NEWS | March 12, 2020

What Is IPPS-A, and Why You Should Care

By Sgt. 1st Class Nichole Bonham State Public Affairs Office

Have you ever experienced a pay problem in the military because something didn’t get updated correctly? Or maybe you’ve turned in a document to your unit and it’s still not in your records? Did you know that the Army currently has as many as 200 different human resources and pay systems – most of which don’t talk to each other? When you look at it that way, it’s actually fairly impressive that we get it right as often as we do.

We can be doing better.

The Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army (IPPS-A) is the Army’s way of bringing their personnel and pay systems up-to-date. They will be rolling it out over the next few years, but the National Guard is getting it first. At 54 states and territories, with each one doing things their own way, it gives IPPS-A a chance to work out the bugs. As it stands, things are looking promising. Utah is on the last rotation of National Guard entities to transition to IPPS-A, which means there are already 27 other states and territories that have been ironing out the bugs before the rest of us go online in March 2020. The regular Army and Reserves will follow over the next couple of years.

Last October, the Army introduced what they call “The Army People Strategy.” Basically, it’s a shift in focus from “simply distributing personnel, to more deliberately managing the talents of our Soldiers and Civilians.”

You can download the 15-page strategy at https://people.army.mil/

Gen. James C. McConville, Army Chief of Staff, said, "What we want to do is start treating people like they're not interchangeable parts and start aligning them by their talents with the right jobs.”

IPPS-A has become the administrative face of this movement because, as McConnville describes it, “Since its inception, the IPPS-A program has made significant progress towards building a system that will usher in a new era of HR and talent management in the Army.”

Our current system is not auditable, it’s not fully compliant with Information Assurance or Cyber security needs, and it suffers approximately 5500 hours of downtime each year, across the various systems.

The goal for IPPS-A is to have a fully auditable and compliant system with zero downtime, on-demand online access, and mobile capability. Which means you, me, and every other Soldier on the ground will have some level of visibility and access to our records through an app on our phones.

Maj. Lee Baklarz, Sustainment Lead for the IPPS-A Release 2, describes our very near future by saying, “I can take a picture of my record or jump log, put it in IPPS-A and it will route to the battalion S-1.”

Right now, many personnel and pay transactions happen manually and are untraceable.

Baklarz says, “IPPS-A changes that by automating steps within the system. We’re the first in the Army to allow mobile access to the HR system.”

So what does this mean for you? Well, to be honest, maybe some initial hiccups as all the human resources personnel here in Draper and at the Army Guard armories throughout Utah get trained and spun up on the new processes. But, ultimately? For one thing, accurate and timely pay. IPPS-A has a 98 percent accuracy rate over 26 different pay transactions. Even better, it brings visibility down to the level where it matters most – to the people each personnel or pay transaction affects the most – the individual Soldier. You, me, your battle, your spouse. For years we’ve been told we’re in charge of our own careers, now we’re finally going to have the tools to manage it.

 

-30-

More photos available to download on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/utahnationalguard/albums. In general, all media on the site is produced by U.S. DoD or Federal Agencies, and is in the public domain, i.e., not protected by U.S. copyright; however, other restrictions might apply, such as, but not limited to, the right to enforce trademarks, and the right of privacy/right of publicity, any of which might restrict use of some of the media. Media may not be used to imply endorsement of any product or service by the DoD. Proper credit of the producing journalist(s) is requested.

Your Career Starts Here

Freedom Academy delegates perform a customized group chant at Camp Williams on the morning of July 20th, 2023. Since 1961 the Utah National Guard and Honorary Colonels Corps have sponsored Freedom Academy, providing a challenging and engaging environment designed to teach high school leaders from across Utah the importance of freedom and highlight the military and governmental functions that are critical to its survival.
Utah National Guard hosts Freedom Academy 2023
By Sgt. Christine Hoskins | July 20, 2023
High school students from across the state of Utah assembled at Camp Williams for a week of learning, honing leadership skills, developing friendships, finding deeper purpose, and solidifying their understanding of freedom,...

Senior Airman Kevin Buckner (middle), fire protection with the 151st Civil Engineering Squadron, Utah National Guard, carries a pineapple while rucking more than six miles for the mystery event during the Region VII Best Warrior Competition on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu, May 7-11, 2023. The Best Warrior Competition is an annual Army-sponsored event designed to measure the Soldier’s physical fitness, mental acuity, and demonstrated skill in warrior tasks and battle drills. The Soldier and Noncommisioned Officer of the Year for the region will advance to the All Guard National Best Warrior Competition in Alaska.
Utah Airman keeps up with region’s top Soldiers at Best Warrior Competition
By Staff Sgt. Jordan Hack | May 12, 2023
Senior Airman Kevin Buckner, a fire protection journeyman with the 151st Civil Engineering Squadron, winner of the Soldier of the Year category at this year’s Utah National Guard Best Warrior Competition, impressed everyone...

Educators from high schools in Salt Lake and Utah Counties were given the chance to fly high with members of the Utah National Guard as part of a centers of influence event at Camp Williams, Utah, March 16, 2023. 

Lt. Col. Toby Adamson, commander, Recruiting and Retention Battalion, was one of the guest speakers at the COI event that helped educators become familiar with opportunities and resources the Utah National Guard has to offer their students with programs like Freedom Academy, Minuteman Scholarship, United Families and Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery.
Utah educators fly on Black Hawk helicopters over Salt Lake and Utah counties
By Ileen Kennedy | March 17, 2023
Educators from Salt Lake and Utah Counties were given the chance to fly high on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with members of the Utah National Guard’s 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment; and...

Spc. Justin Webber, a food service specialist assigned to the 19th Special Forces Group Support Battalion, prepares a soup during the “Final Four” of the Philip A. Connelly Competition at Camp Williams, Utah, February 25, 2023. Webber was one of several 19th Soldiers who supported the 1457th Forward Support Company, 1457th Engineer Battalion, Utah National Guard. (US Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Rich Stowell)
Utah Guardsmen Among Top Cooks in the Country
By Sgt. 1st Class Richard Stowell | March 9, 2023
Soldiers assigned to and supporting the 1457th Forward Support Company, 1457th Engineer Battalion, Utah National Guard, participate in the “Final Four” of the Philip A. Connelly Competition at Camp Williams, Utah, February...

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. David Zahm (right) and Master Sgt. Shaundra Andress (left) communicate about an upcoming project for the base comm office. (Air National Guard photo by: Tech Sgt. Nicholas Perez)
16 Key Principles of Effective Communication
By Tech. Sgt. Nicholas Perez | Feb. 23, 2023
Effective communication is crucial to success in any field, but it is imperative in the military. In high-stakes, dynamic environments, clear and accurate communication is essential for ensuring the safety of troops, the...

Utah National Guard’s 300th Military Intelligence Brigade held its 34th annual Military Intelligence Language Conference on Feb. 11, 2023. As part of the conference more than 140 competitors from 25 different organizations participate in the Polyglot Games. The competition is conducted in seven different languages and follow every step of the intelligence cycle, from the operations order to a final commander's brief as they translate battlefield recordings and news reports, exploit documents to identify and destroy enemy equipment, and assess possible enemy courses of action.
Utah National Guard hosts world’s largest Polyglot Games at the MI Language Conference
By Master Sgt. Samantha Xanthos | Feb. 11, 2023
Competitors from multiple organizations came from across the country to participate in this year’s Polyglot games, hosted by the 300th Military Intelligence Brigade. More than 140 participants from 25 different organizations...

The Utah Air National Guard honor their outstanding nominees during the Airmen of the Year banquet at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center on Jan. 7th, 2023. The Airmen of the Year award program is designed to recognize Airmen who display superior leadership, job performance and personal achievement.

(Air National Guard photo by: Tech. Sgt. Danny Whitlock)
Utah Air National Guard Honors the Airmen of the Year 2022
By Tech. Sgt. Danny Whitlock | Jan. 10, 2023
The Utah Air National Guard celebrated its Airmen of the Year during a banquet held in their honor at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center Jan. 7, 2023 in West Valley City, Utah.The Airmen of the Year award program is...

Utah National Guard members repel with the help of their civilian counterparts during a Utah National Guard FEMA Region VIII Homeland Response Force training exercise on Camp Williams, Utah, Nov. 5, 2022. The event featured multiagency interoperability training for the Utah National Guard and civilian partner agencies to provide initial and follow-on care to stranded and injured citizens in the event of a natural or human-caused emergency. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Alejandro Lucero)
Utah National Guard Hosts Multi-Agency Disaster Response Exercise
By Capt. Megan Tidwell | Nov. 5, 2022
The Utah National Guard’s Domestic Operations Office; in conjunction with the state of Utah Emergency Operation Center, Division of Emergency Management, conducted a multi-agency training event at Camp Williams in Bluffdale,...

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve presented the Seven Seals and Patriot Awards to select civic leaders at a ceremony on Oct. 26, 2022. Gov. Spencer Cox received both the ESGR’s Seven Seals Award and the Patriot Award. Mr. Gary Harter, executive director for the Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, and Mr. Jon Pierpont, chief of staff to the governor and former executive director of the Utah Department of Workforce Services, also received the ESGR Seven Seals Award.
ESGR Presented Awards to Civic Leaders
By Maj. Chris Kroeber | Oct. 27, 2022
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve presented the Seven Seals and Patriot Awards to select civic leaders at a ceremony on Wednesday. Gov. Spencer Cox received both the ESGR’s Seven Seals Award and the Patriot Award. Mr...

Sgt. Maurice Manns II with the 204th Maneuver  Enhancement Brigade, emerges for a breath during the swimming portion of the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge , conducted at Camp Williams, Utah Oct. 16, 2022. This year’s competition offers an opportunity for competitors to earn the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. The Utah National Guard Best Warrior Competition is an annual event that brings together Soldiers and Airmen from the major commands to compete for the title of Soldier/Airman-of-the-Year, Noncommissioned Officer-of-the-Year and Senior NCO-of-the-Year. The Army winners of this competition will represent the Utah Army National Guard at the Region VII Best Warrior Competition next spring.  (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ariel J. Solomon)
UTNG Best Warrior Competition Presents Top Competitors
By Spc. Shae Cox | Oct. 24, 2022
Twenty-three Soldiers and Airmen battled mental and physical challenges as they competed for the title of Soldier/Airman of the Year, Noncommissioned Officer of the Year, and Senior NCO of the Year, during the Utah National...