Communications team keeps mission moving at new support center

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The new occupants of the Parker Green Consolidated Base Support Center can thank a small team of unseen professionals for keeping the lines of communication open.

Every phone, fax machine, network printer and computer workstation attached to the Moody network had to be transferred to the new building in a coordinated effort directed by Staff Sgt. Kristi Zavitz, 23rd Communications Squadron communications project manager.

Beginning back in October 2006, Sergeant Zavitz was the single point of contact for the near-seamless migration of 10 workcenters from six separate buildings into the new $10 million facility. As shops all over Moody unplugged their computers and moved in, the network and phones needed to transfer and work correctly, right away.

"My key responsibility on this project was coordinating various communications-related activities so every job could be finished on time without interfering with each other," said Sergeant Zavitz. "In addition to directing the efforts of the install teams, I was working with the people that were going to be moving it to ensure they had everything they needed to begin work immediately. A lot of my job is making sure the little details are in order, so everyone else can make it happen."

She is quick to point out that her responsibility as a project manger is to coordinate the extreme efforts of others and the credit for success is theirs alone.

"While I was the person our customers worked with as the communications liaison, true credit belongs to the 23rd CS network infrastructure section and phone system technicians with Altech Services Inc.," said Sergeant Zavitz.

The sergeant noted a few people who especially helped.

"Airman 1st Class Aaron Baker, 23rd CS network infrastructure technician, has been the primary point of contact responsible for patching CBSC computers into the base network," said Sergeant Zavitz. "There were many times I needed a last minute job accomplished and he came running to get the problem fixed. Also, every single phone number involved with this move has been transferred to the new offices by Barb Perry, ASI phone switch manager."

All together, the communications teams connected and activated 382 computer connections and 305 phone lines for the new occupants, she said.

The work was definitely appreciated as units began operations in the new building, said Maj. Calvin Daniels, 23rd Mission Support Squadron, Military Personnel Flight commander.

"It was really easy to get our work accomplished thanks to the great service we got from Sergeant Zavitz and her team," he said. "There was virtually no transition time for us as far as customer service was concerned. We left our old building for this one, plugged in, and were ready to get to work. Every single phone line was up within a day."

The road to that point was a long one. After almost a year of working on the project, Sergeant Zavitz said the most rewarding aspect was when she realized all of the work had paid off.

"When I walked into the building and saw the customer service areas for finance and the military personnel flight up and working within a single day, I knew it was all going to work out for the best," she said. "Our lack of problems really made me feel like the extra work on my part helped those that were doing the real work."