Communication is key

Photo By Senior Airman Jackson Haddon | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Salome Luevanos, 97th Communications Squadron network infrastructure technician, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Daniel Lozano, 97th Communications Squadron cyber administrator, ensure proper configuration of new Wi-Fi switches, July 20, 2016, at Altus Air Force Base, Okla. The 97th Communications Squadron is responsible for maintaining the network, Wi-Fi, phones, workstations and other equipment for Altus AFB. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman Jackson N. Haddon/Released).  

ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, OK, UNITED STATES

08.04.2016

Story by Airman Jackson Haddon 

97th Air Mobility Wing

The 97th CS is responsible for the network, computers, loud speakers, setting up new offices and many other responsibilities. The 97th CS is divided into two different flights; operations flight and planning flight.
“The Operations Flight works on what’s going on in the now,” said Frank Piasecki, 97th CS planning and implementation flight director. “The Plans Flight are the ones who look at the future. ‘What are we doing tomorrow; What are we doing ten years from now?”
The 97th CS Plans Flight has several major upgrades they are planning for the base systems, network and phone line.
The first thing the 97th CS Plans Flight is preparing for is Voice-over Internet Protocol phones. The Plans Flight is also installing three additional towers on base to support the voice land mobile radio communications for the flying squadrons, an alert radio station, encryption upgrades, base Wi-Fi expansions and operating software, according to Piasecki.
The squadron is also preparing for the activation of the 56th Air Refueling Squadron, the new unit. Members of the 97th CS Operations Flight set up computers and make sure they are good to go when the team arrives.
“We’re always busy,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Aaron Watson, 97th CS client systems journeyman. “We set up everything from monitors, printers, phone lines, imaging systems of the computers and the uploaded software onto the computers.”
Whether they are planning ahead or working in the now, the 97th CS keeps the training mission at Altus AFB operating.

• Date Taken: 08.04.2016
• Date Posted: 08.04.2016 16:35
• Story ID: 206112
• Location: ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, OK, US