AC Summer 08 WIN-T Online - United States Army Signal Center of ...

initial fielding of WIN-T
Increment 1 was accomplished with
only a small portion of the analysis
traditionally performed with a
Program of Record. This analysis
must meet regulatory and statutory
stipulations required to meet milestones
for production or fielding
decisions. The calculation of which
spares were needed was done
manually, based on the criticality of
those items to the operation of the
shelter, Satellite Transportable
Trailer or other major component.
With the usage of CHS items,
common to many other systems in
the Army inventory, the reliability
and prediction of failure became an
exercise in educated guessing.
Overall, the sparing levels at division,
brigade, sustainment depot or
RSC levels have been validated
through real time usage data and
remain relatively the same after
three years. The items which caused
the biggest problem with the JNN-
Network were some standard Army
inventory items, harvested from a
gaining unit’s Mobile Subscriber
Equipment; the older Environmental
Control Units and generators.
Significant problems surfaced with
these items after they were used for
20 years with MSE. They also were
taking a substantial beating in
theater. PM TRCS and later PM
WIN-T worked with Project Manager,
Mobile Electric Power, the
Department of Defense’s supplier of
power generation products and the
CECOM Logistics Readiness Center
to quickly repair, reset or replace the
failing ECUs and generators.
In addition to RESET, the WIN-
T JNN Branch of the Logistics and
Readiness Center’s Communications
Directorate, (under branch chief
Allen Hardison) provides maintenance
engineering, provisioning,
technical writing, and logistics
support to PM WIN-T.
The big cost driver in JNN-
Network support was the large
number of Contractor Field Service
Representatives deployed with the
system to mitigate the rapid introduction
of this highly complex
communications system designed to
adapt to the needs of Army Trans-
The big cost driver in
JNN-Network support
was the large amount
of Contractor Field
Service
Representatives
deployed with the
system to mitigate the
rapid introduction of
this highly complex
communications
system designed to
adapt to the needs of
Army Transformation
supporting modularity
and mobility.
formation supporting modularity
and mobility.
Initially, significant numbers of
CFSRs were supplied per division.
The cost of the CFSRs was compounded
by the challenge of hiring
sufficient numbers of qualified
CFSRs willing to deploy. Fielding
occurred at an astounding speed and
major divisions were often fielded
simultaneously. At one point, in the
spring and summer of 2005, PM
TRCS was fielding the JNN-Network
to the 101st Airborne, 10th Mountain
Division, and 4th Infantry Division
simultaneously. CFSRs and NET
teams were in short supply, but each
fielded spiral ultimately received the
required training and CFSRs. It was
well recognized that action needed
to be taken.
By late 2006, alternatives were
being examined closely that could
reduce the cost, as well as dependency
on CFSRs. Product Manager
JNN worked with General Dynamics
to devise a concept of regionalizing
CFSRs, and to provide the CFSRs at
the right time and when they were
most needed. Now, CFSRs are
allocated in regionally based pools.
They deploy with the unit providing
much of the initial support needed
during network set up or falling in
on an established network. After this
initial period, all but few CFSRs can
return to the CONUS pool and be
available at the RSCs for on call
requirements.
Logistics Assistance Representatives
from the Readiness Directorate
of CECOM Life Cycle Management
Command were provided seats
in all JNN-Network NET events, and
since 2004 the great majority of the
government’s complement of Switch
and Long Haul LARs have been
trained. This is a key organic fall
back for the contractor provided
CFSRs. As part of NET, which is
instructed by Increment 1 contractors,
Michael Benson’s team from the
Readiness Directorate, Information
Technology Field Services Branch
developed and taught various
courses such as Advanced Cisco
Routing, WIN-T Networking and
Information Assurance. With
varying skill levels of the Soldiers,
Basic Networking is also taught to
ensure that students attending NET
all start on the same page. The
resident school at Fort Gordon
continued to procure training suites
and build simulations. The military
occupational specialty 25N10 (nodal
network systems operator-maintainer)
was established for the JNN
operator/maintainer and the first
class graduated on Feb. 28, 2006.
Despite the expedient initial
fielding of Increment 1, each of the
required elements are now on
contract to bring it through Full
Materiel release. Increment 2,
working in concert with the Increment
1 logistics team, will capitalize
on every aspect of its predecessor’s
history.
Ms. Concepcion has worked in the
Team C4ISR community at Fort
Monmouth, N.J., for 29 years. She is
chief of the Readiness Management
Division for Project Manager,
Warfighter Information Network-
Tactical.
Army Communicator 43