Virtual Enterprise Service Desk coming to Offutt Published Sept. 4, 2014 By Staff Sgt. Rachelle Blake 55th Wing Public Affairs OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- A new Air Force communications program called the Virtual Enterprise Service Desk is scheduled to begin rolling out on all Air Combat Command bases, including Offutt, Sept. 22. The program empowers computer users to fix common information technology issues and submit their own trouble tickets. "It will roll out to the 55th Communications Squadron first," said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Stephanie Campbell, 55th CS communications focal point NCO in charge. "This allows the communications squadron to have a handle on it before it goes out to the rest of the base. It also gives us the opportunity to make comments about the program on a sharepoint page, enabling upgrades to be made to the system as it's rolled out. The vESD is expected to be Air Force-wide by November." As with most upgrades, only a certain percent of the base will receive the program at a time, she added. The vESD will automatically appear as a small icon on desktops once the computer has been restarted. This icon can be used to help eliminate call wait times and allow for faster resolution to your information technology issues. "Right now a majority of tickets have to be submitted by the user's information assurance officer or by calling the Enterprise Service Desk," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Daniel Bennett, 55th CS client systems technician. "This will give the customers the ability to put in their own words the problems they are having." Just like tracking a package, users can use their ticket number to bring up and check on the status of tickets they have submitted. "Instead of calling the ESD for an update on a ticket, you will be able to bring it up, see the status, and see if it is being worked on or if it has been completed," said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Zac Price, 55th CS client systems technician. Small issues such as mapping a computer to a printer or updating personal information in the Global Address List will come with troubleshooting instructions, so the user can perform these actions on their own. "Right now users can map printers, but are unsure of the process," Bennett said, "You can also update your info in the GAL to include your rank, job title, telephone number and squadron. Any issues outside normal workstation use are supposed to generate a ticket or give you troubleshooting steps." If the user has a work stoppage, they will still have to call ESD. However, vESD will be able to handle most low-level tickets, freeing up the ESD staff resulting in a much shorter call-wait time. "The goal of the vESD is to include customers in the resolution process and provide better communication on the issues they're facing," said Capt Jeremy A. Thompson, 55th CS operations flight commander. As the Air Force gets smaller, this type of automation and innovation will be key to the communications squadron successfully providing cyber to Offutt Air Force Base's war fighters." For more information on the vESD or how to navigate it, call (402) 294-2666, option 1.