Records Management—Get Ready, Get Set Published April 24, 2007 By Lt Col. Ann Stefanek 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Every time we turn around it seems there is a story in the press of a federal agency being forced to turn over its official documents in the course of an investigation. In fact, in a recent court case it was established that electronic records provide far more information to public requesters than paper records, to include items such as the date and time that e-mails were transmitted and received. For that reason, the Department of Defense levied a requirement to implement a program aimed at capturing and maintaining official electronic records and educating personnel about documents and files which do not constitute official records. The Air Force's response to that requirement is the Air Force Electronic Records Solution. This system now gives very specific guidelines on what documents are to be maintained as official records. The general rule of thumb is that official records are "completed" documents or files. Examples of these are signed and unsigned e-mails reflecting business decisions, decision memos sent via Web mail, documents signed at workflow completion, e-mails announcing actions, policies and information or guides, plans and operating instructions. At Incirlik, the "O" drive is used to file official records. All unit personnel should deposit completed files in the 00 file on the "O" drive for future dispersal by the records custodian. The records custodian will then file each item based on the disposition instructions in the Records Information Management System. "The most important thing records custodians should be doing right now with their "O" drives is ensuring the records filed are current in accordance with the disposition instructions," said Staff Sgt. Robert Groves, Functional Account Records Manager for the 39th Air Base Wing command section On a daily basis, however, most members of your organization should be using the "R" drive to store their working copies. It is the designated drive for maintaining copies of all working documents, packages in workflow or coordination, reference materials, unofficial copies of records and unofficial e-mails. In preparation for the upcoming Unit Compliance Inspection, managers at all levels need to take the time to go through their "O" drives and purge any information that does not constitute an official record. To ensure compliance with these guidelines Tech Sgt. Shirley Henderson, Records Custodian for the Communications Squadron Multimedia Flight, requested a staff assistance visit by her FARM. "Although I made sure my file plan matched RIMS, I wanted to have another set of eyes review my records to make sure I was ready for the inspection," Sergeant Henderson remarked.