EITaaS Wave One Communications Team
The Department of the Air Force is transforming how IT services are provisioned and delivered with the launch of the Enterprise Service Desk under Enterprise IT as a Service Wave One.
EITaaS is a DAF initiative that leverages industry to provide a standardized, innovative, and agile information technology service across the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. Wave One, which focuses on end-user services, is transforming DAF IT services from in-house, base-centric delivery models to an enterprise service model.
Available 24/7/365, the ESD brings skilled technicians ready to assist Airmen and Guardians with streamlined access to essential applications, hardware, software, data and services. This one-stop-shop provides immediate assistance, minimizing downtime and allowing personnel to focus on mission-critical tasks.
“The ESD connects Airmen and Guardians to responsive technical support, enabling swift access to IT support services,” said Venice Goodwine, the Department of the Air Force’s chief information officer. “Through enhanced availability, IT issue resolution is significantly faster, which helps with overall efficiency for users.”
This is in part made possible through an artificial intelligence-powered virtual agent, that handles a wide range of queries, from troubleshooting technical issues to providing IT service updates. For example, the virtual agent can retrieve a device's software and recent history to troubleshoot a broken laptop and offer solutions. The virtual agent can also offer a new device or schedule an appointment with a technician, reducing the time for capability identification and asset allocation from weeks to minutes or hours.
“Minimizing time lost for users on IT problems is important. We want to give them time back on the mission,” Goodwine said. “Leveraging AI capabilities in smart ways like the ESD virtual agent allows our service members to save precious time to focus on mission readiness.”
The ESD began scaling in 2024 and is slated to serve all U.S. Air and Space Force bases by the end of 2025. As of January 2025, the ESD has handled more than 81,000 inbound calls, approximately 1,500 virtual chats, and 73,000 user-generated tickets, with an average speed to answer of just 19 seconds and an average handle time of 9 minutes. Users have appreciated the exceptional service and user experience provided by the ESD.
"Service is absolutely awesome," said William Lynn, security manager at the LeMay Center, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. "The site is amazingly easy to navigate–hands down the best customer service support through assistance, communication, solutions, and requesting ticket/closing ticket process.”
These achievements reflect the DAF’s commitment to enhancing IT service delivery and ensuring an expedited and efficient process for users.
As of Jan. 15, 82% of the DAF users and bases are utilizing ESD.
Air Force officials recently announced that the application window to apply for Civilian Development Education has opened. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Robin Meredith)