The Servicing Personnel Office (SPO) Section maintains and updates personnel data records as well as investigating and resolving personnel and pay issues for various assigned commands in the Alameda Area and students. The Payment Authorizing Officials (PAO) at the SPO are authorized to create pay records using Direct-Access, and through it to disburse funds on behalf of the Coast Guard.

Guidance on common personnel transactions along with check-off sheets can be found in the Pay and Personnel Procedures Manual, PPCINST M1000.2A.

Some common areas of concern for the SPO are:

Family Separation Allowance (FSA)
Married members receive this allowance after being TDY or deployed for more than 30 days. The SPO recommends that for patrols/deployments of 90 days or less that FSA be paid in one lump sum rather than starting the entitlement and then stopping it when the unit returns to home port in separate transactions. This prevents overpayments of FSA. To start FSA for a deployment, units should provide the SPO with a roster of eligible members, noting the first and last days that the member was deployed and entitled to FSA. For married members who go TDY (as opposed to a whole unit deploying together) for more than 30 days an FSA worksheet is required.

Sea Pay and Sea Pay Premium
Units entitled to Sea Pay are strongly encouraged to explain the entitlements to newly reported personnel and to explain these entitlements to all personnel at least once per year. The pay system does not allow for tracking of the 3 year consecutive date for Sea Pay Premium and so in most cases the premium is started only after it has been brought to the attention of the SPO by the member or unit.

Permanent Change of Station orders (PCS)
Base Alameda SPO handles about 2100 records and so transfer season can entail a large volume of transferring personnel. To assist your members we ask that PCS departing Worksheets are completed and transmitted to the SPO as soon as possible to allow time to complete the orders so members may receive HHG counseling, set up their HHG pick-up, and receive travel advances in a timely manner.

Overseas PCS transfers
It is important to begin the overseas transfer process as soon as EPM/OPM issues the orders, the overseas screening (PERSMAN, 4.H) is required to be completed within 10 days of receipt of the orders and the entry approval from the receiving command is required prior to allowing a member to depart the unit to begin leave/travel to their new unit. In order to assist with this the SPO Section Chief will watch for overseas transfer orders on the Direct-Access airport terminal and pass information to the unit for the local records check part of the screening . Any member or unit point of contact is advised to contact the SPO Section Chief with any question about the overseas screening or to get examples/assistance with the request for entry approval message . The SPO Section Chief is also available to screen members if the unit does not have the personnel to do so (screeners should be E-7 or above who have completed an overseas tour).