Can change be good in the AF? Published April 28, 2007 By Maj. Reginald Ash 60th Communications Squadron commander TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A wise man once said to me "only a baby with a dirty diaper likes change." However, every one of us, from the Airmen turning the wrenches to the general briefing the President, knows that change is a constant in the Air Force today. We have all been briefed on manpower reductions and Air Force Smart Operations 21 Lean initiatives in hopes that we will learn to embrace change. The 60th Communications Squadron is leading Team Travis through a very significant change. We are revolutionizing the way our network, (which is a weapon system -- but that's an article for another day), the computers on your desk and key war fighting systems are supported. In the past, each squadron had their own client support administrators to fix their computers, printers and to interface user's problems with the 60th CS. With the Air Force reducing its manpower by 40,000 Airmen and the increased network threats, the Air Force needs change and "out of the box" thinking. The result is a consolidation of our Information Managers. Our CSA manpower is primarily composed of Information Managers which are being cut by 48 percent at Travis. The remaining "additional duty, non-3A0 CSAs" were spending significant time away from their primary duties, including three weeks of training and countless hours fixing computer problems. This was obviously an area ready for an AFSO 21 initiative, with the key factor being that everyone would benefit from having their additional duty CSAs returned to full time primary duties. This formula also helps Team Travis combat network threats. Our nation's enemies attack DoD networks with increasing frequency and ferocity. The 60th CS has taken a proactive tactic to defend our network and to eliminate weaknesses everywhere. One weakness found was that more than 178 people had special, elevated privileges on our Travis network. When a user is granted elevated privileges, vulnerabilities are created in our network defenses. By only allowing 60th CS personnel to have elevated privileges, we found we not only reduce the number of those who can disable our defenses, but we also provide oversight from fully trained network defenders. Over the last six months our vulnerabilities have been cut in half, a great achievement towards fully protecting one of the Air Force's most important assets. While this change is necessary, it begs the question, "What will happen to customer service and responsiveness?" Thanks to recent technological advances, 60th CS will maintain the highest standards of service. The most useful tool used for us and our customers allows 60th CS technicians to take control of your computer (with your permission) and fix problems without leaving the technician's desk. This eliminates the time it takes to drive to your building and find your office and allows for expedient service to every customer. Another key point to remember is that improperly managed consolidation can be a governmental nightmare. However, if properly planned and executed, it will create a much smoother operation and provide a higher level of customer service. The first step 60th CS took was to create an AFSO 21 team that was part of every decision made. They then establish a consolidated CSA team called the "Geek Squad." The Geek Squad developed a fast-paced schedule that successfully assessed and upgraded 5,000 computer systems across two wings. When the Geek Squad came to each unit they handed out a pamphlet explaining where to go for computer assistance in the future and to call 424- 2666 if you have any computer issues. The 60th CS Grizzles welcome you --our customers-- to visit the Geek Squad with any computer issues you have. We are located in Bldg. 243, across the street from 60th Air Mobility Wing Headquarters and the Air Museum. In early May our customer service center will relocate to Bldg. 242, right across from the tennis courts and pool. A satellite help desk will be located in the Maintenance Group Building 31 to serve our flight line customers and those in the surrounding area. The 60th CS vision is "Unrivaled customer service...AMC's best comm team," and we welcome any feedback you may have. COMM ROCKS!