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GeoBase program brings McGuire maps to 21st Century

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Danielle Johnson
  • McGuire Public Affairs
McGUIRE AFB, N.J. --  From mapping out driving routes for distinguished visitor tours to tracking traffic accident locations, McGuire's GeoBase program is changing the way the 305th Civil Engineer Squadron looks at the base, literally. 

"Basically, it's a new way of handling spatial data," said Jennifer McCullough, GeoBase coordinator. "You can integrate things like documents and photos. You can click on the map, and it pulls up all this information for you." 

GeoBase is a new computer program that allows base agencies, such as civil engineers and security forces, to store data in base maps. 

"We're slowly but surely transitioning, so the engineering support can handle its own maps, do road updates, building updates; and then environmental does its updates and comm does its updates," said Ms. McCullough. "So eventually everybody takes responsibility for their own data." 

This new program may potentially have a big impact. For instance, security forces personnel can enter data marking the locations of traffic accidents, bring the information up on the map and see if there is an intersection that possibly needs a traffic light. Another example would be if an illness was to break out on base. Medical personnel could enter the locations of people affected, then track the data on a base map to see if a pattern forms and look for potential causes such as water contamination. 

What may be the backbone of the program is engineering support personnel, like Senior Airman Steve Barton, who ensures the system maps have the most accurate and up-to-date data. 

"We go out and survey new construction sites," said Airman Barton. "We also survey features we don't have on the map, bring the information in and incorporate it into these new maps." 

Since the GeoBase program has been used for the past three years, Airman Barton never had to use the old mapping system, Auto CAD, or Computer Aided Drafting.
"[With CAD] we'd have maybe 20 maps, one for each project," said Ms. McCullough. "Whereas now, you can pull up one and just bring in layers, and it's all up-to-date. Everything's current. It makes it cleaner, easier to manage. It's bringing the base into the 21st century." 

Any base agency interested in tracking data using GeoBase can contact the GeoBase personnel to request training on how to use the software or even just provide data to include in the program. Base personnel can also request route maps for specific base events or tours. 

For more information about the GeoBase program or to request a map, call Ms. McCullough at (609) 754-6421 or e-mail jennifer.mccullough.ctr@mcguire.af.mil.