PERSCO: Accounting for every member

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Laura Shabazz, a 386th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron sustainment technician, directs a vehicle of incoming personnel during in-processing at an undisclosed location May 5, 2015. Inbound Service members arrived at the processing center to check in with the gaining base personnel. (U.S Air Force photo by Senior Airman Racheal E. Watson/Released)

PERSCO: Accounting for every member

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Laura Shabazz, a 386th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron sustainment technician, collects paperwork during in-processing at an undisclosed location May 5, 2015. Personnel Support for Contingency Operations provided information about the local area and emergency management actions. (U.S Air Force photo by Senior Airman Racheal E. Watson/Released)

PERSCO: Accounting for every member

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kayla Eschler, a 386th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Segments technician, highlights paperwork while in-processing newcomers at an undisclosed location May 5, 2015. Personnel collected information such as copies of orders and emergency contact information from deployed members. (U.S Air Force photo by Senior Airman Racheal E. Watson/Released)

PERSCO: Accounting for every member

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kayla Eschler, a 386th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Segments technician, answers questions from incoming personnel during in-processing at an undisclosed location May 5, 2015. Personnel Support for Contingency Operations briefed in-bound personnel and obtained paperwork for accountability purposes. (U.S Air Force photo by Senior Airman Racheal E. Watson/Released)

PERSCO: Accounting for every member

Published May 7, 2015
By Senior Airman Racheal E. Watson
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Southwest Asia --

The sun peaks over the horizon as a vehicle full of deployed members is waved to a stop in front of a large tent. To some this is nothing new, but for others this is their first time in the area of responsibility.

The first group of people deployers meet upon arriving to The Rock after their long travels are assigned to the 386th Force Support Squadron Personnel Support for Contingency Operations.

The main mission of PERSCO is to support combatant commanders with information pertaining to accountability, casualty reporting and sustainment functions, which assist in managing deployed forces.

Whether in a deployed location or at home station, communication plays an important role.

“The biggest difference [between a deployed location and home station] is at home station our main job is taking care of people’s records,” said Staff Sgt. Kayla Eschler, a 386th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron Deliberate and Crisis Action Planning and Execution Segments technician. “Here our main job is accountability.”

PERSCO’s first communication to newly-arrived Service members is a policy brief and ensuring newcomers turn in the proper paperwork, such as, copies of orders and their vRED or record of emergency data. This ensures if something were to happen to a Service member, PERSCO already has the pertinent information to begin the next-of-kin notifications.

Just because individuals are deployed does not mean everyday operations stop abruptly. PERSCO members also help members reenlist, extend their current service commitment and update personnel actions on a daily basis.

“Our main job is accountability, but if someone gets an assignment out here, or has evaluations going through, we’re here to help them reach back to their home station to get it all figured out,” said Eschler.

“If [deployers] are not properly gained, then they are not going to get properly paid,” said Senior Airman Laura Shabazz, a 386th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron sustainment technician.

Every member who comes to The Rock will have at least one thing in common—a PERSCO team who dedicates themselves to taking care of Service members while they are deployed.