You CAN hear me now--new comm package brings high-tech communications to the field

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Bob Sommer
  • 934th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Minneapolis-St. Paul --  The 934th Airlift Wing Communications Flight is the fifth Air Force Reserve Wing to receive the Joint Incident Situation Communication Capability package. JISCC is a self contained portable communications hub. Within hours of a natural or man-made disaster, communications flight members can have a base communications system, including phone, internet, radio and video conferencing up and running.

JISCC will replace the current theater deployed communications tasking for the communications flight. Rivada and Port Graham Solution are the vendors contracted by the Air Force Reserve Command for this "network in a box". Contractors spent a week in April training communications Airmen on the set-up and use of JISSC.
"Within hours we can have local police, Red Cross, Fire Departments and the base communicating directly to each other avoiding many communication problems of the past," said Master Sgt. Chris Krug, NCOIC Communications Flight Operations. "The increased capability to lend a hand if called upon in a domestic emergency is a definite plus for the Wing," Krug said.

Each JISSC package, at an approximate cost of $300,000 each, contains an information technology suite, satellite communication terminals, a 30-foot antenna, two diesel generators and two units for heating and cooling of equipment. Air Force Reserve Command is fielding communication flights to use JISCC as a standard for emergency base communications, members from any base will be able to step up to any system within the command and be fully ready for hands on duty.

"The 934th AW is now ready to react if called upon during local emergencies to assist the National Guard with setting up the infrastructure for emergency communication," Krug said.

"The training is great, but I am really excited to help out the Guard in real world emergencies if possible" said Staff Sergeant Leslie Carhart, cyber transport technician.
"We are very excited about this new mission and the communication capabilities that we can bring to the installation in the event of an emergency or natural disaster," said Lt. Col. Rick Erredge, 934th Communications Flight commander.