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Systems group adds technology to mix of Hurricane Katrina relief support

19 Oct 2005 | Phil Berube

While millions of tons of relief supplies are flowing into the Gulf Coast daily, the Operations and Sustainment Systems Group here is shoring up the vital flow of communications to the hurricane-stricken region.

Hours after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, the group's team of communications, logistics, contracting and acquisition experts were called to action.

The first call for help over the Labor Day weekend came from Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., which suffered severe flooding and wind damage from the hurricane.

"The Operations Division received an emergency request from Keesler to upgrade their unclassified circuits to support the increased demand for command and control and e-mail traffic on their network," said Lt. Col. John Hennigan, the division's deputy director. "We were able to double the base's communications capability in anticipation of their needs after the hurricane and to support the relief efforts."

The division, which controls and manages Air Force Internet protocol addresses and networks, issued numerous classified and unclassified "tactical IP addresses" for several Air Force combat communications units deployed to the region and supported increased classified circuit requirements for Robins AFB, Ga., to support the base's JSTARS aircraft flying missions over the region, he said.

Additionally, the division deployed two of its enlisted communications experts to Tyndall AFB, Fla., in support of Joint Task Force-Katrina.

While the Operations Division was focusing on bandwidths, the group's Acquisition and Commodities Division is poised to help bring communications links back online in the region.

"We're postured to assist Air Education and Training Command, the Electronic Systems Center and Air Force Communications Agency in reconstituting Keesler's and the region's network infrastructure," said Matt Benavides, the division's director.

If the call comes, he said his team will employ the Air Force Network-Centric contract vehicle to acquire information technology hardware and associated services from commercial vendors. The NETCENTS contract vehicle, which is managed by Mr. Benavides' division, is the single source for all Air Force network-related products and services.

Answering an urgent call for IT support was the group's Contracting Systems Division.

Shortly after the flood waters receded on Keesler, officials there discovered that the base's contracting system computers were destroyed in the deluge. In keeping with the pre-coordinated Air Education and Training Command Continuity of Operations Plan to provide temporary relief for the loss, the division is deploying an Airman and two support contractors to Keesler with a contingency contracting IT kit. The kit includes servers loaded with contracting software applications and databases, a tape backup unit and up to 25 laptop computers.

"The team will help install the servers and laptop clients as needed, then re-establish system interfaces if a (local area network) is available," said Carolyn Lee, the division's director. "A support staff of database administrators, system technologists and others at OSSG will provide remote technical support to Keesler's contracting officials as long as necessary for them to reach full operational capability."

To help keep track of the tons of military cargo moving into and out of the region, the group's Logistics Systems Division is responding to requests for shipment information from the transportation staff of the Headquarters Air Force Crisis Action Team.

A team of the division's logisticians are accessing databases for specific queries on cargo commodities and researching the Global Transportation Network for in-transit visibility information.

Along with support from OSSG, Keesler and other military units are also getting technical assistance from the Engineering and Integration Support Squadron. Though housed on the OSSG campus on Gunter Annex, the squadron of military, government civilian and contractor engineers and IT specialists falls directly under the Headquarters Operations Support Systems Wing at Hanscom AFB, Mass.

To help Keesler's leadership keep the rest of the military community informed about its operational status and emergency information, the EISS, at the request of the Keesler base commander, posted hurricane updates and emergency information to the Air Force Portal.

The squadron also implemented alternate applications operations for Air Force Special Operations Command's Regional Supply Squadron by migrating applications to the Global Combat Support System-Air Force framework, allowing users to use single sign-on capability.

"This enables members of the supply squadron to access their software applications on computers at their alternate locations," said EISS member, 1st Lt. Scott Doss.

"In this trying time, I am especially proud of the members of the Operations Support Systems Wing here at Gunter for their dedicated efforts in supporting the unique challenges fostered by Hurricane Katrina," said Gregory Garcia, director of OSSG. "Our members have contributed significantly in their professional support of the critical relief and reconstitution operations. Additionally, many individuals have also assisted through their personal and community efforts. It continues to be a super team effort along with others in our Air Force."

Marine Corps Base Quantico