Kris Osborn – Defense.org: “The Navy has begun a new pilot program to put tablets on board a destroyer in order to reduce paperwork and more efficiently streamline maintenance procedures, service officials said. Roughly 20 wireless tablets will soon arrive on board the USS Laboon, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer currently pier side in Norfolk, Va., Rear Adm. Herman Shelanski, director, assessment division, told Military​.com in an interview. The idea is to automate a wide range of what Shelanski called “maintenance and material management” functions by using wireless digital technology to replace time-consuming paperwork. “Sailors have said ‘we like the warfighting first but we can’t seem to get there. Our daily activities are filled with all this administrative stuff. There’s all this training we got to do, recording of the training and paperwork we need to do,’” Shelanski explained. “We’ve fallen behind in our ability to modernize and digitize certain processes.” The idea for the program emerged online through a Navy global online discussion forum with sailors. “One sailor’s good idea could have implications for the entire fleet,” said Lt. Jackie Pau, Navy spokeswoman. Currently, a lot of routine maintenance work such as checking pumps, weapons, electronic systems and binoculars is done using manual systems and the printing of vast amounts of paperwork, he added.”