“Garbage in, garbage out” is a common phrase within the data correctness purview, but the Army Reserve Headquarters — Fort Bragg (ARHQ-FB) IPPS-A team is working hard to change that image. 

This team of Soldiers from many different backgrounds is at the forefront of preparing the force for the Integrated Personnel and Pay System- Army (IPPS-A) release scheduled for December 2021.    

The ARHQ-FB team conducted Train-the-Trainer (T3) training from Jan. 21-24, 2020, at the Training Support Center on Fort Bragg as a combined effort with Army Reserve commands to correct existing data within legacy human resources databases.  According to ARHQ G1 leaders, “We must get better when inputting Soldiers information into our current systems if we want IPPS-A to function correctly.”

Some of the topics covered during the training event were IPPS-A knowledge, awareness, best practices and talent management; how to correct Pay Entry Base Date (PEBD) and other pay discrepancies; and how to perform the Personnel Readiness Review (PRR) as a tool to correct the data deficiencies currently in the systems.  The 16 T3 students from 10 commands received information required to train the Soldiers that work in their down-trace units. 

Now, the real work begins as they train and track the transactions that will be put into the systems of record to help “get the garbage out” and improve the data that will interface with IPPS-A.  A focus of the ARHQ IPPS-A team is correcting civilian education, military education, assignments and awards, which will feed the 25 point Talent Management Module within IPPS-A.  

Army senior leaders have mentioned talent management, including Gen. James McConville, the 40th chief of staff of the Army.  In his initial message to the Army, he stated, “modernization must include developing the multidomain operations concept at echelon, delivering the six modernization priorities, and implementing a 21st century talent management system.” 

The key to correct data in IPPS-A will depend greatly on the individual Soldier. The Soldier will submit documents to be added to the several different modules within IPPS-A and ultimately “fill in” the talent management module, which will give senior leaders the most complete picture of that Soldier.

Any time a Soldier’s information changes, such as getting a new civilian job or starting a civilian school, he or she will be able to submit the information to his or her unit’s human resources professional via the IPPS-A smartphone application.  When Soldiers get back from military training or receive an award, they will be able to submit the actions in the app.  HR professionals will finish the transactions at their level and the records will be updated digitally, without the need for paper copies.  

IPPS-A is already successfully streamlining the “paperwork process” for at least 33 National Guard states.  Those states are now relying on the system to submit personnel and pay transactions for all their Soldiers.  The National Guard release of IPPS-A will be complete March 23, 2020.  The Army Reserve is currently completing its modules within the system for testing later this year.

If you are an HR professional and would like to learn more about how IPPS-A will affect the Army Reserve, there are several training opportunities coming up this year. The online Electronic Soldier Record Brief (eSRB) editor course via Defense Collaboration Services (DCS), the interactive Personnel Records Management System (iPERMS) course, the eSRB T3 course, and the Personnel Systems Training (PST) give the Army Reserve HR community several opportunities to learn how to become change champions on the IPPS-A front.

Register for these classes within the Class Scheduling Utility housed in the Reserve Component Manpower System at https://rcms.usar.army.mil/v3/CSU_Atlas/Atlas.

There are also several Military Pay Workshops taking place with registration on the U.S. Army G8 website at https://xtranet/usarc/g8/pay/Pages/default.aspx.

For Soldiers in other job areas, please check out the IPPS-A Facebook pages and YouTube channels for the most up-to-date information on the system. 

Every Soldier in the Army should be familiar with IPPS-A since it will be the system of record for all their personnel and pay needs.  Everyone can be a Change Champion!