okay here is the email Doug sent to DFAS yesterday. We were out of town today, so he did not get to check his outlook until we got home. (got a home CAC reader) he had one email waiting saying his initial email had been forwarded to the proper office.
He CC'd everyone that we posted email address's for on his email. At around 815 am he received a phone call. A very lengthy phone call. The gentlemen was great. He of course was covering up for the HUGE mistake DFAS made. come to find out Doug's paperwork had NEVER been touched. nothing at all has happened with it. He confirmed it got there the beginning of July and they received everything else signed around the 24th of July. After that nothing. He said it was an oversight and the paperwork was misplaced....
He told Doug that his paperwork would be completed by next Friday at the latest. However, Doug did not stop there, he let the man know he is NOT the only one who's been waiting more than 90 days....HE was actually shaken by that little bombshell. Doug told him more emails or calls would be coming. The man agreed it was not right what was happening.
They discussed the fact that as of August Retirees are still being directed to mail their stuff to New London. That one really had him confused, how the Army does not know....
Anyway, I am going to post the email Doug send yesterday. If anyone would like to contact this gentleman Doug has ask that you email him. Please DO NOT email this man unless you've been waiting more than 90 days. This man has agreed to help, and we do not want to piss him off. He seems to be the poor sap who was stuck with trying to rectify this shitty situation. We need to remember there will be more after us and we all need to have to connections.
Hopefully this will get things moving for everyone here and those who will happen upon this site in the future.
From: Grogg, Douglas J CIV USARMY MSCOE (US)
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2018 1:10 PM
To: DFAS Cleveland OH HI Mailbox investigation-hotline
Cc: Barber, Charles H Sr LTC USARMY HQDA ASA FM (US); Hanson, Karen S COL USARMY FIN MGT CMD (US); Langfeldtabbott, Sheila M CIV USARMY FIN MGT CMD (US); Schmalfeldt, Gregory SES DFAS JB (US); Blackmon, Dexter J CIV DFAS JFC (US); Hipskind, Patrick B CIV USARMY FIN MGT CMD (US); Hutton, Monica N CIV DFAS JAR (US); Kassenbrock, Emily E CIV DFAS HAB (US); Lindsay, Michael A CIV DFAS JF (US)
Subject: Retired Pay
"CONSENT TO DISCLOSURE"
Sir/Ma'am,
I sincerely apologize for having to bother you but hopefully this message
finds its way to the person that can help me and others who are in the same
position.
I am a recent retiree due to a DoD PDBR and cannot seem to find out why it
is taking so long to get my retired pay account established. My retirement
date is 17 February 2007 and my paperwork (decision signed by the Deputy
Assistant SEC ARMY, orders, DD215, etc.) was submitted to DFAS by the DoD
PDBR in early July. I submitted my DD2656 and supporting information to
DFAS around the24th of July and followed up with a phone call to confirm
receipt. During my initial call to DFAS to check the receipt of my packet,
I was informed that it could take 30-90 days for the account to be
established but that I could call anytime to check on the status. I called
back at the end of August and again in early September. In fact I have
spoken to DFAS several times between 12 September and the date of this email
but am unable to get a straight answer as to when my account would be
completed.
During a call on 26th of September, I was told that my file was in new
accounts but 11 September was the last time it showed any updates/action.
The agent was unsure about where my account was in the process so she
initiated an inquiry and told me to call back in 7 days. On 4 October I
called and there was still no information as to a status. The agent told me
that is was "really a simple process" and didn't know why it was taking so
long. The agent created a "log" or request for update and told me the
Processing Department had 3 days to respond but "doubted I would hear
anything back". According to the agent, "major problems exist within with
that department" and getting them to reply or do their job was "highly
unlikely".
On 11 October I called back as directed and again no information was
available. The agent told me that no action had been taken on my account
and the so called "log" that the Processing Department was supposed to
respond to, was left unanswered. This agent, like the last, indicated that
the Processing Department was inept and "rarely" if ever "complied" with the
request for status updates. She said I should call back in a week to see if
anything has changed. Just for fun I called on again on 12 October and the
agent created another log requesting a status update and told me to call
back in 3 days. This agent, like the others, had no idea as to why no
action has been taken on my account and once again left me with impression
that nothing is being done to process my file. I made one final attempt
today just before sending this message and still no information.
So now I am asking you, why is it taking so long to create an account when I
am already a DoD employee? Why is it that when we owe you money you can
pull it without delay? Why does it seem to be the consensus when I call,
that the Processing Department is full of mismanagement and abuse? Why
hasn't DFAS contacted the VA yet? Are all retiree's getting the same
treatment of just those of us from the PDBR? Is it taking 90 days or longer
to create MG Kent Savre's retirement pay account? (I doubt it)
I am not the only one with this issue. There are innumerable other Vets who
have gone through the PDBR and are getting the same push back; being told
that it may take up to 6 months; the
sad fact is some have been waiting over 6 months already. Granted my case
is different than theirs; I still have severance recoupment being taken by
the VA and will have to be audited before any back pay is issued. However,
from discussions I have had with other Vets in this process I doubt that
will go off without issue; others have been double tapped on recoupment or
told that they aren't receiving back pay because of some "issue" relating to
recoupment or something similar. Regardless, my account should have been
created by now or in the final stages; at the very least there should be
information available to what the status is.
In closing I want you to know that I belong to a forum dedicated to the post
PDBR and this is the number one issue of discussion. Most if not all have
the same story; lost paperwork, no action, getting paid oh wait your account
hasn't been created yet, it will be at least 6 months before you see
anything, sitting on hold forever only to be disconnected, and on, and on,
and on.........excuses but no answers and a different story every time we
call.
I am passing my story along to the others so they may use it for their case
and at some point within the next week contact Senator McCaskill's office to
see if she can help us in some way.
v/r
Mr. Douglas Grogg
Installation Readiness Officer
MSCoE G-3/5
BLDG 3200
FLW MO 65473
OFFICE # 573-563-5530
CELL # 573-201-6407