Under normal circumstances, when Training Support Center Hampton Roads (TSCHR) Information Technologies' (IT/N6) Asset Management Team receives a large shipment of IT equipment or materials, it is generally bulk quantities of computers, monitors or projectors - no real challenges to itemizing or staging.

This time it was something different. The delivery was pallet upon pallet, loaded with disassembled computer parts; just boxes and boxes of material.

Many would be deterred and frustrated if they were assigned the taxing job of organizing and inventorying the systems for an upcoming, high priority project, but not Laurie Benton, TSCHR IT inventory control technician.

In fact, Benton eagerly volunteered to take it on. "I enjoy my job and I actually like the challenge of organizing the systems," said Benton.

More than 1400 various IT assets and other materials were received for a virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) installation project at Naval Air Station Oceana Center (NASO) for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU).

This was going to be TSCHR's first solo VDI deployment, after having participated in two previous efforts at CNATTU locations at Marine Corps Air Stations Cherry Point and New River. The experience gained and the lessons' learned prepared TSCHR for Oceana, and TSCHR's IT Asset Management Functional Lead Carla Keipe ensured all processes were aligned to enable the highest level of productivity.

Thanks in part to team members Laurie Benton, along with Doris Emory and Terry Speights from Computer Science Corporation (CSC), TSCHR was able to successfully meet all project milestones without impact to CNATTU's operations.

"The VDI environment is a Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) enterprise-wide initiative that will greatly benefit students and instructors, through enhanced data and services' availability, and improved operability, all of which are critical to the successful delivery of training in the electronic classroom environment. The mission areas supported by NETC are both essential and diverse, with students from Blue-Green Forces (Navy/Marine Corps) to those from other DoD departments, federal agencies, and NATO Armed Services. This new technology will bolster our ability to securely flex and scale as new requirements are identified." said Steve Pellegrino, TSCHR director of Information Technologies.

According to Pellegrino, "While the NASO CNATTU project of migrating 440 user seats to VDI is now complete, we still have eight bases remaining within our AOR to repeat the process on. Next up is Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, although much smaller in terms of user seats than Oceana, it does bring its own set of challenges. That said, confidence is high that the staging and delivery process refinements made by our asset management team during the NASO effort, will provide us with a great deal of efficiency going forward."

"Success of this project will rely upon the continued implementation of TSCHR IT best practices and procedures, coupled with what has been an outstanding NETC enterprise VDI deployment strategy and workflow." said Pellegrino.

"The IT Directorate is incredibly fortunate to have Ms. Keipe, Ms. Benton, and our contractor partners on our Team. We are all very proud of their commitment and contributions to our region's VDI deployment." said Pellegrino.

For more news from Training Support Center Hampton Roads, visit www.navy.mil/.