Delayed But Not Deterred

Although issues resulting from the coronavirus pandemic delayed the delivery and set-up of equipment and furniture, USMEPCOM's Rapid Delivery Team is still moving forward by constructing a room that will support their mission of delivering USMIRS 1.1, the command's future military processing data system.

In order to support 30 contractors and nearly 20 Headquarters, USMEPCOM staff members dedicated to USMIRS 1.1 delivery, the RDT has created a room with everything from a telephone booth to a 6-foot-long Gantt chart.

The room has it all – on the far right, double-row desks for coders who work in pairs, on the far left, single row desks for designers, in the center, desks for those who are working data integration, in the back, project managers. On the back wall behind it all, a Gantt chart depicts the applicant process flow – how they move through processing data systems.

“A collaboration space like this – it’s not as noisy as people may think,” said LTC Brian Wire, the RDT deputy director. If someone does need quiet, they can use the telephone booth, similar to some booths RDT leaders saw when they visited the Air Force’s Kessel Run lab.

At the forefront, collaboration meeting tables have equipment that enables those in the room to hold virtual meetings with off-site team members. The room also has creature comforts – lockers, couches, coffee makers, snacks, and refrigerators.

After the furniture and equipment arrived, Matt Lince, RDT Director, Wire, and a few more staff members hauled boxes and assembled the room this week.

In February, some contractors had been working in a partially assembled version of this room, until that was halted by COVID-19 concerns that moved them to working elsewhere. Now, everything’s in place. Although the room doesn’t have the most important piece right now – the people – it’s ready and waiting for their return.