Posted on Sep 3, 2015
Have any Air Force IMA Reservists had a good experience with VRS? Have you even HEARD of VRS?
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I recently applied for man days via the VRS process and from application to orders took 30 days. We used to just fill out a Form 49 and route it through our Detachments. That would take about 2.5 weeks. VRS is supposed to streamline the process and provide efficiency but I'm finding quite the opposite. I'm curious if I'm a stray data point or if others have had a similar experience.
Posted in these groups: 
Air Force Reserve
Orders
Air Force Reserve Orders
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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Ma'am, AFRC seems to be really tightly manned. With the movement and rearranging of everything, it doesn't seem that the dust has settled yet.
We've been having issues with the system AFTER application. Getting alibis for ARCNET issues, clearances, etc...
Good luck
We've been having issues with the system AFTER application. Getting alibis for ARCNET issues, clearances, etc...
Good luck
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Maj (Join to see)
Thanks, Chief. Yes, you're right about manning. I also think that I was confused about the purpose of VRS. I thought it was one-stop shopping, but it isn't. The Det process (to get a civilian on military orders and in status) is completely separate from VRS. It would be awesome to streamline that in the future. Thanks for your comment!
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Don't do it near the fiscal year! I got burned on that one. If it is supposed to streamline things, it really doesn't in my opinion other than being a good jobs board. I did it last year. I found that trying to do it cross command is a pain in the ***. I went to work for an Intel Squadron at Nellis as a acting 62 engineer. I saw the job post sent the request in and contacted the POC. I was accepted into the position. I contacted my commander, he was cool with it. Then the other commander of the gaining unit was good also. Then I had to work between the two commands management groups. I was assigned under AETC at the time and the gaining unit was AFISRA which is defunct and now some numbered AF under ACC. AFISRA asks for a letter from my commander saying I have permission. So I get that, then AFISRA wants a letter from DET4 RIO saying I am released. Det4 RIO wants a letter from them saying they accept me but wants not just my commander's permission to release me, but the sign off from the O6 Group CC. So they all that I think its cool. Nope, AFISRA has to get the AFISRA A2 approval for manning position that was supposedly already approved. A posted position apparently is not an approved position in all cases.
Long story short my orders were supposed to start Aug 31 and end Sept 30 to give me a full 31 days of duty. I could not get them officiated until the 4th of September. So I do 26 days of duty 5 says short of the full month for all active duty transitional benefits like 180 day tricare etc. The orders were only funded for the fiscal year, henc why there was no carry over in October. I gladly would have done a few months in the position.
Oddly enough I got a 214 in the mail for the 26 days of duty, which I thought you only get for the gull 30 MPA. Maybe it was because technically it was under the OCO bucket. Not sure if I will try it again anytime soon until the kinks are all ironed out. Two years prior I did 3 weeks at the AF safety center without a hitch so I am sure what went wrong on this one.
Long story short my orders were supposed to start Aug 31 and end Sept 30 to give me a full 31 days of duty. I could not get them officiated until the 4th of September. So I do 26 days of duty 5 says short of the full month for all active duty transitional benefits like 180 day tricare etc. The orders were only funded for the fiscal year, henc why there was no carry over in October. I gladly would have done a few months in the position.
Oddly enough I got a 214 in the mail for the 26 days of duty, which I thought you only get for the gull 30 MPA. Maybe it was because technically it was under the OCO bucket. Not sure if I will try it again anytime soon until the kinks are all ironed out. Two years prior I did 3 weeks at the AF safety center without a hitch so I am sure what went wrong on this one.
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Lt Col (Join to see)
I started the process two months out on mine. Granted I did it during the major shift changes in the reserve management structure, that could have had an impact at the time.
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Maj (Join to see)
Yeah, I work for AFSPC and I'll be going to AFGSC for these man days so maybe the cross-command thing added to the timeline. I also found out that this is the first time the unit I'm going to has ever hired an IMA so they were clueless about what was required. Finally, I found out that the VRS process is completely separate from the Det orders process. It appears that VRS only considers member readiness and unit willingness, while the Det process deals with what it takes to get a civilian on military orders. Two completely separate processes. It's been quite the learning curve! Thanks for sharing about your experience! I'd like to think that our cases are not the norm. I'll probably try another position at some point just to see. =)
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