To CAC or not to CAC - it's no longer a question

  • Published
  • By Col. James Reagan
  • 180th Fighter Wing Vice Commander
TOLEDO, Ohio (AFNS) --  Many years ago, I filled out Air Force technical order Form 349's when documenting maintenance on aircraft. The forms were collected daily and entered into a computer somewhere so the data could be consolidated and analyzed.

A few years later, we were given terminals to enter the data ourselves. About that time, direct deposit of our military pay became mandatory and PC's began showing up in work areas. The transformation had begun from paper to digital. It's been a slow (but steady) conversion ever since.

For some of us from the pre-computer generation, it's been quite remarkable and challenging. We didn't grow up with magnetic media but with paper. Military orders, AF2096's, DD214's, SGLI forms etc., were all typed by hand with the original put on file and a copy given to you. Some of you may remember the thick multipart carbon forms. Although the transformation continues, today I can comfortably say the Air Force has finally arrived.

Today, the last vestiges of that old era are practically gone. Almost everything has gone digital. Along with those old paper systems have gone some of the personnel that managed them. The folks who used to do that typing have been replaced by, you guessed it, YOU! You're spending more time entering data than ever before and it continues to increase.

Today, you have the Common Access Card! It is the element that finally links/locks digital information directly to you. You should have noticed more and more AF systems are requiring a CAC for entry. In computer terms it's called "two factor authentication," you have the card and you know the pin. Today practically everything in the Air Force is done on computers and all requiring a CAC.

All of your personnel records are computerized in Virtual Military Personnel Flight, the vMPF. Awards and personal evaluations are digital -- vPC-GR. In addition, the only way to access the AF Portal or Advanced Distance Learning System is with the use of a CAC. Heck, you can't even retire today without logging in with your CAC to apply!

Soon all travel will be on the Defense Travel System (DTS). Although fulltime personnel have been using DTS for a while, by this October everyone will be required to use it. DTS is how you will schedule and get paid for your travel. It won't be optional.

By now you should be getting the point that everything is digital. Computers have become ubiquitous. One of the nice things about your CAC is you can use it from your home. All of the systems mentioned above can be accessed from a non .mil network, i.e. home.

With a CAC reader from your communications flight, you can log in from home to check E-mail, get UTA schedules, update your records, file for and get paid for travel, complete ancillary training, update your civilian employer information and the list goes on. If you don't have a reader I would strongly suggest you get one. I would much rather digitally sign or complete a requirement at times from home on my own PC than spend $4 per gallon driving to the base.

With your CAC comes responsibility. After all, when properly used it certifies you are you. It lets you digitally sign documents that can be legally binding. It is your key to the ranch and needs to be protected as such. When leaving a computer, remove your CAC and stow it. After all, our computer networks are a weapons system. Use safe computing methods both at work and home.