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New Employee Resources
Everything you need to get started as an Army civilian — from your first day paperwork to setting up your benefits.
Your first stop: Most onboarding tasks happen through myPers. Look for a Welcome Letter from your supervisor — it has your reporting date and how to get started.
Your Official Onboarding Kit
🎒 Start Here
- New Army Civilian Onboarding Portal — the Army’s official welcome hub, with checklists and guides for you, your supervisor, and your sponsor
- Your First 365 Days (PDF) — what your first year as an Army civilian looks like
- Pay Period Calendar (PDF) — when you actually get paid
- Army Benefits Center (ABC-C) — where you enroll in benefits (remember: 60-day deadline)
🌎 New to the Army Itself?
- Army.mil — the official U.S. Army website
- “What is the Army?” (video) — a quick primer on the organization you just joined
- Army vision, strategy & organization — how it all fits together
Before Your First Day
- 1
Background investigation
After you get your tentative job offer, you’ll fill out background check forms online through e-QIP. Your security officer sends you instructions. Don’t ignore this — it has to be done before you can start.
- 2
Pre-hire paperwork
HR will send you forms to complete: a declaration of federal employment, tax withholding, direct deposit, and an I-9 to verify your identity and work eligibility. Bring original ID documents — copies won’t work for the I-9.
- 3
Pick your benefits — you have 60 days
Once you start, you have exactly 60 days to choose your health insurance, life insurance, and retirement savings contributions. After 60 days, you’re locked in until the next Open Season in November — unless you have a qualifying life event like marriage, divorce, or a new baby.
- 4
Get your CAC (ID card)
Your Common Access Card is your Army ID and your key to the computer network. Go to your installation’s RAPIDS office with two forms of ID. You can’t log in to most Army systems without it.
Your First Week
- Meet your supervisor and get your first assignment
- Complete required cybersecurity training in Army LMS — this is mandatory and has a deadline
- Attend EEO New Employee Orientation (required within 90 days — this is where you learn your workplace rights)
- Read and sign your Position Description so you know what your job actually requires
- Set up your Army email and Microsoft Teams access
- Log in to the ABC-C benefits portal and confirm your elections went through
- Ask your supervisor about setting up a development plan (IDP) — it’s how you set goals and track growth
- If your job is covered by a union contract, ask HR for a copy of the Collective Bargaining Agreement
How You Get Paid
You’re paid every two weeks, with paychecks landing on Wednesdays. Your pay system depends on your job type:
| Pay System | Who It Covers | How Pay Is Set |
|---|---|---|
| General Schedule (GS) | Most office, professional, and technical jobs | National pay scale plus a locality bump based on where you work |
| Federal Wage System (WG) | Trades, crafts, and labor jobs | Local wage surveys — pay matches what the same work pays in your area |
| Senior Executive Service (SES) | Top leadership roles | Performance-based pay band |
| Demo / Pay Band (ACIP) | Research, STEM, and some acquisition jobs | Broader pay bands with more flexibility |
New Employee Orientation
Within your first two weeks, HR will schedule you for a New Employee Orientation (NEO). It covers your rights as a federal employee, how benefits work, workplace conduct, and EEO policy. Show up — it matters.
EEO orientation is required by Army regulation (AR 690-600). You’ll meet your EEO Officer there. This is also where you learn how to report discrimination or request a reasonable accommodation if you need one.
Key Systems & Contacts
Key Systems
- 🧰 The full Tools & Systems directory — every login you’ll ever need, in one place
- myPers Self-Service Portal
- Army LMS (Training)
- ABC-C Benefits Center
- Thrift Savings Plan
HR Contact
- Questions about onboarding? Contact your servicing HR office or the Army Civilian HR Operations Center.
- 📞 1-800-XXX-XXXX
- ✉️ civilianhr@army.mil
Last Updated: July 2026 · Onboarding kit links from the ACCMA New Army Civilian Onboarding Portal (civilians.army.mil) · Not an official Army website.