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    Talisman Saber 2013 Personnel Reception Center keeps track of most valuable asset

    Talisman Saber 2013 Personnel Reception Center keeps track of most valuable asset

    Photo By Master Sgt. Marianique Santos | Members of the Joint Personnel Reception Center keep track of American forces and...... read more read more

    ROCKHAMPTON, Australia - With 12 in Rockhampton and the rest dispersed throughout Sydney, Townsville, Brisbane and Enoggera, the 27 members assigned to the Joint Personnel Reception Center are responsible for the accountability of all American service members, U.S. Department of Defense civilians and contractors landing in Australia to participate in Talisman Saber 2013.

    Though teams outside of Rockhampton are smaller, each location has the same capabilities to monitor personnel as the main body in Rockhampton. JPRC members assist Talisman Saber’s U.S. participants at their designated entry points, checking individuals in as they arrive.

    “That’s how we track where people are,” said U.S. Army Master Sgt. Edwin Carrusini, human resources senior noncommissioned officer for the 8th Human Resource Sustainment Center, Fort Shafter, Hawaii, and Talisman Saber 2013 JPRC. “People flying in receive specific instructions so they can make contact with one of our satellite locations. Once they get there, we sign them in and direct them toward their final destination.”

    Human resources clerks who work for the JPRC also coordinate engage with customs offices so they can enter terminals to find incoming participants and guide them to their next terminal.

    “What makes it difficult sometimes is catching the flights and coordinating arrival information, such as gates and delays,” said Spc. Alexandra Flores, 297th Battle Field Surveillance Brigade, Alaska Army National Guard, human resource specialist and JPRC HR clerk. “Sometimes we have to track down the individual just to make sure they are accounted for.”

    JPRC members are not only responsible for individuals coming in through commercial flights. They also keep track of military flights and those who come through military vessels.

    “If they land in Australia and they’re staying more than one night, we have to get accountability,” said Carrusini. “When we can’t account for an individual, there are notification issues and it goes up to higher headquarters, especially since we’re in another country.”

    Being one of the junior members of the JPRC, Flores said that the experience has proven to be very educational, allowing her to learn about HR responsibilities while deployed as well as work in a combined and joint environment.

    “I like it,” Flores said. “I’ve never really had the opportunity to interact with the other branches before. It’s cool to learn how they work and how they are different from us, especially learning about the Australians and their culture.”

    Though the effectiveness of the Defense Theater Accountability System and teamwork of the JPRC team contribute greatly to the seamless check in and tracking process, each individual is responsible for signing themselves in and out of their locations as necessary to help the JPRC team keep their status boards and manifests accurate and up to date.

    “People have been good at signing in,” Carrusini said. “They hear it from me and my team, and we let them know the importance of accountability.”

    “We cannot afford them getting lost since that means we have to find them in such a huge country,” he continued. “By reiterating this to leadership and individuals, they understand that they have a family back at home that we’ll have to notify if something happens to them.”

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 07.18.2013
    Date Posted: 07.24.2013 21:49
    Story ID: 110760
    Location: ROCKHAMPTON, QLD, AU

    Web Views: 151
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN