GeoBase Mapping Portal unveiled

  • Published
  • By Tyrone Oglesby
  • 39th Civil Engineer Squadron
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Recently the 39th Civil Engineer Squadron Geographical Integration Office unveiled the 39th Air Base Wing's GeoBase Mapping Portal, a subset of U.S. Air Forces in Europe Web-based Geographical Information System mapping and geographical data management product. GeoBase is the result of a growing need for commanders and planners to have a clearing house to access installation facility data or maps.

Mandated by the Air Force GIO headquarters, the program is the culmination of intense analysis and need assessments to better prepare Airmen for deployment downrange and for installation planners to better manage their facilities.

Inside the Web site are analytical tools, mapping tools and reporting tools as well as the ability to instantly output this information to your computer or printer.

The spectrum of mapping layers/application is potentially vast; therfore, at this stage the GeoBase is far from complete. However, there are many useful themes currently available including the Common Installation Picture, land use, environmental, aerial photographs, operations, and safety to name a few.

Care has been taken to insure data accuracy; however, the system allows, the user, to offer input into those areas that you deem necessary or that may be lacking in currency or accuracy.
Additionally, if a map or mapping service is needed but not currently offered by the GeoBase, suggestions or requirements can be submitted to the GIO where they will be addressed.

Members going downrange may be pressed into the task of setting up a new airfield or base of operations. Normally a team of Engineering Assistants, also called Site Developers, would be responsible for this function. Those EAs should be very knowledgeable on the functionality and set up procedures for a GeoBase as this becomes the horizontal and vertical control for an airfield and/or facilities. Use of the GeoBase greatly enhances their ability to provide digital or paper map support to commanders and planners. Since the GeoBase is an intelligent map with a database directly linked to the features depicted on the map, database management or manipulation is the main benefit of the GeoBase.

Functions like: routing, route measurements, real world coordinate extractions, space planning/calculations, briefing support, and facility management via direct linkage to real property records are inherent to the GeoBase. The GeoBase is versatile enough to create customized functions as well. Right now there is a customized function on the GeoBase where the Fire Department has their pre-fire plans accessible from the GeoBase. This program will eventually zoom to the facility in question, display the pre-fire plan form, show a 300 foot buffer of surrounding facilities and provide routing instructions to the facility. Some of this may seem like overkill for a base the size of Incirlik, but it shows the vast array of tools the GeoBase can provide within a single button click.

The application is extremely useful to garrison members for many of the reasons mentioned above. Beyond those reasons, the GeoBase serves as an excellent planning and training tool. The backbone to the GeoBase is an actual aerial photograph that is geo-referenced to real world coordinates. This gives planners the capability of using a true picture (in a unclassified environment) to assist in laying out sites, airfield management, traffic management, etc. Our engineering department continuously receives requests for maps of every variety. Most times the need for the map may only encompass a small area of the base map whereby the GeoBase can provide instant isolated and detailed scaled views of the subject area without having to submit a request to anyone else.

Improvements are ongoing to insure that the quality and responsiveness of the program meets the needs of its users. Suggestions are always considered no matter how large or small, and can be submitted to the GIO at 676-8021.

If you are a first time user, please logon to https:\\invbr-geobase\geobase (CaC-enabled), to complete a user profile data sheet and the GIO administrator will access your needs and grant access accordingly.