In order to work from a location other than their normal office, most employees will need access to the Forest Service computer system.

Each remote working employee will need to obtain a VPN (virtual private network) account in order to use a remote computer to access the Forest Service system. The account allows the employee to use a DSL line or a cable modem connected to a government-supplied computer to access the complete USDA Forest Service network from a remote location via the Internet. The VPN account allows high speed access to all files on the Forest Service network. The J, K, and L drives can be mapped just as if the employee was connected in the office, and all applications will work just as they do on the office computer.

To START a request for a VPN account, read the information on the CIO's Request Remote Access Account - Forest Service Employees Only Webpage, then click on the link to instructions on accessing the Remote Access Database at the bottom of the page.

After the employee has completed all the above steps in the instructions, he or she can begin working remotely using the Forest Service computer system.