JEFX breaks new ground in expeditionary info collection

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Corinna M. Jones
  • Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2004 Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFPN) --  The Air Force is breaking new ground at the Joint Expeditionary Force Exercise 2004, with the Visualization of Expeditionary Sites Tool.

VEST is an initiative designed for planners to prepare for all phases of air and space expeditionary operations. It is the only support initiative being tested at JEFX 04, the Air Force chief of staff-sponsored experiment that assesses new and emerging technologies.

“Instead of someone providing written data to warfighters, the VEST puts that data on a computer-generated map and provides information on capabilities of that base,” said Capt. Lori Kabel, a VEST initiative provider. “It helps the warfighter choose the base that best fits the mission.”

The tool enables planners to rapidly compile information, creating a list of air bases most capable of meeting operational requirements by integrating all available site logistical and operational information. It also reduces the time it takes to identify a potential site for expeditionary operations.

“This is the only agile combat support tool being tested this year at JEFX,” Captain Kabel said. She said the tool enhances how Air Force leaders execute the air and space expeditionary concept for selecting a site before a war starts.

VEST works by taking data from the contingency assessment tool, which tracks information including specific capabilities each base has to offer. It then links the information with a map from the common installation picture. The final product is a detailed map visually showing the capabilities of any base queried.

“This is a machine-to-machine initiative that links two data bases together, the tabular data and the visual display. Up until now, we’ve had to go to multiple data sources, now we have one tool,” Captain Kabel said. “We can evaluate many bases at the same time.”

VEST will improve the deployment-planning process, reduce response times and use deployment resources more efficiently and effectively, said Capt. John Gustafson, Air Force forces section logistics readiness officer.

“VEST comes from operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom lessons learned,” he said. “It’s allowing us to be proactive instead of reactive. We are also building on lessons from JEFX ‘00 and ’02.”

In preparation for JEFX 04, the tool was developed by the Air Force Command and Control Battlelab and the expertise of Air Force combat-support warfighters.

“We brought in 20 warfighters from various major commands who told us what this tool should look like and how it could aid the planning process,” said Maj. Mark Syzdek, a VEST initiative provider. “It’s been a resounding success. Something that used to take days can now be done in minutes. It’s a major capability that we’ve never had before and it’s easy to use.”