EMS Ribbon Cutting

2nd Lt. Mark Honnen, 4th Force Support Squadron chief of force management operations, cuts a ribbon made of enlisted and officer performance reports held by Staff Sgts. Shaun Bonds and William Guthery, 4th FSS force management operations supervisors, on Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., Nov. 6, 2009. The ribbon cutting symbolized the demise of a paper system while the Air Force's Evaluation Management System quickly becomes electronically based. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Rae Perry)

4th FSS is first to launch EMS

Published Nov. 10, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Heather Stanton
4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Seymour Johnson is the first base in Air Combat Command to take on the new Evaluation Management System.

The new system went live Nov. 5 as a new way to keep track of the processing and routing of enlisted and officer performance reports and decorations.

"Before the new system, we were using basic Sharepoint, which was not as functional," said 2nd Lt. Mark Honnen, 4th Force Support Squadron chief of force management operations. "And before that, we were doing hard-copy routing."

Implementing the new system was necessary to increase accountability on the status of the evaluation.

"Tracking alone makes it necessary," said Capt. Julie Harrison, 4th FSS manpower and personnel flight commander. "The military personnel section tracks reports weekly and updates the wing monthly. Having this tool will streamline the process for identifying the reports and their status, and save man hours that are very precious to us right now."

The system tracks who has the report and how long the individual had it in their possession to ensure on-time completion. It also has the capability to show the file history and all the changes made throughout the process.

"This has been a joint venture between the MPS and the 4th Communications Squadron," Lieutenant Honnen said. "They handled the technical side while we've been doing the implementation."

According to Captain Harrison, the only disadvantage to the system is that it runs through the Internet. If the Internet goes down, the system cannot work.

"As with most change, people tend to be nervous about it," Captain Harrison said. "The Evaluation Management System has been a blessing to the evaluation system and allows personnel to do their job a little easier. It is easy to learn and the program is user-friendly."

For more information on the new Evaluation Management System, contact the force management operations office at 722-4708.