HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- A state-of-the-art financial management system that serves the Air Force and U.S. Transportation Command came to fruition last month when the Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System Increment 1, Spiral 1 was successfully fielded at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.

The DEAMS program, a vision four years in the making, was developed by members of the 554th Electronic Systems Group located at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, with its parent organization, the 554th Electronic Systems Wing, headquartered at Hanscom AFB.

DEAMS Spiral 1 provides an accounting and finance capability to TRANSCOM and Air Mobility Command users at Scott AFB, and completes the initial phase of the DEAMS technology demonstration.

Based on ORACLE e-business commercial software, DEAMS provides the primary financial system with automated audit trails to TRANSCOM in support of the warfighter. DEAMS will replace several antiquated systems, considerably reducing the time to process and track financial transactions.

"This marks a significant step toward transitioning from accounting and financial management legacy systems to a more efficient, enterprise-wide commercial-off-the-shelf-based solution," said Lt. Gen. Charles L. Johnson II, the ESC commander.

Further, Spiral 1 was delivered on time and on cost, said Frank Weber, the 554th ELSW director.

"The DEAMS Spiral 1 deployment represents a milestone in fielding warfighting capabilities using ORACLE's commercial-off-the-shelf Enterprise Resource Program, 11i e-Business Suite," Mr. Weber said. "The commercial software approach couples defense and industry best practices for improved financial management processes, reduces acquisition costs, and provides improved operations and maintenance over a dedicated software development effort."

The achievement was made possible through a collaboration of TRANSCOM officials, secretary of the Air Force financial management members, Defense Financial and Accounting Service financial experts and Air Force Materiel Command acquisition professionals whose talent and dedication made this initial deployment a success, Mr. Weber said.
 
"We are very excited to have reached this important milestone, and are equally excited to mature this new capability," said Alan Bentley, director of TRANSCOM Program Analysis and Financial Management.

Subsequent spirals in Increment 1 will provide increased financial management capabilities across TRANSCOM, AMC, Military Sealift Command and Surface Deployment and Distribution Command. These capabilities plan to be delivered by 2010.

DEAMS Increment 2, still in the requirements identification and acquisition development phases, will deliver financial management capabilities throughout the Air Force.