Hurlburt mapmakers strut their stuff at expo Published May 26, 2006 By Staff Sgt. Mareshah Haynes 16th SOW Public Affairs Hurlburt Field, Fla -- The Air Force Special Operations Command Geospatial Community hosted a mapping expo from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at J.R. Rocker’s Tuesday. The community consists of AFSOC intelligence, the GeoBase and GeoReach programs, Special Operations Forces Planning, Rehearsal, Execution and Planning and the 720th Special Tactics Group. The community manages all aspects of imagery and mapping for the command in both stateside and overseas locations. The programs can also be used for planning in deployed locations. "We provide access to geospatial intelligence data in support of mission planning, command and control, force protection and any and all base support organizations with a GEOINT requirement," said Bruce Eddy, Headquarters AFSOC directorate of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. “The programs can identify where runways are and where there is potable water,” said Kyle Martin, GeoReach program manager. “Maps can be used to design tent cities and provide notional aircraft parking on an installation before a single Airmen sets foot in the area of responsibility. “ The AFSOC GeoReach office is also developing a specialized program for explosive ordinance disposal units to provide an accurate tactical picture. Another member of the Geospatial community, SOFPREP demonstrated their capabilities to benefit Team Hurlburt. "We’re a Special Operations Command tenet unit here. SOFPREP provides imagery for GEOINT. Data is collected based on SOCOM requirements,” said 1st Lt. Christopher Brown, operations officer at SOFPREP. “All GeoBase maps are live,” said Jesus Ortega-Valenzuela, Hurlburt GeoBase manager. “If we update a building on base you will see it on the base map.” The programs use satellite images and create “layers” that are stacked onto the map. One layer might illustrate the proximity to other facilities while another may illustrate locations of potable water. Air Force members can go to the GeoBase Web site at https://GeoBase to see live maps, pictures, floorplans and other pertinent information about each building on base. Additional information can found by logging onto the Air Force Portal.