E-mail address assigned for a lifetime

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kristin Mack
  • 301st Fighter Wing
Fort Worth, TEXAS --  An Air Force wide e-mail program was recently launched providing active members with a unique e-mail address that will stay with them throughout their career. 

E-Mail-for-Life, or E4L, will convert all Air Force members' current e-mail addresses to a new format using their legal first and last name with @us.af.mil -- this includes active duty, Reserve, Guard, civilian and contractors. 

"The Air Force has wanted to pursue a single e-mail address scheme for some time," said Capt. Jason Fields, E4L project officer at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. "E4L is the first step in eventually consolidating the 14-plus e-mail and Active Directory systems into a streamlined architecture. We're also deploying an anti-spam solution with this initiative which is sized to protect the Air Force from the worldwide increase in e-mail spam." 

One of the many benefits of this system will be the ability to provide a holding area for e-mail when a member completes a permanent change of station. The previous e-mail system would delete the old e-mail address and create a new address at the member's new station, causing e-mail sent to the former e-mail address to be undeliverable. With the new system, the e-mail address will follow the member to every station and result in uninterrupted service. 

"E-mail is the most critical communication tool that we're using to implement force development and transform our personnel process. Industry-standard e-business solutions require static e-mail addresses, and that is the direction the Air Force is headed," said Capt. Kirk Phillips, information technology division chief at the Air Force Senior Leader Management Office, Scott AFB, Ill. 

Airmen will be able to complete personnel actions in minutes through e-mail and the Internet, along with other benefits, he added. 

"Not only is there a huge potential for Air Force cost avoidance, but mission support will be greatly enhanced by empowering every member to reliably connect and communicate with each other without worry about changing e-mail addresses every couple of years," Captain Phillips said. "We'll be able to transform personnel processes under the Air Force directorate of personnel' s personnel service delivery model and empower members and databases to connect and communicate through e-business applications instead of local personnel flights." 

Those personnel processes include: official personnel notifications and announcements; command, promotion and professional military education candidacy and selection; and retirement, assignment, evaluation, feedback and decoration processing. 

"The implementation team began the project earlier this year and plans to roll out around 10,000 members per week until complete", said Len Taylor, 754th ELSG Systems Analyst. 

Members will receive an e-mail notification of their new e-mail address requiring no action. All e-mail will automatically be forwarded to their existing account. The E4L address will not appear in the global e-mail system until this project nears completion, toward the end of summer. 

"This process will generally be seamless," said Maj. David Bryant, 301st Communications Flight commander. "The implementation of this technology in a world of constant change will facilitate and enhance communication in the Air Force." 

For those who have not received their E4L address notification or would like to verify where their E4L address is forwarding, they can visit the Air Force Portal and click on the E4L link. Those in joint billets also should visit the Portal page to ensure they have an E4L account created and that it's forwarding to their current military account. 

For further information, visit https://imp.afds.af.mil/e4ls and read the FAQ for answers to most of your questions or contact your Communication Security Advisor or the NCC help desk at 817.782.7181. (Additional information was obtained for this article from AFNEWS stories published Mar. 23, 2007 and July 12, 2007 by Karen Petitt, Air Force Communications Agency, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., and by Master Sgt. Mitch Gettle, Air Force Print News, on May 5, 2005.)