News

Expeditionary Combat Support System: Reshaping AF logistics

  • Published
  • By Roy Swygert
  • WR-ALC Plans and Programs Office
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The Expeditionary Combat Support System was the focus of two briefings here in October by a team from the Systems Integration Division in Air Force Materiel Command's Directorate of Logistics.

ECSS is designed to provide Air Force leaders and logisticians with a commercial off-the-shelf and proven solution for accurate logistics and supply chain management planning, total asset visibility, positive inventory control, and time-definite delivery of parts to Airmen. The system will translate into improved support for the warfighter at less cost.

The briefings were used to kick off the 24-month preparation cycle for the implementation of ECSS at Robins.

"ECSS will touch everyone here," said Deryl Israel, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center executive director, in his opening remarks at the kickoff.

Israel said although the implementation date for ECSS at Robins appears to be far off, Robins personnel must start now to learn about the system and prepare for the transformation.

"Let's embrace ECSS, and let's get it deployed," he said.

"ECSS is coming," confirmed Don Pugh, chief of Enterprise Integration in the Systems Integration Division, Directorate of Logistics, at AFMC. "We (all) must make ECSS site readiness a priority."

Pugh said ECSS will replace approximately 240 legacy systems, which are becoming increasingly harder to maintain, as well standardize Air Force's logistics and supply chain management business processes.

"With ECSS, logisticians will be doing business in a standard way across the Air Force. This will be good for efficiency, effectiveness, and our ability to train our people," Pugh said, adding this standardization of processes will also help the Air Force better communicate with its suppliers and customers.

ECSS will be implemented in four releases. Each release will target certain logistics capabilities and replace certain legacy systems. Release 1 is scheduled to "go live" at Robins in November of 2012.

As part of a pilot program, Robins and Hanscom Air Force Base, Ma., started using some ECSS capabilities in late July. This is helping some users learn about ECSS prior to its full release.

To also help users, Pugh asked base leaders to appoint change agents in each organization to work with the Robins ECSS Support Office.

"Change agents are responsible for the flow of information to and from their organizations. They are the links to the Site Transformation Lead for Robins, Mary Kicklighter," he explained.

"Robins has always been responsive to making positive changes to its environment," Pugh said. "We are in a position to set ourselves up for success as we move into the future with this new logistics environment."