Going virtual with PRDA Published Sept. 28, 2009 By Senior Airman Kali L. Gradishar 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- A new way of keeping track of unit records has crept into Spangdahlem Air Base. The Personnel Records Display Application is currently taking over as the electronic version of the Automated Records Management System. While PRDA has been available to all U.S. Air Force users since April, said Master Sgt. L'Tanya Williams, 52nd Force Support Squadron customer support superintendent, plenty of users are still working to ensure they wholly understand the new program and its intricacies. To aid users with the PRDA transition, the 52nd Force Support Squadron held a number of classes to relay what it is PRDA customers need to know and will hold additional classes in the future. The next PRDA briefing is Oct. 6 at the Eifel Wilkommen Center in building 42. PRDA is a new Air Force Personnel Center Virtual Personnel Services Center program that will provide commanders, supervisors, first sergeants and other approved positions access to enlisted and officer personnel records for the performance of their official duties. Everyone has access to their own record via ARMS; but with PRDA, "those who are supervisors will have automatic access to their subordinate's records as long as the updates are made in the Military Personnel Data System. Commanders and first sergeants will have automatic jurisdiction access based on their Air Force specialty code," Sergeant Williams said. PRDA gives access to the member, the member's rater, senior rater, command chief master sergeant, wing commander, group commander, squadron commander and first sergeant. Spangdahlem PRDA administrators may also provide access for additional approved leadership positions. "PRDA greatly enhances leadership's ability to accomplish personnel actions on their Airmen by reducing the time spent tracking down records, reports and career data -- ultimately giving our supervisors and commanders time back to do their primary job," said Maj. Gen. K.C. McClain, AFPC commander, according to a March 10 Air Force news article. For more information on PRDA, call the 52nd FSS Military Personnel Section's Customer Support Section at DSN 452-6553.