AKO Webmail Migration to DoD Enterprise Email

Beginning February this year, about 500K Army Knowledge Online (AKO) users will be
migrated to DoD Enterprise Email (DEE). These users are currently using their AKO
webmail as the primary email. This group is actually the last among the Army groups
whose accounts will be migrated to DEE.

• DoD Enterprise Email
  http://akoarmymil.com/dod-enterprise-email-dee/‎
• Enterprise Email
  http://akoarmymil.com/enterprise-email/
• DoD Enterprise FAQ page
  http://akoarmymil.com/department-of-defense-dod-enterprise-email-information-page/

This AKO webmail migration initiative forms part of an overall migration system within
the Army. The initiative requires migrating from legacy email to DEE system. There are
about 1.5 m Army users, 760K of which are already migrated to DEE.

The migration process is expected to affect soldiers and Army civilians among others.
However, those contractors who are using common access cards (CAC) might be also
affected despite the fact that they might not be using government computers in using
their Army email. Those users with email accounts that are server-provided will be also
affected if the server belongs to other military component.

The migration only includes AKO emails, but not contacts and calendars. This is
perceived to be the migration tool’s limitation. Nonetheless, the key strength of the tool
is its capability of migrating emails bound for the AKO account into the DEE account.
That is, the emails will be forwarded automatically using the ‘@mail.mil’ extension.

The AKO accounts will still be valid though. However, once migration to DEE occurs,
the user may no longer associate with AKO including its mail interface, mail handling
capability and mail storage. DEE can provide these capabilities though in addition to the
web-enabled mail interface that can be found at https://web.mail.mil/.

Those deployed soldiers, who are not yet migrated into the DEE system, may continue
using the AKO accounts until their re-deployment. The same goes with Warrior
Transition Command Solders if they want to use their AKO accounts optionally. More
details will be provided in the future through WTC.

Retirees, even when they own a CAC to perform another role like Army civilian or
contractor, family members, and other non-CAC holder AKO users will be able to
maintain their AKO accounts. However, they will be eventually transitioned to the DEE
platform. Retirees and families will be also provided with alternate secure access to
particular portals of Army and DoD.

DEE accounts will be made accessible through CAC since the system will utilize a
browser equipped with a CAC reader. Nonetheless, any computer is allowed to be
used since the system supports the use of browsers and operating system. One cannot
access DEE with using a username and password.

Further, AKO users with CAC are allowed of accessing DEE accounts with the use of
the same computer. However, those AKO webmail users, who have a username and
password, must follow the procedures of configuring the computer to make accessible
with the use of CAC. Such an issue might interrupt the process of accessing email until
the migration is completed.

Further, there are various AKO mail capabilities that may no longer be utilized with
using DEE. This is because of the high security vulnerabilities. AKO users may no
longer be endowed with

— Outlook accessibility including the AKO Outlook connector when using non-
government computers

— IMAP/POP protocols accessibility including commercial email clients like Outlook and
Thunderbird since they are not CAC PKI certified

— Personal mobile device accessibility since this platform requires IMAP/POP protocols

For email issues, users should communicate with the AKO helpdesk (1-866-335-2769).
Users shall select 2 for ‘AKO’ and 3 for ‘other’. AKO helpdesk assists account access
and answers ‘how-to’ questions including how to access DEE using non-government
computers. On the other hand, DEE users must contact the respective network
enterprise center or other equivalent support entities.

Users are also encouraged to visit https://www.us.army.mil/suite/page/
EnterpriseEmailTransition for more information about DEE including FAQs.