New civilian pay system on the way Published Aug. 3, 2012 By Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo Air Force Public Affairs Agency WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- All Air Force civilian employees are slated to be using a new, standardized Air Force pay system by June 2013. The Automated Time Attendance and Production System will standardize the pay method across the service and will be implemented first at Air Force Global Strike Command and Air National Guard bases July 29. The 87th Comptroller Squadron is scheduled to begin training anyone who will be working with the new system at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in early September with implementation scheduled for Oct. 21. According to Doug Bennett, associate deputy assistant secretary for Air Force Financial Operations, the system will be implemented service-wide in eight waves during the next year and is meant to save time so personnel can focus on operations. "It allows folks to focus on the mission and allows the secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff of the Air Force to make informed decisions about where we need to spend our money," Bennett said. The system also eliminates paper use along with better accountability and efficiency. Currently, many Air Force civilians manually report their hours using the old paper-based system, Bennett said. ATAAPS will allow a user to enter his or her time and have the supervisor approve it electronically, providing an audit trail, while increasing the accuracy of financial statements. "It's a lot easier to trace timecards when it is centrally located," said Benjamin Yarish, Air Force Financial Management Information Technology Portfolio manager. fifty percent of the Air Force's civilian timecards were not properly approved by supervisors, or entered into the Defense Civilian Personnel System in a timely manner according to an Air Force study. These inaccuracies have resulted in overpayments, underpayments or, in some cases, no payments, according to the study. "This standardized system will provide transparency and auditability," said John Koski, director of Air Force Information Systems and Technology. "When your boss spends two hours every other week signing time cards, that's time that person isn't making sure aircraft are being repaired or made ready to fly," said Bennett. The Air Force is not the first service branch to use the system. "This system has been around for about 10 years. Army is already using it. Navy is looking to use it," said Yarish. "Therefore, its track record provides confidence to use the system Air Force-wide." The first bases to receive the ATAAPS system are Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.; Minot Air Force Base, N.D.; F.E. Warren, Wyo.; and Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. "I think this is a great step forward," said Bennett. "I hope folks approach this system with an open mind and embrace this opportunity."