Personaly I have to report that JPA has, thus far, been a success. I have on the whole been paid something approaching the right amount and they even remembered that I got promoted!
However, I have seen many examples of cockups, enough to realise that all is not well outside of my fortunate experience. There are however I suspect other culprits other than JPA.
In my location the light-blue PSF staff have been absolutly usless and achieved the square root of fcuk all in the many months of machinations over a friends pay. Were I charitable then I might allow that it wasn't entirely their fault however the manner in which they have 'dealt' with the problem has been atrocious in all respects.
It is possible that they themselves have had major difficulty with JPA and are at the end of their tether but nevertheless, there must be a way to bypass the system. Christ, were it me and my job and some cnut at JPAC kept cocking up someones pay despite my best efforts I'd be pissed on behalf of the guy/gal I was trying to help. I wouldnt want to explain to someone for the sixth month in a row that 'it has been sorted now for next month...' I'd be leaving a note on the boss' desk and taking a car up to meet the idiots at JPAC and inform them of the error of their ways! More importantly I'd be seeking a workable solution to plug the short-term problem and a longer-term fix too.
I am no fan of JPA, I think it a seriously ****e system, however I think the root of some problems may be found closer to home.
How to improve it? The system should permit good old human inputs and the ability to perform emergency payments quickly to make up shortfalls. It is unacceptable for anyone to be underpaid for a month but it is enevitable and people accept that. What is wrong is the time taken to correct it and the complete lack of urgencey to give people what they are owed. Those who do get 'advances' to cover what is really theirs anyway are treated as theives and have to sign forms to promise they wont run away with it - it's their bloody money surely! There are also far too many people not being paid at all one month in order to recover debts (surprisingly effecient there then!) - even worse around xmas as mentioned; this is entirely wrong and SHOULD NOT HAPPEN - make it manageable, spread it out, do NOT land your men and women with bank charges and poor credit ratings, it is not the route to productvity.
WHY can someone not grip the system and get it sorted out? If the computer says 'no' then create a work-around for that situation and allow it to be used, even if it involves paper and entering details later when the computer is fixed - it seems the computer is allowed to run out of control and mere humans are not fit to question it - cart before horse? If one month is buggered up allow the balance to be transfered mid-month, not delayed to the next only to find it is still wrong - the month long cycle is morale destroying for those unfortunate enough to have problems and leads directly to the long periods of underpayment we have all seen.
Im going to calm down and stop, one last thought... If a junior officer treated his/her soldiers/airmen/ratings in the way that JPAC and the system at large treated everyone then they would quite rightly be hauled over the coals... perhaps if there are any senior officers in a position to improve matters they might like to think about what corrective advise they might give to an erring junior officer and then reflect. Swearing till blue in the face that the system is fine when it patently is not is an excellent way of loosing everyones respect.
