Information Processing Modernization.

Abstract : Support costs have skyrocketed in the Department of Defense over the last five years. A substantial portion of the budget is now inflexible and must be used for obligated support costs such as retired pay personnel, and various levels of housekeeping support. The Chief of Staff, USAF is attempting to reduce resource costs wherever possible to put back into the system needed flexibility to develop systems for and to operationally support the combat forces. This paper looks at the administrative area and the possibility of identifying resource savings in the area of modernization. The general conclusion reached is that modernizing the administrative section in the Air Force at all levels is feasible and cost effective, provided each unit thus reconfigured is tailored to its local environment and that surveys pre-determine the cost benefits to be derived. In addition modernized administrative function should provide a synergistic savings in the long run. Program management depends quite heavily on administrative support to perform the mission. The trend toward administrative centers is clear and major Air Force acquisition offices are close to incorporating a new system. Hence program managers will have to depend on the new concept to obtain their administrative support required in the future.