52nd CS heads base printer REDUX initiative

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  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Airmen assigned to the 52nd Communications Squadron have been working 12- to 14-hour days for the past several months to meet a printer reduction and consolidation initiative headed by the 3rd Air Force to help promote efficient spending throughout the command.

The initiative is a result of Executive Order 12359 signed by President Barack Obama requiring agencies to “ensure that they are not paying for unused or underutilized information technology … or services.”

Airmen from the 52nd CS Plans and Programs and Asset Management flights began planning and working with Information Technology Equipment custodians throughout the wing to identify and remove single-use printers and replace them with multi-functional devices. These devices have the ability to copy, scan and email documents, thus eliminating the use for desktop printers.

“The goal of the printer consolidation initiative is to provide one multi-functional device for every 12 individuals in a work center,” said Staff Sgt. Barry Davies, 52nd CS Plans and Programs manager and printer REDUX project officer. “We were sitting at a two-to-one ratio — meaning there was an overabundance of printers on base.”

Since December, 52nd CS Airmen conducted on-site surveys throughout the squadrons and agencies on base and identified printers that needed to be removed from the network and replaced with MFDs. To date, they have collected and turned in more than 800 printers to the Defense Logistics Agency Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office, more commonly known as DRMO.

“The REDUX will promote sufficient spending as it relates to our printer assets,” said Master Sgt. Anthony Williams, 52nd CS. “By efficient spending, we mean maintenance costs, supplies. We’re trying to take a lot of the older printer devices off the network and establish multi-function devices in their stead. This could help save the command up to $8 million per year."

Asset management flight Airmen also worked with the 52nd Logistics Readiness Squadron to acquire space for ITECs to turn in printers slated for DRMO.

Senior Airman Jonah Webber, a 52nd CS asset management technician, said he and other staff members went through the database to see how many printers each squadron or agency had assigned to them. Once that was complete, they worked with the plans office to visit those units and identify the printers slated to be removed. Since then, he said the base network began running a lot smoother. 

“We have fewer problems on the network because we have fewer resources being used,” Webber said. “We’ve also cut down on the man hours spent repairing the network, which frees our technicians to focus on other areas. Consolidating the printers will save a lot of money and people’s time.”

On average, it could take several man hours to get a normal desktop printer online. This is not counting the amount of coordination between shops within the communications squadron to calibrate the printer for network access, to add the printer to the network, and to install the printer in the squadron or unit. Having one MFD per 12 people in a unit will help alleviate some of these issues.

“Once we consolidate to solid MFDs and specialty printers, we know this REDUX will benefit the base, our unit, and save money in the long run,” Webber said.  

The printer REDUX is scheduled to be completed in 2018. For more information or to turn in a desktop printer, contact your unit ITEC.