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Show NEWS March 15. 1991 H,!!?cp Times Video conferencing future looks bright by Donna Davis Final advantage Hilltop Times staff writer Ever needed to be in two places at once? Over the last three years, Hill AFB employees have been able to do just that. Workers can "attend" meetings held at any logistics center or the Pentagon through Now, a new connection from the Video Teleconference Center to more than 80 buildings on base means workers can attend key conferences without ever leaving the work place. "Government employees can be proud. Air Force video-teleconferencin- face-to-fac- six-wa- y e ng net- work manager with the 1881st Communications-Computer Sys- tems Group, discusses the Video Teleconferencing Network with Gaylene Vestal, supervisor of the VTCN in the Directorate of Financial Management, and Al Cole, chief of SC's architecture, technical planning and engineering branch. g. man-hour- video-teleconferenci- ng, a computer Jr implementation of video conference technology is at least two years in advance of even the private sector because our need to communicate is so great and so consistent," said Glenn Thomas, systems engineering division chief in the 1881st Communications-Computer Systems Group. By comparison, since Operation Desert Storm began, private video conferencing facilities have seen a 200 percent to 300 percent increase in business because many companies refused to send employees abroad. During J anuary, one such company reported more sales than in all of 1990, and suggests "there's no going back." Once the efficiency in terms s of dollars and becomes apparent, video conferencing can only become more popular. The and popularity of has already been proved by the VTCN staff. The VTCN is managed by the Directorate of Financial Management. "This technology is working so well, the quality is so good it's proved itself. Customers are happy and anxious to use it," said Barry Nugent, chief of FM's Operations and Plans team. meet"It's been our experience that are Meet on one occasion. only important ings together in person once, size one another up, measure each other's handshake, and after that the video conference meeting is practically the same in every respect," said Ray Briggs, an SC computer network engineer. Ramona Allison, deputy chief of the Commodities Directorate's armament division, who recently attended a meeting through the VTCN, agrees. "It's about as good as in person and certain superior to mail or even telephones. For example, we just had communication between headquarters and a the ALCs," she said. VTCN participants can see slides and other display materials, further enhancing the feeling of being there. Liberal use of the VTCN will empower an employee to stay at the primary work place, and still cost-effectivene- ss Bud Strayhorn, standi- us be a member of action teams or special projects,, since information exchange is so convenient. The influence of video conferences has been expanded by making them available over the broadband local area network to 82 buildings on base. "Now, an employee can just turn on a TV set and monitor conferences," said Bud Strayhorn, SC computer network manager. Although employees cannot talk to others at the conference, they would be privy to decisions that affect them instantaneously. "They won't have to wait and go to a meeting somewhere to be updated on that information," said Mr. Forct Photo up for the same job, and to allow people to particimeetings and conferences, said Holly pate in e VTCN scheduler. Advance notice of conHofstetler, ferences available over the LAN are published through PROFS, the Professional Office System. At present, interactive conference participation can only be accomplished by attending a session at the studio in Bldg. 1102. Such VTCN visits save temporary duty costs. In December alone, the Hill VTCN facility documented a hard savings of nearly off-sit- $18,000. Hard savings figures do not include money and productivity saved by the employee remaining in the job area. "Saving dollars is only a small portion of the impact of video teleconferencing," Ms. Allison said. "When I'm gone TDY, the work just stacks up. Work requiring my attention during the absence is delayed or foregone. Problems that will cost a lot later can crop up. It is immeasurably better to be Strayhorn. Employees can continue to work at primary tasks while still keying in to the televised conference whenever points are made that impact them directly. To receive broadcast from the VTCN studio, a TV is required that is tunable to cable channel 39 and is connected to the LAN. "If you are currently able to receive the quality broadcasts on Channel 40, you only need to change the set channel to 39," said Mr. Strayhorn. "By May 1991, an additional five buildings will be connected for a total of 87. Your directorate's information systems administrator knows how to request the connection. We'll provide the cable to the LAN and your organiTV." zation will need to provide a cable-readAll decisions regarding what meetings are scheduled at the VTCN conference room or broadcast over the LAN are handled through VTCN supervisor Gayleen Vestal, Ext. 70926. The conference room has been used to conduct training sessions, to do job interviews where persons from different bases are cable-read- y in my office." Directorates spread over multiple buildings can center for commuconstruct a nication between buildings on base under a standard requirement contract administered through headquarters Air Force Logistics Command Directorate of Contracting. "Now that VTCN is over the LAN, costs for directorates using the technology won't be much. We do need to be sure we do things that will really make an important difference and not just because we want to do it," said Rich Brown, an SC network engineer. "But with the need for new ways for fewer people to manage personnel and their jobs, teleconferencing could prove indispensable." video-teleconferen- y IffllK Air ce X Bring A Friend! SM Your first step toward a healthy, vital lifetime begins right here. 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