ID cards prepare airmen for deployment

  • Published
  • By Capt. Amie Brockway
  • Air Combat Command Public Affairs
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) --  An airman's projected deployment information can fit inside his or her wallet thanks to the new air and space expeditionary force identification card available online.

Officials at the AEF Center here recently introduced the cards as a way to help airmen understand the details of their deployments.

"The cards were designed because many airmen don't know when they are deploying," said Master Sgt. Tonya Brinkley, the noncommissioned officer in charge of Web site development and maintenance for the center. "They can now be more aware of the details so they can plan better and get the training they need to deploy."

A visit to AEF Online results in a personalized card that can be printed on any printer and kept in a wallet or purse. The site must be accessed from computers in the dot-mil domain. People should see their unit deployment managers to receive their cards, which take only a few minutes to complete, Brinkley said.

The card tells airmen what AEFs they belong to and their individual unit type codes. The UTC is a code that, when referenced on AEF Online, lists the duties an individual will be required to perform for a deployment. On the back of the card, airmen will find the AEF-cycle chart and addresses of Web sites that can give them more predeployment information.

"Commanders must ensure their airmen are assigned to UTCs, aligned with an AEF, and trained-to-task to perform the UTC's mission," said Brig. Gen. Al Peck, AEF Center commander. "There are a variety of tools available to commanders to assist them, like the AEF Online Web site and the AEF UTC Reporting Tool, which tracks the ability of wings to meet their expeditionary requirements. The AEF ID card is one more tool they can use to keep their people informed."

The idea for an AEF ID card was adapted from cards already in use by the Air Combat Command directorate of communications and information systems and a few other organizations, Peck said.

"We designed the cards to be user-friendly and contain the information people want to know," said Peck. "The AEF is designed to offer more predictability and stability to our airmen and their families. If our people take the time to get this card, much of their essential deployment information will be at their fingertips, making deployment planning much easier."

The card can be found at https://aefcenter.acc.af.mil/AEFC/idcard.htm.

Airmen can find answers to other deployment-related questions at AEF Online at https://aefcenter.acc.af.mil/eafonline. Both sites must be accessed from computers in the dot-mil domain. (Courtesy of ACC News Service)