Changes to AROWS for Inactive Duty

[nsplayr]

So either I’m taking crazy pills this morning or AROWS is different. Looks like there’s no more inactive duty authorizations, just certifications. When you go into certifications instead of picking from a list of approved authorizations, you create a new duty type and proceed from there.

Anyone seen any guidance on the change?

Seems like a positive development in that you don’t have to route paperwork twice for the same period of duty, although now do you basically have to work the days on verbal orders before finding out if the paperwork in the system is approved?

There is also a new Duty Summary page that is a nice backup to the excel sheet I currently use to track all my days. It breaks down all orders types per FY and per quarter for things like AFTPs.

Edit to add: sorta answered my own question with more digging. 

From the AROWS homepage before you select the “member” menu (says), click on “AROWS Information Repository.”

That takes you to a share point page, scroll down to a folder labeled “AROWS Release Management Notes.” Scroll down and open the PDF for Release Notes Build 41 15 Feb 18.

Buried on page 11 of those release notes it says basically that inactive duty authorizations are gone and the streamlined process means members only do certifications.

Doesn’t fully answer the questions about the new process but at least it’s a start. 

And yes, for anyone wondering, things are slow working AT on a federal holiday...

Edited February 19, 2018 by nsplayr

[herkbum]

I have the change message. I haven’t read it yet since it’s the weekend and it wasn’t pressing. I’ll forward it to your .mil. 

Edited February 19, 2018 by herkbum

[SocialD]

Sweet, so you're saying we're back to a one step process to get paid for UTA/AFTPs?  I miss the days of the paper 105 cards (and paper vouchers).  So simple and so easy!  I would slightly retract my statement that nothing, over the course of my 16 years in the ANG, has made it easier on the part-timer.  But in this case we're simply removing an obstacle that was needlessly put there and still are not back to how easy it was with a 105.  

[herkbum]

The 105s were awesome and the easiest thing ever. It was too easy sometimes as we had a few get busted for signing them on a swing thru on the way to their airline commute. Needless to say, the process changed thereafter. 

[gearhog]

29 minutes ago, herkbum said:

The 105s were awesome and the easiest thing ever. It was too easy sometimes as we had a few get busted for signing them on a swing thru on the way to their airline commute. Needless to say, the process changed thereafter. 

At least in my unit,  the person doing the certifications/authorization is often at a desk, in an secluded office, clicking "approved" 100 times per day. There is no reasonable method to ensure validity of requests because you're likely to piss off 99 people to catch the one unscrupulous individual who doesn't have an alibi.

We've simply added complexity without value.

[Bergman]

2 hours ago, torqued said:

We've simply added complexity without value.

That should be added below the base name on every AF base front gate!!

Glad I'm not losing my mind about AROWs as well.  Hope this speeds things up.  Only in the AF could we spend $100 Million on a half-assed computer program to replace a clip board and photocopied form that had worked for 50 years.

[brabus]

Tried to log an AFTP yesterday and got something about funds not available, contact the budget office...before I could sign it. ??? abound at base agencies. Anyone dealt with this?

[Guardian]

Yeah. It’s your local office. They need to load funds to their account.

[brabus]

Thanks...guess another trip to finance is warranted. 

[Guardian]

I would go to whoever in your unit is the first signature. They should know more and be able to deal with it. It’s a unit thing not finance office

[brabus]

According to the guys here, all funds are properly loaded, but AROWS is messed up, so we have to wait until it's fixed. Classic cross-finger pointing. Anyone had success with the updated AROWS?

[Vertigo]

On 2/22/2018 at 5:42 AM, brabus said:

According to the guys here, all funds are properly loaded, but AROWS is messed up, so we have to wait until it's fixed. Classic cross-finger pointing. Anyone had success with the updated AROWS?

I've had no issues with it. In regards to your AFTP day, your squadron's RA needs to contact FM and have them load the day to your squadron's account before you can certify it. It's typically a 2 minute fix.

[nunya]

1 hour ago, Vertigo said:

It's typically a 2 minute fix.

I suspect you're the exception.  You assume your RA isn't out flying, or on leave, or they work 4x10s and it's Monday, and FM isn't at lunch, or in training, or it's after 1500.  

[Vertigo]

39 minutes ago, nunya said:

I suspect you're the exception.  You assume your RA isn't out flying, or on leave, or they work 4x10s and it's Monday, and FM isn't at lunch, or in training, or it's after 1500.  

Typically true, however just yesterday I needed an ATP day for one of my Airmen and our RA is on paternity leave. I called FM myself (at 1505) and requested a day be loaded. At 1509ish they called me back and said it's been loaded and the 105 can now be accomplished.  

[nsplayr]

I’m not a finance nerd and maybe I’m taking crazy pills...but why don’t they just look at the number of aircrew per squadron, multiply by the standard number of AFTPs allowed per quarter (12), and load that many days in the account on the first day of the quarter?

Some wouldn’t be used and could be pulled back later, some guys would be overclocking up to 16, but I figure it would more or less come out in the wash. That seems like a hell of a lot less work for everyone compared to loading days onsie twosie every day of every week of every quarter until we all die.