Deployed airmen getting ATM access
by Capt. Kelley Thibodeau
379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
2/11/2004 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- An officer deployed to a forward location here has developed a template for an automated teller machine agreement that will place ATMs at selected locations in the region. The first two ATMs are due to be installed in mid-February.
“Major [Scott] Lettney created the first operating agreement for the U.S. Air Force for this type of initiative,” said Maj. Steve Minkin, 379th Expeditionary Comptroller Squadron commander.
The operating agreement will be used as the template for future initiatives of this nature, Major Minkin said.
Currently, most people deployed to Southwest Asia cash checks for U.S. dollars or a host nation’s currency. If someone deploys without checks, he or she may have to use a pay advance to get cash. Pay advances are restricted to $100 and may affect a person’s base pay for several months after the advance.
Major Minkin and the 379th ECPTS cashiers said they expect a significant drop in check-cashing needs once the ATM machines are installed and running.
“The initiative gives us an opportunity to look at the manning of the cashiers in the comptroller squadron and see if some positions can be reduced, allowing more people to be at home station,” Major Minkin said.
The ATM agreement was approved for implementation by the Central Command Air Forces comptroller and judge advocate, Central Command comptroller, Air Combat Command comptroller, representatives of the U.S. State Department and the secretary of the Air Force’s comptroller banking liaison office. |
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