Grand Forks AFB helps to modernize Air Force

Published March 28, 2012
By Senior Airman Luis Loza Gutierrez
319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Modernization of the Air Force remains a top priority at every level of leadership, as highlighted by Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley during a speech in February.

"Modernization, as challenging as it is in this resource constrained period, will not wait, and remains essential to maintaining U.S. advantages in contested air, space and cyber space domains," Donley said during the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 24, 2012, in Orlando, Fla. "A failure to make the proper investment now will undermine the effectiveness of the future force and our ability to execute the new strategic guidance for decades to come."

Officials hope a new modernization initiative at Grand Forks will have serious impact at the tactical level as they replace older desktop computer systems with new, state-of-the-art tablet computers that are lighter, faster and more importantly - mobile.

Grand Forks is one of three Air Mobility Command installations now using the tablets, along with McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, and Scott AFB, Illinois according to Lt. Col. Joe Moritz, commander of the 319th Communications Squadron.

Moritz explained how the decision to purchase 100 Lenovo Think Pad X220s with end-of-year funding was because the command realized it couldn't just stay with status quo and buy another thousand desktops.

At a little less than four pounds in weight, these 12-inch business notebooks come equipped with an Intel Core-i5 2520M dual core processor, a 128 gigabyte solid state hard drive and four gigabytes of random access memory - all specifications which exceed the speed and capability the majority of standard desktop computers currently used on the base, said Moritz.

Features include a high definition webcam for capturing images or video teleconferencing and a touch screen which allows the user to make handwritten notes onto Microsoft documents using the newest version of Microsoft Office 2010.

Moritz said a primary reason for adding the tablets to the base's communication arsenal was saving money in the long run

He said that while many look for "a million dollar savings here, two million dollar saving there," he was looking to save three cents per transaction.

Those small transactions add up over the lifetime of a piece of equipment like a computer, he said.

Moritz noted the Wing's population is another reason for pursuing a move toward technological innovation at Grand Forks AFB.

"We're a fairly small Wing, so we can take tools down to the individual, give them that tool ... (and) they can think of ways to integrate that tool into their processes," he said.

Moritz said the base also invested in wireless access points, making the tablets even more accessible.

The goal is to provide personnel who are out and about access to all tools and capabilities that a desktop computer provides, such as e-mail, on-line training, or even signing performance reports.

"Anything you can do at your current desktop computer you will be able to do wirelessly," Moritz added.

And a more efficient work force can equate to a happier workforce.

Moritz expressed that these systems provide the individual the capability to take advantage of small periods of time during the day when the individual is in a lull.

He added that these periods of time "added up throughout the course of the day get you home an hour earlier, or get you one less weekend that you have to come in."

Nearly half of the tablets have been issued, starting with senior Wing leadership. Moritz said his squadron will provide all 319th ABW squadron commanders, chief master sergeants and first sergeants with their very own tablet.

A four-member team of enlisted Airmen from the communications squadron has been assembled and trained on the new computers. Their job is to deploy at various locations around base throughout the next few weeks in order to train recipients on the new technology.

Moritz said that while issuing the new computers is easy, transforming the culture of the base is a bit more difficult. He noted that bridging the cultural divide between those willing to embrace change and those who prefer staying with what they're used to is the biggest challenge.

"There are people that like to look at data like this," Moritz said while referring to a white sheet of paper. "They don't like popping their tablet out and looking at the same data on a computer screen, so there clearly is a usability issue here, but that is not unlike the early 1900's when people saw an automobile and said that will never replace the horse."