CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The wing's client support administrators have begun to consolidate many of their positions into one centralized helpdesk in order to combat a significant reduction of CSAs Air Force wide.
In 2006, the Air Force announced the 3A0X1 career field would be cut by more than 57 percent over the next three fiscal years. Charleston AFB will be losing 43 percent of their current CSA positions.
"Normally, CSA personnel are integrated into an organization based upon their manning and missions and are assigned to that unit, but since the CSA numbers are being reduced, there are just not enough people to place in every unit," said Alvin Green, 437th Communications Squadron network control center chief. "By consolidating the remaining CSA personnel into one office we can ensure that our units are never without CSA support."
Mr. Green said the consolidation would be beneficial for everyone involved because it would allow CSA support at any time of the day.
Base members will have around-the-clock support from the consolidated CSA office, instead of having to rely on a unit's CSA. For some Airmen, this means they will no longer have to perform CSA functions as an additional duty.
"Currently there are more than 60 personnel performing CSA functions as an additional duty," said Tech. Sgt. Luvara McCorey, 437th Communications Squadron, chief consultant for CSA consolidation. "The consolidation will do more than provide an increased level of CSA support to the units on Charleston; it will also alleviate the need for those Airmen to perform CSA duties so they can spend more time on their primary jobs."
The consolidations of all the CSAs will also mitigate security risks to the base network infrastructure.
"Right now, more than 175 Airman and civilians are performing CSA duties base-wide and have higher-level access to the network," said Senior Master Sgt. Brenda Royal-Johnson, 437th Communications Squadron, 3A0X1 functional career field manager. "When the final consolidation of the CSAs is complete, the number of users with access to the network will be dramatically reduced thereby affording a higher degree of security for the network."
CSAs who will move to the consolidated helpdesk are expected to be in place by April 1.