The Future Is Now at Dover AFB: The Expeditionary Combat Support System Published June 15, 2010 By 436 Logistics Readiness Squadron 436 LRS June 15, 2009 -- The Air Force is in the midst of an historical transformation. The way the Air Force is organized and the ways that airpower is employed are changing in revolutionary ways. Changing, too, are the ways in which Air Force Logisticians provide support to Warfighters. The Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS) is the cornerstone enabler of the logistics transformation effort. Using an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software solution, ECSS is applying best commercial practices and using industry-proven tools to establish the Air Force's first capability to globally view and manage its logistics resources (i.e., major end items, materiel, people, and funds). But ECSS is much more than an Information Technology system. It will fundamentally change business processes, personnel roles, and jobs across the spectrum of the Air Force Logistics community. Locally, ECSS will drive dramatic changes and improvements in the way logistics is done. For example, the process of scheduling a repair currently means setting a repair date at the base level without the ability to ensure technicians, parts, facilities, tools, etc., are available Air Force-wide. With ECSS, an integrated global view of people/parts availability will enable greater scheduling effectiveness and ultimately increase availability of repaired components or major end items. Simply put, Air Force Logisticians will have what they need to get the job done when repairs are system-scheduled under ECSS. Citing another example, today Air Force Logisticians collectively rely on paper forms and enter data into multiple base-level systems. This labor-intensive effort will be replaced by entering data once into one system. When fully implemented, ECSS will replace hundreds of logistics information systems and will be the single source of truth for logistics information. While it will be several years before ECSS reaches full operational capability and its benefits are fully realized, the implementation process is already underway. And, that process will affect Dover Air Force Base very soon. ECSS will be fielded throughout the Air Force in multiple releases and Dover AFB will see ECSS fielded in June 2012. While that may seem to be a part of the distant future, the reality is that we need to begin preparing for ECSS now. To help with preparation, Dover's ECSS kickoff meeting with leaders and ECSS users will be held on June 22, 2010 at 0930hr in the Base Theater. During that meeting, ECSS program officials will deliver an informational and educational briefing about ECSS, its goals, program timelines, and how the Air Force will be affected. ECSS will drive changes in the way the Air Force does business and the way logisticians perform their jobs. The result will be an Air Force enterprise better enabled to provide its Warfighters the right materiel at the right time. ECSS will also enable logisticians to use their time more productively, significantly reducing the cost of accomplishing the Air Force Logistics mission. To learn more about ECSS, contact Mrs. Sheila Thomas, 436th Logistics Readiness Sq, ext 5084 or visit https://www.ecss.wpafb.af.mil.