AFGHANISTAN BOUND? - MANDATORY ONE-STOP IN-PROCESSING

UNCLAS STATE 115446 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AMGT APER SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN BOUND? - MANDATORY ONE-STOP IN-PROCESSING SERVICES BY THE ORIENTATION AND IN-PROCESSING CENTER (OIP) REF: (A) 2009 KABUL 2522 (B) 2009 State 101519 (C) 2009 State 112461 ¶1. (U) A rapid increase in civilian staffing at the U.S. Mission in Afghanistan is underway. To simplify the deployment process for employees, and to help Embassy Kabul coordinate the logistics of supporting the new arrivals, effective immediately, all civilian employees, of any agency, who will be under Chief of Mission authority in Afghanistan are required to in-process through NEA-SCA/EX's Office of Orientation and In-Processing (OIP in Washington, DC). ¶2. OIP provides a range of services for departing employees: help with applying for passports and visas; information about mandatory training and help with registration; issuance of State ID cards and DoD Common Access Cards (CAC),travel arrangements from Dubai to Kabul, and the electronic Country Clearance (eCC). ¶3. Employees must not travel to Afghanistan until the post has provided country clearance (Ref C). ¶4. In addition, this is a reminder that all civilians who will be under Chief of Mission Authority must complete all mandatory Afghanistan service orientation training prior to departure (Ref B). Employees cannot proceed to Afghanistan without completing all applicable courses. ¶5. The responsibilities of employees and the services provided by OIP are spelled out in OIP's two Afghanistan Deployment Guides - one for State Department employees and one for employees of Outside Agencies. Both are available on OIP's intranet accessible website, https://www.intelink.gov/wiki/Orientation_and _In- Processing_Center:_Afghanistan . ¶6. Questions should be addressed to Susan Farrar, Director OIP, at (202) 776-8962; email: OIPAfghanistanOrientation@state.gov as soon as possible to preclude any assignment or travel delays. ¶7. Minimze Considered. CLINTON