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How do I enroll into the Army AVD program from home?

2 min read

Introduction #

“The Army’s remote capability and security have significantly matured since the release of Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) and Hypori. During the initial deployment of Army 365 during the COVID-19 pandemic, [the Army] made a risk-based decision to allow access and downloads from webmail before the release of the AVD and Hypori capabilities. This was similar to what DISA had done previously with Defense Enterprise Email (DEE) and Outlook Web Access (OWA). To support continued operations, other resources were also made accessible directly from commercial internet, such as Teams, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive, but downloads have been blocked in those capabilities. As our adversaries continue to develop sophisticated attacks on our publicly exposed resources, we must shift from that approach to using the more secure alternatives offered by Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD), Hypori, or, in the future, Intune Mobile Access Management (MAM).

With the availability of these new capabilities, NETCOM will start blocking access to all Army 365 services including Webmail, Teams, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive through commercial internet on 1 June 2024.“

Reference: Command Message 2024-05, April 26, 2024

Requirements #

  • You must be an Army Contractor, Civilian, or Military Service Member
  • You must have an Army 365 account
  • Personal or corporate computer (non-government)
  • Home or commercial internet; WiFi or wired via ethernet
  • Common Access Card (CAC)
  • CAC reader

Instructions #

To enroll, follow the steps below: using a commercial or home internet connection:

  1. While connected to your internet, access the Army AVD enrollment page on MilSuite.
  2. Login by clicking on commercial.
  3. Follow the provided instructions for the Army AVD enrollment page.
    • After clicking the link, you are taken to the ‘Army Enterprise Azure Virtual Desktop‘ MilSuite, login if not already logged in
    • Once there, you will see the title ‘Army Enterprise AVD Onboarding’. Immediately to the right at the top of the short column click ‘Access Package Onboarding (Commercial Clients).’
    • If required, login to your Army 365 account (CAC and reader required for this step)
    • On your ‘Access Packages’ page, click ‘request’ for ‘Army 365 Enterprise Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Onboarding’
    • Once you request your access, wait approximately 20 minutes to one (1) day depending on the volume – be patient
    • You will receive an email confirming your account is provisioned for AVD
      • Understandably, you may not be able to check your email because you are signing up for remote access and do not have a GFE
  4. Continue your set-up via Windows or MacOS
    • Ensure that the Azure Virtual Desktop configuration is the desktop application downloaded from the appropriate source:
    • If using the web browser, Army AVD does not allow for smart card redirection. This means you can only use A365 applications:
      • You cannot sign documents via the web browser
      • You cannot login to other Army websites via the web browser
      • You cannot view encrypted emails and files via the web browser

Enrollment Problems #

Some have reported issues when accessing MilSuite from home. We encourage everyone to go through the MilSuite page as it contains additional information, link, and guides we will not publish. Here are a few tips if you experience browser or certificate issues with MilSuite:

  1. Check for software updates.
  2. Check you Operating System version is on the latest release.
  3. Ensure the time on your computer is correct. A mismatch between your computer and the website will lead to an SSL or certificate error.
  4. Empty your browsers cache, cookies and temporary files.
  5. Check your browser extensions:
    • Are they up-to-date
    • Is one of them interfering with your connection?
  6. Check your VPN to see if it is interfering with your connection?
  7. Clear your SSL cache
  8. Verify if your antivirus software is working and if it may be blocking your connection. Sometime AV software is very aggressive and hampers normal functionality.
  9. Refresh your PC to “reinstall Windows and keep your personal files and settings. Refresh also keeps the apps that came with your PC and the apps you installed from the Microsoft Store.”

Verify Enrollment #

You can verify you enrollment from your computer by re-visiting your “My Access” page to confirm if your account is provisioned for and AVD license.