Out with old, in with new CSM/TMO improve process

  • Published
  • By Caitlin Schwartz
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office Intern
The Computer Systems Management Office in conjunction with the Base Traffic Management Office started a new process of taking old or broken Information Technology equipment, including desktops, laptops, printers, monitors, etc., out of Spangdahlem and over to the Defense Reutilization Marketing Office in Kaiserslautern. 

This new process is a way to help personnel at Spangdahlem and geographically separated units save money and time. With the Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century initiative, each unit's equipment custodian position has been eliminated, resting the job of moving unusable equipment to the individuals within the unit across U.S. Air Forces in Europe. 

"Spangdahlem has recently become the central DRMO drop-off location for 52nd Fighter Wing units and supported GSUs in the area," said Staff Sgt. Michelle Tanner, 52nd Communications Squadron computer systems management technician. "Personnel are [now] dropping their older equipment [off at] building 107, CSM personnel for turn-in, to be taken down to Kaiserslautern together in large loads." 

Before the new system was implemented, individual units had to bring their equipment to Kaiserslautern, taking people and time away from their mission. With the new system people can drop off their stuff at one location and have it taken away for them. 

"As of May 8, 2007, we've removed the stickers from, prepared, and palletized 814 monitors, 1218 computers, 137 servers/routers/switches, and 292 printers from Spangdahlem and its GSUs," said 2nd Lt. Kaitlin Kenny, 52nd CS network control center OIC. "That surpasses the number of items that we were expecting to send to DRMO." 

Proper procedures have to be followed to keep the system moving at a pace fast enough to keep up with the sheer volume of equipment DRMO gets. Individuals turn in their equipment to the CSM office after removing the classification stickers, wiping or removing hard drives for desktops, laptops, and servers. The palletizing, verifying, filling out of the final paperwork, and transportation to TMO is completed by CSM personnel. 

Everything is packaged up and turned over to DRMO at the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron traffic management office, where Kaiserslautern personnel come and pick up the equipment. It is all taken back to a main warehouse where the ability to reuse the equipment is judged and the equipment can either be resold or is destroyed. 

For more information about the new procedures or the new system, contact DRMO at 452-4700.