Email, help desk changes for users

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Scott Pryor
  • 911 AW/PA
PITTSBURGH IAP ARS --  When you turn on your computer for the March Unit Training Assembly, you will notice something different because of a computer network email migration the base is undergoing. Additionally, users will now be directed elsewhere to solve their computer problems.

Technicians here began migrating workstations, network users and email accounts into the "central" Air Force Network (AFNET) on Feb. 14. Users will notice a screen that says to log off and log back on to complete the migration. Technicians have been working day and night to make the migration, which has taken 21 days, as smooth as possible for the user community.

"Seventy percent of the computers are fully operational at this time," said Les Vish, 911th Communications Squadron Local Access Network manager. "The remaining 30 percent are still operational, but will eventually need to have the operating system reloaded to restore reliability and proper AFNET management capability. This action will occur whenever a user's computer requires touch maintenance, until all of these problems are fixed."

Most of these changes should be relatively transparent to the user, but it will significantly improve security in fighting daily virus activity and malicious intrusion attempts, and improve efficiency.

Users now have a new email address that will remain the same, no matter where they're assigned while serving in the Air Force. The new address or 'Air Force forever email address' will remain the same for the rest of the user's career. The user will no longer have to notify friends and family of their new address when they relocate or go TDY. Additionally, you will be able to read and send digitally signed and encrypted email messages via Outlook Web Access (OWA).

"The migration will allow users to travel to any military installation in the world with just their Common Access Card and access a computer, along with their personal data," said Mr. Vish.

After you log back on, a pop-up screen will tell you that the migration was successful.
Users will first notice that their name, next to their Mailbox item in Outlook, is in all capital letters. They will then want to check their Contact list to see if it migrated as well. If the user's name is in all capital letters and the contact list successfully migrated, then the project is complete.

Users having computer issues should now contact the Enterprise Service Desk instead of the Consolidated Help Desk. Call the Enterprise Service Desk at DSN 945-2900 or 210-925-2900, or email esd@us.af.mil.