Just nine months into launch and the Redstone Explorer app for cell phones is winning accolades for providing timely and up-to-date information for Redstone Arsenal employees and their families.
Currently, nearly 8,500 Arsenal employees have downloaded the mobile application. That number is growing daily. Redstone Explorer, which is available for free download via the App Store or Google Play, provides notifications on cell phones for everything from weather emergencies to family weekend activities on post.
"About one-fourth of the installation now has the Redstone app on their phones," said Allen Wampler, an Aviation and Missile Command G-35 employee who was the deputy project manager for the Redstone Explorer development project as a member of the AMCOM's 2016 Advanced Leader Investment for Tomorrow program.
"We launched the app at about the same time we graduated from Advanced LIFT in December. It's really taken off since then and exceeded all our expectations."
Every year, Advanced LIFT teams choose a project to develop as part of their class requirement. In 2016, the entire Advanced LIFT class -- 15 students -- opted to do a large project together. They leveraged their strengths and abilities as well as those of their 12 organizations to develop a mobile application with the ability to connect Arsenal employees, their families and the local community through safety and security notifications; quality of life and health services announcements; and installation information.
"We wanted the app to be a one-stop shop for all information pertaining to Redstone Arsenal. But we also wanted it to have the capability to be a security and safety tool," Wampler said.
Gate closings and reopenings, accidents around the Arsenal, emergencies, severe weather, Redstone events and programs, and general policies affecting the Arsenal workforce -- all can be announced to the Arsenal community via Redstone Explorer. Announcements are posted on Redstone Explorer by the Redstone Garrison's Public Affairs Office.
The app compliments the Arsenal AtHoc computer-based warning system, and is especially beneficial to employees when they are away from their office computers but still need information.
"It works for me all the time," Wampler said. "There was one morning when I got an announcement on Redstone Explorer that said Gate 7 was closed. That's the one I go in every day. But, before I could redirect my drive in, I got another announcement on Redstone Explorer that said Gate 7 had reopened."
"This app makes it much easier to communicate with employees who don't have access to the Army's computer network," Wampler said. "There are so many different organizations on Redstone and this app allows the Garrison to push out notifications to the Redstone Arsenal population."
"We are always working on additional capabilities to make Redstone Explorer an even more valuable tool," Wampler said. "We hope to announce additional enhancements in the near future."
The Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center's Software Engineering Directorate developed the software for Redstone Explorer and continues in that role. Wampler, Advanced LIFT teammates Carolyn Farmer of AMRDEC, Craig Northridge of Garrison and others continue to invest time and energy into the app; despite fulfilling their obligations to the LIFT program. Col. Doc Holliday, Redstone Garrison Commander, continues to serve as the project's champion.
Other Advanced LIFT teammates and their organizations who were involved in the development of the Redstone Explorer app include: Adam Hudson, AMRDEC; Steven Davis, Kelvin Magee and Dale Smith, Army Contracting Command-Redstone; Kyell Turner, AMCOM Logistics Center; Mark Walker, Redstone Test Center; Robin Tutin, AMC G-3/4; Allen Walker, AMRDEC-Fort Eustis, Virginia; Markeeva Morgan, NASA; Eve Swaim, Missile & Space Intelligence Center; Eric Hunnicutt, AMCOM G-4; and Lisa Gilbert, Space and Missile Defense Command.
The free Redstone Explorer app can be downloaded from the App Store for both IPhone and Android products.
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