ECSS kicks off at McConnell

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Armando A. Schwier-Morales
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Kicking off a historical change in the way the Air Force tracks logistics transactions, McConnell hosted top logistic leaders from Air Mobility Command Sept. 28, 2010.

Lawrence S. Kingsley, Headquarters Air Mobility Command deputy director of logistics, toured the base and spoke to McConnell leadership about the new Expeditionary Combat Support System. ECSS is a program that supports the expeditionary logistics for the 21st century goal.

"It should make us healthier and better because we'll be much more efficient and agile in taking care of urgent needs and being able to hopefully prioritize those needs as they emerge on a very dynamic basis," said Mr. Kingsley.

Currently there are approximately 250 data logistic systems which will be shut down when ECCS goes on line.

"Our systems have become old and cumbersome," said Mr. Kingsley. "Many of them are obsolete and too expensive to maintain so they are not meeting our needs anymore."

ECSS is scheduled to condense many of the outdated programs into one program. According to Mr. Kingsley, this move is the largest enterprise resource planning implementation in the Department of Defense.

"We're going to have what they call in-transit visibility, and total asset visibility which means you're going to be able to see when you're trying to order and manage parts: where the part is, how it's moving and when it's coming," said Mr. Kingsley.

The program is scheduled to go online at McConnell in August 2012, however, there are necessary preparations prior to the start date, said Linda Helton, 22nd Logistic Squadron logistic manager.

The first places ECSS will take into effect here are McConnell's Maintenance Tool Accountability System and the LRS On-Line Vehicle Interactive Management System.

"As with any new system there will be growing pains but in the end ECSS will provide system access from virtually any location any time," said Mrs. Helton.

Airmen can visit www.ecss.wpafb.af.mil to get more information on ECSS.