Nearly 18 months ago, I found myself at Fort Bragg, N.C., preparing to deploy to Afghanistan for a year.  My unit was taking part in a couple of exercises, and I was busy creating templates for products I would use once I reached my final destination.  By the time the exercises ended, I had accumulated a useful body of information that would be helpful to my section when we arrived in theater.

Many of my colleagues chose to save their information on a shared drive that would be transported to Afghanistan with the unit.  However, I chose to save and manage all of my documents in AKO.  My section had a files area under the unit’s file structure to which I was given administrative rights.  As a result, I was also able to give my subordinates and higher headquarters counterparts access to my files as well, and send them automatic updates when new files were added or existing files were updated. 

Did you know AKO Files offers the ability to share files, check them out, lock them and save new versions that would be available to anyone who selects the document, all while saving the document’s revision history?

When we arrived in Afghanistan, nearly two months passed before I was finally issued a computer on the military network.  But, I still had a job that needed to be done.  Fortunately, I had my own personal computer, and had access to computers at MWR. With AKO, wherever there was an internet connection, I could do my work, and collaborate with my staff and higher HQ colleagues.

AKO offers many features the average person may not be familiar with.  I found AKO’s Instant Messaging feature useful – especially on those nights when I was in the office late and would see colleagues back in the U.S. online because of the presence-awareness feature.  I could ask questions or send information quickly and get responses just as fast.

In fact, AKO features a growing suite of collaborative tools, which includes a people directory, files, groups, organizational or group pages, forums and blogs, and feedback tools like questionnaires and a data grid channel.

If you have access to AKO, you can learn more by viewing AKO/DKO 101 - Intro to AKO/DKO at    https://www.us.army.mil/suite/doc/21585617.