Strength through communication: F. E. Warren to receive network upgrades

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Chad Denaughel
  • 90th Communications Squadron
F. E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. --  Air Force Global Strike Command's F. E. Warren Air Force Base is scheduled to undergo a network migration to the Air Force Network by the end of this calendar year. The AFNet migration effort involves moving user accounts, functional computer accounts as well as e-mail from Air Force Space Command and Air Combat Command legacy environments into the AFNet enterprise environment.

AFNet migrations are part of an ongoing service-wide effort to transform cyber operations and establish a central Air Force Network under the direction of a single commander. In today's environment, each Major Command owns and operates individual network and e-mail services and has help desks located at every installation. By consolidating these networks and centralizing services, the Air Force can significantly increase security, standardize operations and training as well as reduce costs without sacrificing the quality and timeliness of information needed by our war fighters.

Throughout this Air Force-wide project, AFGSC has partnered with AFSPC, ACC, and Air Force Network Integration Center to determine the best target of opportunity to migrate each base to the AFNet enterprise environment. During the migration, user impact will be minimal and in most cases transparent. The most visible change will be the designation of a new e-mail address that military members, civil service employees and Department of Defense contractors will keep for the duration of their career, employment or affiliation with the Air Force regardless of the base or organization which they are assigned to. The network migration will replace the traditional e-mail address with a standard e-mail address allowing centralized management of these accounts.

Another recognizable change will be around-the-clock access to e-mail and network services such as the Air Force Portal, Air Force Personnel Center, Defense Finance Accounting Service, and any other sites requiring authentication. Through the use of a Common Access Card and static e-mail account, Airmen who are TDY, deployed or in permanent change-of-station status can communicate and manage personal information through any Air Force CAC-enabled computer. Migration into the AFNet also effectively eliminates the past practice of deactivating and creating accounts and immediately makes Airmen more productive and effective.

In preparation for the migration that will take place near the end of the calendar year, we encourage you to reduce the size of your mailbox by deleting unnecessary files and moving others to personal folders. Additionally, please archive those files that you have not accessed during the last 180 calendar days. All your efforts in reducing the amount of data that must be migrated are greatly appreciated. For assistance, please contact your local client support technician or call the 90th Communications Squadron Communications Focal Point at 773-4545. For more information, contact the 90th CS AFNet migration project lead Henry Winford at 773-2046 or by e-mail at henry.winford@us.af.mil.