Virtual solutions to combat digital age

The information technology tools innovation team aims to make the wing better, faster, and stronger.

“One of the responsibilities in our career field education and training plan is to constantly push innovation and process improvement,” said Staff Sgt. Gage Tressitt, 86th Communications Squadron noncommissioned officer in charge of base publications and forms.

Tressitt said the IT tools innovation team is a resource for anyone who seeks to improve their unit’s efficiency. The innovation team meets with the unit, talks about what processes exist, and then how they can improve.

After the initial briefing, the innovation team brainstorms virtual solutions.

“Through this process we’ve created tools like the appointment letter management tool which virtualizes all appointment letters across the wing,” said Tressitt. “We’ve also created a postal site that allows members to in- and out-process virtually; along with a number of other tools.”

The IT tools innovation team is spreading across the 86th Airlift Wing leaving their mark on a number of high-traffic organizations such as the vehicle registration office and base legal office.

“Essentially, it’s a way for customers to virtualize what they’re doing,” said Airman 1st Class Johnathon Hagen, 86th Communications Squadron base knowledge manager. “This in return, speeds up the process.”

Tressitt added, the main thing the IT tools innovation team does is save time for customers and technicians across the base. Whenever time is saved, the task becomes easier and improves the mission; it also improves the technicians’ work.

“Even if we’re cutting two minutes off of a process each time it’s performed, at the end of the year that is going to be quite a substantial amount of time saved,” said Tressitt.

With a goal of aiding as many units as possible, the IT tools innovation team invites units throughout Ramstein to reach out and utilize their resources.

“We can’t reach out to the entire base, so having customers let us know about their processes and inviting us over to take a look at them helps us, help them,” said Tressitt. “We may not be able to help with every process that is brought our way, but we definitely would like to try.”

The IT tools innovation team is available locally at 480-0977; additionally via email at 86CS.SCOK.RamsteinKMC@us.af.mil.