is accurate, log into IPPS-A and search for “Personal Details,” select the Contact Details tab, enter/confirm your email addresses, then save.   
 
Absence Request Date of Return    
 
Currently, IPPS-A cannot exclude non-duty days from absence balance calculations.  If an absence begins on a non-duty day, HR Professionals must correct the dates when the Member returns.   
 
The Begin Date is always chargeable, including holidays; only the Return/End Date may be non-chargeable if it falls on a non-duty day or holiday.   
 
The Return Date field allows capturing non-duty days for chargeable annual absence.  Members must submit annual leave and passes separately, and Approvers must ensure all requests follow regulatory guidance.   
 
Order of Merit List (OML) Updates   
 
In collaboration with the Human Resources Command (HRC), we successfully updated the OML data for the E9 population.   
 
However, due to the current system design, recent Academy graduates (CL74 & CL75 for AGR and CL75 for AC) who were reviewed on a CSM/SGM evaluation board may temporarily see their OML status listed as “NA.”   
 
IPPS-A and HRC are actively working on a solution to ensure all affected individuals can view the correct OML information.   
 
In the meantime, you will receive an email from the Sergeant Major Management Division (SMMD) with your OML details.   
 
We apologize for any inconvenience this causes and appreciate your patience and understanding.   
 
IPPS-A Roadmap    
 
The IPPS-A Roadmap outlines major post-release development efforts and provides clear visibility into our goals, milestones, tasks, timelines, and dependencies.  It is built around Planning Increments (PIs) — an essential part of our Agile methodology. By following our PI objectives and ongoing work, you can stay informed about what’s coming next and how each effort supports continued progress.   
 
Our current PI (i.e., PI-11) includes more than 500 items. The initiatives we have planned are driving the changes needed for Army HR modernization, and we encourage you to review the Roadmap to gain a better understanding of some key features and where IPPS-A is headed.   
 
We will regularly publish updated versions of the Roadmap on our social media and at: https://ipps-a.army.mil/Future-Capabilities.   
 
Soldier Talent Profile (STP) Enhancements and Survey    
 
We want to share a quick update regarding ongoing work to enhance the STP within IPPS-A.  Our goal is to make the STP more accurate, user-friendly, and valuable for career development and talent management across the force.   
 
To ensure these improvements reflect what Soldiers need, we will be sending out a short survey in the coming days.  This will be your opportunity to provide direct input on what works well, and what could be improved.  Please be on the lookout for the survey and take a few minutes to share your feedback.   
 
IPPS-A is a Soldier system, and your voice is essential in helping us continue to shape it into a tool that truly supports you and your career.   
 
Thank you in advance for your participation and support.   
 
Farewell from SGM Smith  
 
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for IPPS-A.  Over the past two years, we have navigated complex challenges, improved upon a system that will serve Soldiers for generations, and proven what is possible when dedicated professionals commit to a shared mission.  
 
I am incredibly proud of the people that have poured themselves into this work.  This team’s resilience, expertise, and teamwork is transforming IPPS-A from ideas into capabilities that strengthen our Army every single day.  None of this is about one person – it is about all of us moving forward together. 
 
As I move on to my next adventure, I do so with confidence in the team that remains and the leaders who will take this system even further.  Thank you all for your trust, your partnership, and your unwavering commitment to Soldiers. 
 
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you need anything.  Though I am moving on from IPPS-A, I am always here to support the mission and our remarkable Soldiers.  I am truly grateful to have been a part of history here.   
 
Thank you for everything and do not forget...we need all of you to keep driving the change!!! 
 
 
V/r,  
 
 
COL Rebekah S. Lust 
COL, AG 
IPPS-A FMD Director 		 SGM Paul J. Smith 
Senior Enlisted Advisor 
DCS - G1, IPPS-A FMD  
 
 
Learn more about IPPS-A:  
IPPS-A website: https://ipps-a.army.mil/  
IPPS-A Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armyippsa/  
IPPS-A YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/IPPSA  
IPPS-A Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usarmy_ippsa/  
IPPS-A Connect: https://armyeitaas.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/usaasc-peoeis-IPPS-AConnect