By Nancy Jones-Bonbrest
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. (MARCH 11, 2015) — As the Army continues to modernize while simultaneously addressing drawdown and budget constraints, the service is streamlining the way it delivers field support for its communications and network systems.
Taking on an increasingly crucial role in this realignment are Digital Systems Engineers (DSEs) – the go-to experts who link Soldiers with the right level of support.
Bringing technical expertise and operational knowledge from deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan and other hotspots, DSEs are now fostering a system of systems approach to providing training, troubleshooting, cybersecurity and support for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) equipment.
Digital Systems Engineers bring a system of systems approach to providing training, troubleshooting and support for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) equipment. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo)
“The DSE is my right-hand man when it comes to working with the contractors who help support our mission command systems and WIN-T (Warfighter Information Network-Tactical) assets,” said Maj. Jeff Brizek, the communications officer, or S6, for the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis McChord. “He’s the manager on that side of the house. Without the DSE, I wouldn’t be able to effectively ensure I have all the right personnel on the ground to train Soldiers and complete our missions.”
Originally set up as the one-stop-shop for troubleshooting communications equipment, DSEs also transitioned into a coordinator role during a decade of war when they would embed with a unit and work primarily to align support utilizing Field Service Representatives (FSRs) who specialized in individual systems. Now, as the Army completes its drawdown mission in Afghanistan and transitions into regionally aligned operations addressing contingencies around the globe, DSEs – who are also regionally aligned with the five Army Field Support Brigade regions and troops – continue serving as a vital resource when Soldiers have problems with their communications systems they can’t resolve themselves.
“I consider my role as the team captain for the FSRs,” said Mike Tracy, a DSE based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “I’m kind of the liaison between the green suiter and the contractor side. I give Soldiers as much guidance as I can. We’re the first one on the ground and we usually provide that tier one level of support. So if a Soldier says ‘my system isn’t working,’ I do what I can before calling in an FSR, which is going to cost the Army money.”
Digital Systems Engineers bring a system of systems approach to providing training, troubleshooting and support for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) equipment. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo)
This evolution is increasingly important as systems become more integrated and the Army decreases system-specific support. It also enables a new field support construct that provides a baseline of support rather than a one-size-fits all solution.
“The way DSEs were originally organized, as the first line of defense on all systems, is coming full circle back to that,” said Ken Massey, a DSE based at Fort Campbell, Ky. “We also are becoming increasingly familiar with all the systems. We work as an advisor to the S6, so they can properly plan and execute their missions.”
During a unit’s training, if an issue arises requiring support beyond the S6, then DSEs are called in first to provide over-the-shoulder training and troubleshooting.
“The DSE is a valued member of my team,” said Maj. Patrick Sullivan, the S6 with the 1st Infantry Division, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team. “He’s my intermediary for support outside the brigade. He’ll reach out to FSRs, assist in tracking our trouble tickets, will line up civilian support for exercises and helps us prioritize resources for our missions.”
The multifunctional DSEs are government employees under the Army’s Program Executive Office for Command, Control and Communications-Tactical (PEO C3T). To help with the transition in field support, PEO C3T is also providing tools to allow DSEs to better manage trouble ticketing. One of those tools is the Unified Trouble Ticketing System or UTTS, currently being released to selected units.
As part of the new model and with guidance from DSEs, Soldiers are becoming responsible for operating, maintaining and troubleshooting the majority of C4ISR equipment. UTTS ensures a trouble ticket is managed at the most effective level of field support and gives real-time situational awareness on every trouble ticket across the battalion.
“It’s immensely beneficial for myself and my Soldiers to understand these capabilities so we can work these systems and ultimately we can fix these systems,” Sullivan said. “UTTS allows me to track where the trouble tickets are coming from. That enables me to see where my deficiencies are in training or equipping. It will help me better train, maintain and better use these systems.”
DSEs say the fixes they provide are often routine troubleshooting problems not requiring more costly system-specific experts.
This is backed by data. The Army examined more than 10,000 field support trouble tickets from pilot tests and validation exercises and found that 78 percent of the issues recorded were training-related and could have been resolved at lower echelons had training been performed at home station prior to the rotations.
The Army’s new field support model is now being implemented across combat training center rotations and home station training exercises. It is projected to reduce costs by 40 percent annually through at least fiscal year 2019. The concept includes a Soldier-tested, four-tiered process tailored to smartly do more with less, while avoiding across-the-board cuts to field support personnel. It also aligns with the Army’s overall effort to deliver troops the information they need to achieve tactical dominance through simplified, more intuitive communications systems.
“I have told my DSEs to step back and not touch a system without the operator there,” Jeff Bierman, East Regional Lead for DSEs who is based at Fort Bragg, N.C. “If they need to, they can bring a help desk Soldier with them and that way we are empowering the Soldiers to make the fixes. But as the FSRs take a step back, our role as DSEs continues to increase. We need to continue to have that presence so the units have someone they can reach out to.”
