Kingsley Field FSF welcomes self-service machine

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Melissa Wohlers, 173rd Fighter Wing Force Support Flight NCOIC, demonstrates operation of the IDRenew Self-Service Kiosk at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Ore., Feb 5, 2022. The IDRenew kiosk will relieve the workload of Kingsley FSS Airmen who must currently spend their time manually processing ID requests for retirees and dependents. Wohlers spearheaded the project to utilize innovation funds to bring this new feature to the wing and says she hopes this will free up time for Airmen to increase office productivity. (U.S. Air National Guard Photo by Senior Airman Adam Smith)

Article by Senior Airman Adam Smith, 173rd Fighter Wing Public Affairs.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. - Starting Feb. 15, the Force Support Flight will provide a new option for retirees and dependents want to renew their ID cards without waiting for an available appointment. A brand new IDRenew kiosk sits in the west vestibule of building 211 and will be available whenever the building doors are open.

The IDRenew machine is a new self-service option already available on some active duty bases.

Historically, if a dependent or retiree wanted a new ID card, they would have needed to make an appointment with the FSF and accomplish the process in-person with one of the four qualified Airmen who work full-time in the office.

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According to Master Sgt. Melissa Wohlers, the 173rd Fighter Wing Force Support Flight superintendent, the high demand for these procedures and the amount of time it took to work through each application left little time for other, vital duties.

“When we are on the I.D. card machine, we don’t get anything done,” she said. “By the time we’re done with a customer, we have ten, fifteen minutes until the next customer.” Wohlers added that with the additional burden of last-minute requests from deploying members or Airmen with expired cards, even those spare moments often disappear.

The new machine benefits both customers and the Airmen in the FSF, according to Wohler

“Retirees and dependents can come to this kiosk and apply for their ID cards in very simple steps,” she said. “We can process the application at the end of the day and focus more on programs during the work day.”

Wohlers was able to fund the project by making a request for Air Force innovation fund, estimating that the machine cost approximately $20,000.

Wohlers said that personal appointments would not go away completely, but the new machine is specifically installed for the purpose of relieving that burden from the Airmen in the office.

“We’re going to highly encourage the use of the kiosk versus an appointment,” she emphasized.