ReserveNet on The Way

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap
  • 931st ARG Public Affairs
McConnell AFB, Kan. --  No matter where traditional Reservists are, they are just a mouse click away from a new tool that should make managing their military life a lot easier.

That's the idea behind ReserveNet, an online program that is quickly becoming the Air Force Reserve Command way of things.

The program was originally designed at a Randolph Air Force Base unit to help Reserve pilots manage their schedules. Once the program's potential was realized by AFRC, it was expanded and developed for all Reserve members.

"There are hundreds of units using it," Maj. Tom Wood said after one of two ReserveNet briefings given during the June Unit Training Assembly. Major Wood, 18th Air Refueling Squadron pilot and ReserveNet point of contact, gave the second briefing to a group of mostly 18ths ARS members and was met with many questions.

Helping Wood with the answers was Mike Thomas, a ReserveNet Facilitator from Robins Air Force Base, Ga., who has traveled to many AFRC units to help with the start of ReserveNet. The two-year-old program is "working out real well," Thomas said, and the flyers many questions during Wood's briefing was typical of what he has seen at other units, especially with Airmen who have a change-is-never-good mentality.

Once the resistance to change is overcome, Wood said, "everybody likes (ReserveNet)."

Access to ReserveNet is granted through the Air Force Portal. As long as Airmen know their Portal username and password, they can get to ReserveNet without use of the common access card. The immediate goal for ReserveNet, Wood said, is to allow Reservists to get on a computer anywhere and request days for duty and communicate availability for missions that pop up. In turn, the process also gives Reserve leadership a much-improved picture of troop availability and mission obligations.

Many of the questions during Wood's briefing in June related to the various bells and whistles that accompany ReserveNet, but AFRC leaders are currently concentrated on getting Airmen familiar with the program's basic features. Keeping access simple is part of its implementation.

"We know you're not going to use it if you have to jump through a bunch of hoops," Thomas said to one 18th ARS member during the June briefing.

ReserveNet was the virtual brainchild of some "very intelligent" members of the 340th Flying Training Group at Randolph AFB, said Col. Cahoon, 931st Air Refueling Group commander. Colonel Cahoon is a former member of the 340th and fan of ReserveNet's friendly design.