Visual Analysis Network - Army National Guard
Improved Access to Enterprise Data Using Open Source Portal Technology.

 The Technology
National Guard operates in a relatively autonomous manner but has reporting requirements to the central National Guard Bureau (NGB). The Facility Maintenance Officers (FMO) for the state National Guard programs are looking for ways to improve and automate their business processes in a manner that is customized to their own needs, at the same time accomplishing the data reporting tasks commonly needed by NGB. The nature of the National Guard operations requires staff to be out of the office on a frequent basis as a result of military deployments, emergency responses, and training.  Getting critical information can be delayed if a key individual is not in the office. By having essential facility and property information stored and maintained in a central database, information is more easily accessible by reducing the dependency of data flow through the hands of an individual staff member.

 The Solution

Technology Associates has implemented the VAN.Guard program as a web-based content and data management solution that provides a single point-of-entry to access/integrate multiple data sets from disparate sources through an easy-to-use interface.  Key features of the application include GIS functionality, integration with central NGB databases (e.g. PRIDE), and customization around the user needs.  The user is able to easily locate a National Guard facility through an installation/facility locator tool and then access documents, data, maps, and GIS data related to the selected facility.  VAN.Guard also includes the following set of web-based data management solutions designed to automate specific business functions:

  • Document Library

  • Facility Evaluation Worksheet

  • Automated Record of Environmental Consideration

  • Master Cooperative Agreement (MCA) Budgeting Tool

  • Project Tracker

  • Automated 415-12 web-based form

Technology Associates has implemented the VAN.Guard program through a consortium
of five states – Washington, Oregon, Georgia, Mississippi, and Hawaii. The consortium provides a mechanism to share development costs and ideas for application functionality. As new modules or enhancements are implemented for one state, these improvements are made available to all states in the consortium.

 The Results
The implementation of the VAN.Guard portal provided the Army National Guard with a collaboration platform that is easily expandable. VAN.Guard provides easy access to geospatial data as well as to documents that are important to daily facility management activities. The consortium concept provided a means to lower implementation costs by sharing the development costs across a group of customers.
 
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