AFMC improves deployment process

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WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) --  Air Force Materiel Command officials fielded a tool in the summer designed to help people keep better track of their deployment information and they said it is already making a difference.

The Deployment Qualification System is a Web-based tool providing units with capabilities they have never had before, such as timely and accurate information integration across functional areas, e-mail notifications for expiring training and daily summaries for unit deployment managers.

The system gives individuals access to their current deployment-readiness status, including prerequisites like self-aid and buddy care, chemical-warfare training and weapons qualifications, said Maj. Jeff Stephan, DQS program manager. Unit deployment managers are happy to receive expiration reminders for their law of armed conflict training or self-aid buddy-care training, he said.

"The self-service approach automates administrative steps in our processes and has proven effective in industry," he said.

"I love it,” said Staff Sgt. Ron Dunn, a UDM for the 78th Security Forces Squadron at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., while gearing up for a deployment. “This saves me so much time." He said he was thrilled that people could update their own records, and all he had to do was approve the changes.

DQS now has more than 10,000 registered users, including several unit deployment managers, training providers and installation deployment officers providing constructive feedback on how to increase the tool's usefulness, Major Stephan said.

"We've made a deliberate effort, listening to our users since day one," he said. "We were able to incorporate their feedback during the summer and that approach is paying off. The system has tremendous built-in capabilities, and as we activate them, we're striking positive chords with UDMs and training providers."

Many users were pleased when medical-status flags appeared in DQS, Major Stephan said. Medics share an enterprise view and perspective, and it makes sense to reuse data, said Lt. Col. Steve Toney of the Air Force Medical Support Agency.

The flags do not convey medical information per se, but compliance with instructions, he said. Specifically, they convey whether a person is ready or not ready with regard to immunizations, dental, laboratory, equipment and health record-review status.

Before there was DQS, deployment managers and commanders had to rely on spreadsheets e-mailed or mailed to units to see where their people stood status-wise. Units now have direct access to the information as part of their integrated view of individual readiness status. This medical-data feed is expected to help keep UDMs and commanders involved in supporting their troops to complete their medical requirements.

Other improvements, based directly on user feedback, included reminders e-mailed to course enrollees before scheduled courses, a course roster e-mail sent to training providers when registration closes out, and new UDM and commander reports. The reports put total numbers in perspective by summarizing individual readiness by air and space expeditionary force windows and priority. (Courtesy of AFMC News Service)