MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Getting orders to a new base is exciting, yet stressful, from figuring out housing, the new area, leaving your friends, and in-processing to a new unit. For many, the idea of having someone able to sit down with an expert to help them step-by-step along the way is a big relief, but, for some, that is not an option.
“It was scary moving during the [coronavirus] pandemic,” said Staff Sgt. Chelsea Hughes, a dental assistant at the 6th Medical Group. “It was tough learning the official processes while adapting to new temporary processes.”
Hughes mentioned that she had to lean on her support system of friends and family to push forward by helping her stay resilient.
“Even though I was unable to in process face-to-face, Airman 1st Class Melyssa Moulden made the process a breeze,” said Hughes. “She was my point of contact for all online services and she was super knowledgeable, pleasant and always available. I was scared the whole time I would file my voucher with errors, but she was quick to respond and was always professional.”
Moulden is a finance services technician assigned to the 6th Comptroller Squadron and she said that although working from home was stressful due to all of the distractions, she maintained her professionalism by trying to empathize with each member she worked with.
“Members are frustrated because they can’t figure out e-finance and the team here is frustrated because this process has slowed us down a lot,” said Moulden. “Regardless, our whole focus is to get the members taken care of as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Moulden said although this is only her first year in the Air Force, she has referred back to her prior experiences and support system to stay positive and do whatever it takes to get the mission done.
“Overall, Hughes did such a great job following the instructions I sent and the attention to detail she put into it really helped speed up the process,” said Moulden. “I really just want to thank all of the incoming members for their patience in all of this.”
If someone has arrived during this time frame and needs help with in-processing please use the resources available at https://www.macdill.af.mil/Coronavirus/ or reach out to your unit leadership.