Category: Aviation

Source: United States Air Force

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

The Department of the Air Force announced the recipients of the 2023 Gen. Larry O. Spencer Innovation Award during a ceremony at the Pentagon, May 8.

Master Sgt. Keith T. Dison, flight chief of advanced geospatial intelligence analysis troop of the Joint Special Operations Command Intelligence Brigade, received the individual award, while the team award went to the Atomic Spark team, which is comprised of the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing, assigned to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.

Presented by Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James C. Slife, the individual award recognized Dison’s exceptional contributions to the Special Tactics community. Specifically, he developed groundbreaking airfield survey capabilities for challenging environments, aligning with U.S. Special Operations Command priorities.

“Every generation faces its own challenges, and those challenges usually demand new ways of approaching the problem,” Slife said. “Grassroots efforts like those of Master Sgt. Dison and the Minot team led by Lt. Col. Stephen Kroft, enabled by Spark Tanks and Innovation Cells across the Air Force, are so crucial to mission success as we prepare to fight tomorrow’s wars. The solutions are out there among our amazing Airmen, and they are just as ready to adapt and overcome as the generations of Airmen before them.”

The Atomic Spark team led efforts that significantly increased agile combat employment capabilities for the B-52 Stratofortress. Additionally, they improved security measures for nuclear deterrence capabilities, leading to substantial operational enhancements within Air Force Global Strike Command.

Members of the team included Lt. Col. Stephen A. Kroft, Capt. Matthew P. Matuszak, 1st Lt. Lucas M. Schweinsberg, 1st Lt. William T. Young, 1st Lt. Kimberly C. Liu, 1st Lt. Krystalyn J. Delph, Master Sgt. Mishell M. Sonntog, Master Sgt. Adam L. Vasas, Tech. Sgt. Dominic P. Garcia, Tech. Sgt. Israel E. Garza and Staff Sgt. Nicholas E. Hartnett.

“The spirit of Air Force innovation has grown exponentially in the last decade, netting thousands of new ideas submitted each year to various campaigns,” Slife said. “Focusing on individuals and teams dedicated to driving that innovative spirit, this award signifies the Air Force’s commitment to improved efficiency, operational readiness, and replication of innovative ideas across the entire Air Force enterprise.”

Established in 2015 and presented annually, the Gen. Larry O. Spencer Innovation award pays tribute to former Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry O. Spencer. The award recognizes individuals and teams driving excellence in innovation within the Air Force and is known for fostering an innovative culture for Airmen through championing initiatives like the “Every Dollar Counts” campaign and the “Airmen Powered by Innovation” website.

Source: United States Air Force

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) —  

In this week’s look around the Air Force, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin discusses the Air Force’s approach to reoptimizing for Great Power Competition, a policy change makes it easier for Airmen to return to duty after seeking mental health services, and a C-130J completes its first max endurance operation with external fuel tanks. (Hosted by Staff Sgt. Jazmin Granger)

Watch on DVIDS | Watch on YouTube For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.

Source: United States Air Force

PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) —  

The 920th Rescue Wing successfully conducted a civilian medical airlift operation of a critical patient aboard a cruise ship located more than 350-nautical-miles off the eastern coast of the United States May 4.

Within hours of the call the 920th RQW prepared and launched a rescue force consisting of two HH-60G Pave Hawks, two HC-130J Combat King IIs and two teams of combat rescue officers and pararescuemen to fly to the ship’s position and safely extract the patient for transport to the nearest capable medical center. 

“Everyone in the wing mobilized with exceptional speed. By uniting our efforts, we saved crucial time, delivering life-saving assistance six hours ahead of other response teams. Our collective determination and efficiency ensured the successful rescue and transport of the individual in need,” said Capt. Dylan Gann, 301st Rescue Squadron pilot.

The wing assembled a wing operations center battle staff to coordinate all aspects of the rescue across the wing. Air Force specialty codes from maintenance to weather directed information to the on-scene team. Flight doctors were used to find the right treatment facility for the patient from home station and relayed information via over the horizon communication and data links to the rescue force.

Reaching the ship’s remote location required three helicopter air-to-air refuelings. A HAAR involves connecting a probe from the helicopter to a drogue on the HC-130J aircraft, allowing fuel transfer mid-flight. This ensures extended mission duration and combat readiness in austere environments and dynamic situations.

When the mission commander arrived on location, two HC-130J’s circled the airspace to assess the situation and assumed on-scene command while ready to conduct HAAR as needed. Then HH-60s approached the ship to execute the extraction of the patient. Pararescuemen were hoisted down and immediately began preparing the patient and then the patient and his mother were then hoisted up into the helicopter, where he was received medical attention enroute to a hospital.

“This is what ready now looks like. These real-world missions are what our countless hours of training have prepared us for. Rescue was able to plan and execute this mission without hesitation. This combined arms team is highly trained in their field while understanding what role they play in the bigger picture and led to the successful completion of the mission,” said Lt. Col. John Lowe, 920th Operations Group commander.

The patient was successfully transferred to a hospital in the United States. After 8-hours, and more than 1,000 miles flown, the mission was complete when all of the aircraft returned to Patrick Space Force Base.

Based at Patrick SFB, the 920th Rescue Wing is Air Force Reserve Command’s only combat search and rescue wing. Its primary mission is to plan, lead and conduct military rescue operations and missions to deny competitors and adversaries exploitation of isolated personnel.

Source: United States Air Force

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) —  

The first of two 2024 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conferences concluded May 8 at the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center in San Antonio, when three teams presented solutions to advance agile combat support operations in an era of Great Power Competition.

The I-WEPTAC 2024.1 Mission Area Working Groups briefed ideas for integrating combat support and combat service support capabilities to reshape, refocus and reoptimize the Department of the Air Force in these topic areas:

MAWG 1: Capabilities Within a Base Command – How to source the CS and CSS Airmen needed to stand up the proposed GPC units of action and the appropriate levels of support required at the installation given personnel and fiscal constraints.

MAWG 2: Creation of Cross-Functional Air Base Tactics Instructors – Build trusted advisors to help commanders achieve mission objectives and train cross-functional air base tactics instructors who will build, teach and lead combat support warfighters.

MAWG 3: Resilience and Base Recovery After Attack in an Agile Combat Employment Environment – How CS and CSS Airmen will recover a base after attack and the innovative ways to ensure combat resilience in an austere environment with minimal airlift and equipment support.

AFIMSC developed I-WEPTAC in 2017 and has hosted the conference ever since to provide a platform for I&MS Airmen and Guardians to engage in innovation.

“We have dedicated this particular I-WEPTAC to attributes of the hard GPC problems we’re working on right now,” said Maj. Gen. John Allen, AFIMSC commander. “Since I-WEPTAC is an Air Force innovation forum that takes on challenges facing installation and mission support agile combat support operations, it’s the right platform for us to address GPC priorities. We’re leveraging the innovative thought, expertise and ‘group-think’ of Airmen who conduct I&MS operations daily in order to harness that into actionable tactics, techniques and procedures we can field quickly.”

Through collaborative efforts within cross-functional teams, participants tackle ACE challenges with a focus on enhancing personnel development, readiness, power projection and capability development. This involves thorough examination and crafting of strategic courses of action.

Maj. Conor Favo, Transportation Working Capital Fund program manager for AFIMSC Detachment 9 at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and chair for MAWG 1, said his team’s efforts have been the same as previous MAWGs: developing combat support solutions to advance airpower. Therefore, the GPC focus was not a stretch for what the conference had been accomplishing.

“This MAWG is a driving force to represent the installation and mission support elements that are underway across the Air Force enterprise. It is a critical effort we wanted to continue with I-WEPTAC 2024.1,” Favo said.

MAWG 2 focused on developing Airmen with the right expertise.

“Combat support Airmen play a pivotal role in providing essential support functions such as logistics, intelligence, communications and security,” said Maj. Richard Cordova, MAWG 2 chair and chief of the Air Force Security Forces Center’s Air Force Mission Assurance Team. “By establishing these roles, we can align our capabilities within the operations community to ensure better coordination, resource allocation and synchronization of efforts to enhance overall operational effectiveness.”

MAWG 3 dealt exclusively with base resilience and recovery.

“Civil engineers are critical to the establishment and sustainment of air bases in any environment or conflict,” said Maj. Robin Walton, deputy branch chief for the Air Force Civil Engineer Center’s Facility Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization Program and MAWG 3 chair. “As we examine our various mission sets, we must continue to refine how we bed down, protect and sustain our forces.”

Brig. Gen. David Epperson, director of current operations in the Air Force office of the deputy chief of staff for Operations, expressed his appreciation for all parties involved, specifically for this year’s I-WEPTAC team members who helped provide solutions to complicated issues.

“I want to say thank you to all the MAWG participants,” Epperson said. “I was first out here a year ago as we were starting to look at Air Task Force and Unit of Action, and I couldn’t have asked for better support from this team.”

More than 70 military and civilian Airmen and Guardians from a broad cross-section of functional specialties comprised the three MAWGs at the conference. Subject matter experts in related disciplines will now analyze each MAWG’s recommendations to determine the optimum way to field them.

For more information about I-WEPTAC and to view this year’s out-briefs, which will be posted early next week, visit the I-WEPTAC 2024 website here.

I-WEPTAC 2024.2 out-briefs are tentatively scheduled for Nov. 13. Those topics will build on the momentum of the 2024.1 conference as the AFIMSC team works with the I&MS community and related specialties to swiftly accomplish GPC key decision actions.

Source: United States Air Force

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

Department of the Air Force officials announced the 2023 winners of the Nuclear Deterrence Operations Awards and the Nuclear and Missile Operations functional awards.

These awards recognize the outstanding accomplishments of Airmen, Guardians, and civilians contributing to nuclear deterrence operations and the missile operations career field.

“We are proud to recognize and highlight the amazing achievements of Department of the Air Force personnel across the nuclear enterprise.” said Lt. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration deputy chief of staff. “This year we introduced the Personnel Reliability and Assurance Program Manager of the Year award and expanded eligibility to our Total Force partners. Congratulations to the award earners and to all the Airmen, Guardians, civilians, and teams that were nominated.”

These outstanding nuclear professionals were selected from a diverse field within the Department of the Air Force’s major commands, unified combatant commands, and other agencies including the Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard.

2023 Nuclear and Missile Operations Awards
13N Cadet of the Year:  Cadet Chase B. Adcock
13N Operator of the Year: 1st Lt. Misty J. Rolling
13N Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Joshua R. Baumer
13N Field Grade Officer of the Year: Maj. Charles G. Stanley

General Thomas S. Power Award – Best ICBM Crew of the Year:
1st Lt. Alexander D. Tarbet
1st Lt. Patrick J. Finan Jr.

2023 Nuclear Deterrence Operations (NDO) Awards
NDO Airman of the Year: Senior Airman Shea M. Stambaugh
NDO Noncommissioned Officer of the Year:  Tech. Sgt. Nikolas R. Hugnou
NDO Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Master Sgt. Bradley M. Lewis
NDO Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Alyse M. Parker
NDO Field Grade Officer of the Year: Maj. Marques L. Reyes
NDO Reserve Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Staff Sgt. Samuel K. Cueva
NDO Reserve Company Grade Officer of the Year: Capt. Allison K. Riffle
NDO Reserve Field Grade Officer of the Year: Lt. Col. Magali M. Hahn
NDO Guardsman Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the Year: Master Sgt. Melinda R. Metten
NDO Guardsman Field Grade Officer of the Year: Maj. Andrew M. Duplessis
NDO Category I Civilian of the Year: Robert I. Izzett
NDO Category II Civilian of the Year: Patrick J. Matak
NDO Category III Civilian of the Year: Eric W. Meiers

Personnel Reliability and Assurance Program Manager of the Year
Master Sgt. Denise C. Mattingly

Professional Team, Level 1: 704th Munitions Support Squadron, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa
Maj. Charles J. Howell
Capt. Jeffery K. Linnear                    
Capt. Jacqueline E. Nazario
Capt. Adam T. Sacchetti        
Capt. Xavier Santana                         
1st Lt. Nicole E. Agob
Senior Master Sgt. Ronald J. Weaver
Master Sgt. Jennifer A. Bretschneider           
Master Sgt. Anthony G. Davis
Master Sgt. Lorri L. Farley                
Master Sgt. Dominique D. Magee                 
Master Sgt. Anthony C. Mitchamore
Master Sgt. Charles M. Power           
Master Sgt. Josiah R. Seale                           
Master Sgt. Jacob M. Stubblefield
Tech. Sgt. Alfred Leonard B. Carig   
Tech. Sgt. Samantha J. Church                      
Tech. Sgt. Daniel G. Dillon   
Tech. Sgt. Cole N. Farley                  
Tech. Sgt. Chauncey L. Oliver                      
Tech. Sgt. Zechariah J. Parker
Tech. Sgt. Alfred Ramirez, Jr.
Tech. Sgt. Michael R. Way                            
Tech. Sgt. Dustin J. Weygandt
Tech. Sgt. Cryston M. Williams        
Tech. Sgt. Robert L. Yeakley, Jr.                   
Staff Sgt. Samantha L. Ion
Staff Sgt. Rachel D. Richter  
Senior Airman Andrews De Leon Vera
Senior Airman Phillip R. Neal, II

Professional Team, Level 2:  Nuclear Maintenance and Sustainment Branch, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa
Maj. Aaron J. Taylor
Maj. Marisol Vierra
Chief Master Sgt. Andrew J. Rapsavage
Chief Master Sgt. Brian M. Ross
Master Sgt. Jason W. Halsey 
Master Sgt. William J. Healy
Master Sgt. Bradley M. Lewis
Master Sgt. John M. Rasband
Master Sgt. Jacob A. Thompson
Tech. Sgt. John R. Allen
Tech. Sgt. Daniel J. Bush
Tech. Sgt. Robert J. Gilsbach
Tech. Sgt. Matthias P. Houldieson
Tech. Sgt. Jordan N. Howett
Tech. Sgt. Nicolas R. Manna
Tech. Sgt. Scott R. Mihalic
Tech. Sgt. Evan R. Nota
Tech. Sgt. Yesenia S. Paredes
Tech. Sgt. Michael A. Rozsa

Professional Team, Level 3:  Personnel Reliability Program AQ Cell, Air Force Personnel Center
Lt. Col. Christopher R. David
Maj. Adam L. Bair
Maj. Christy Lynne M. McGinnis
Maj. James N. Moore
Maj. Victor Rodriguez
Senior Master Sgt. Lindsey A. Jaxel
Master Sgt. Denise C. Mattingly
Master Sgt. Aubrey M. Rozelle
Tech. Sgt. Ursula L. Thomas
Staff Sgt. Alex J. Bello
Staff Sgt. Aireana A. Carter
Staff Sgt. Benjamin R. Fly
Staff Sgt.  Victor Ortiz Ortiz
Senior Airman Eric C. Watts
Bonnie J. Cunning
Sara K. Daniel
Brian J. Lancaster
Patricia M. Lucas
Patrick J. Matak
Rene M. McQueen
Desiree C. Melcher
Brant D. Nickell
Karen C. Nzerem
Mary A. Webb

Since 2014, the Nuclear Operations Awards Program has been administered and overseen by Deputy Chief of Staff, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.

Source: United States Air Force

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) —  

Military and civilian leaders from across the Department of the Air Force recently convened at Air University to discuss the emerging role of artificial intelligence in future warfighting. These discussions took place at the Air University Symposium, “Harnessing AI for Information Advantage” event, hosted at Maxwell Air Force Base May 1-2.

The symposium focused primarily on the potential benefits of AI and how it will shape the information advantage in future conflicts. Key discussion topics included the coming AI revolution, identifying the threats and potential promises of AI in military applications, developing future AI-capable warfighters and how to reoptimize current strategies by incorporating AI in an era of Great Power Competition.

“Air University is meeting the challenges and benefits posed by AI head on,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Tipton, LeMay Center deputy director of Strategy and Concepts. “For example, in the flying community, pilots develop ‘air sense,’ an intuitive grasp of their aircraft’s behavior through experience. It’s about feeling beyond the visible, sensing what might be amiss. We face a similar challenge with artificial intelligence: How can we cultivate an ‘AI sense’ in Airmen? It’s about training them to not only understand the data but also to intuitively recognize when something doesn’t seem quite right.”

Keynote speakers at the symposium included Casey Mock from the Center for Humane Technology who discussed risks associated with generative AI and deception, and author Paul Scharre who discussed excerpts from his book, “Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.”

Other presenters included subject matter experts from Department of the Air Force AI Accelerator at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Institute of Technology, Eglin Flight Test Squadron, National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Headquarters Air Force Chief Digital and AI Office, China Aerospace Studies Institute, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and others.

The symposium also facilitated networking opportunities, enabling Air Force leaders to meet and engage with top experts in the AI-career field from across academia, think tanks and industry with the common goal of exploring the AI technology that will change the way the military views AI and ultimately inform Air Force doctrine.

In addition to the main symposium, an Air University research showcase was hosted at the historic Kress Building in downtown Montgomery, Alabama, on May 1, where participants from across Air University presented projects to highlight the cutting-edge research taking place at Maxwell AFB. Here, students interacted directly with senior military leaders while discussing how AI can be used to address complex challenges, fuel innovation while enhancing safety and security. This provided a platform for students to discuss their findings and demonstrate their learning directly to key military leaders.

“We aimed to distill some of the noise surrounding this topic and go straight to the truth about AI. The media offers various portrayals, but we focused on showing the actual situation — our current position and our ongoing efforts,” Tipton said. “This approach enabled direct dialogue between AI practitioners and the MAJCOM [major command] commander.”

As AI advances, it will continue to play a critical role in optimizing defense strategies in support of great power competition. The Air University AI Symposium is just one of the steps being taken to tackle these significant challenges while providing an overview of how AI is impacting the defense establishment.

Source: United States Air Force

 
Airmen and Guardians across the base showcased their challenges and improvements within day-to-day operations. Kendall visited multiple squadrons and agencies to see how Keesler trains, develops and inspires warfighters. 
 
While visiting Second Air Force headquarters, Kendall spoke with leadership about the Airman Development Continuum, which develops Airmen and Guardians from zero week in basic military training through technical training to provide them with a better understanding of their role in a time of Great Power Competition. He also learned how the Air Force Career Development Academy is transforming technical training with sixth generation classrooms and human performance initiatives. 
 
As a unit of action, the 81st TRW showcased their commitment to creating a world-class training environment. By working directly with Second Air Force, the 81st Training Group has transformed the learning environment with increased network capabilities, interactive software and simulators in dorms to allow students to access learning material anytime, anywhere. 

 

To fully immerse into Keesler’s modernized and adaptable classrooms, Kendall toured several training squadrons and met with technical training instructors to understand how they empower Airmen as agents of change. He saw the 333rd Training Squadron cyber escape room, the virtual reality weather training space at the 335th TRS, the new 334th TRS air traffic control study room and the 338th TRS’s outdoor expeditionary cyber training site. 
 
As the only Air Force Reserve Command wing in the state, the 403rd WG emphasized the increased role they play in mission readiness, sharing with Kendall that since 2018 they have seen a 600% increase in demand for winter season storm reconnaissance, and a 20% increase in tropical storm reconnaissance. 
 
Kendall finished his visit with an address to a formation of Airmen and Guardians who had completed their training for the day. The final daily formation is a way for instructors to pass along updates and information before the start of a weekend. Kendall used the occasion to pass along his thanks and gratitude to Airmen and Guardians undergoing training for the start of their military careers. 
 
“Thank you for wearing the uniform, for the work you put in every day, and for the sacrifices you and your family make and will continue to make in the years to come. We are proud to have you on our nation’s military team. One Team. One Fight.” 

Source: United States Air Force

To meet the Air Force’s growing demand for spectrum effects, the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing recently reactivated two historic squadrons, the 563rd Electronic Warfare Squadron, in San Antonio, Texas, and the 388th Electronic Warfare Squadron, at Eglin Air Force Base. 

The 563rd EWS’ history dates to World War II, and the unit most recently served as the Air Force’s electronic warfare and navigation officer training squadron. It provided undergraduate training to newly commissioned officers as the 563rd Flying Training Squadron until its deactivation in 2010. 

Many officers at the 350th SWW either served in or were trained by the 563rd FTS. Multiple alumni attended the ceremony, including retired Col. Eric Paulson, former 563rd FTS instructor and former 350th SWW deputy commander. 

“I was honored to be a part of this historic ceremony and see the heritage of the 563rd continue,” Paulson said. “As a previous EW instructor at the 563rd Flying Training Squadron, we saw great capability delivered to the Air Force, and now we’ll see the 563rd Electronic Warfare Squadron deliver essential EW capability to directly to the warfighter.”

The 563rd EWS’ new mission is to design, develop and employ software-based EW capabilities that provide modern capabilities to warfighters. The unit will focus on executing software development, exploring areas for new software initiative, and educating the 350th SWW on software integration. 

The 563rd EWS reactivated on April 25 and Lt. Col. Charles Friesz assumed command. 

“The modern threats we are facing are software defined,” Friesz said. “The 563rd will be the Air Force’s answer to combatting our challenges in the spectrum. The next generation of electromagnetic capabilities will be generated and supported at this unit.” 

One week later, the 388th EWS reactivated on May 2 with Lt. Col. Timothy West assuming command. 

The 388th EWS’ history began in World War II with an antisubmarine mission in the Atlantic before being reassigned to the Pacific in support of the Island-Hopping Campaign. It most recently operated as the 388th Electronic Combat Squadron based out of Naval Air Station Whidbey, Washington, flying EA-6B Prowlers until its deactivation in 2010. 

Previous members of the 388th ECS were in attendance for the reactivation, including Col. John Christianson, 350th SWW deputy commander, who served as a flight commander before the unit deactivated. 

“It was amazing seeing a squadron with such history reactivate,” Christianson said. “My time in the 388th during its last iteration was a formative assignment for me as a young captain, and I look forward to seeing all the amazing things are they are going to do this time around.” 

The 388th EWS will focus on weapons and tactics, intelligence, test management and education and training. The 388th EWS will evaluate & assess adversaries’ capabilities and identify their vulnerabilities, informing capability prioritization and development at the wing. 

Focusing on improving the Air Force’s EW capability and driving waveform development, the 388th EWS will ensure warfighters are integrating EW effects into operations in a way that directly increases lethality and survivability of platforms and systems. 

“There is not a single kill chain that does not inherently rely on the spectrum,” West said. “We are weaponizing the electromagnetic spectrum and will punish our adversaries for believing they can rely on the electromagnetic spectrum to achieve their objectives.” 

The 563rd and 388th EWS bring the number of new units at the wing in the past year up to five. This rapid growth reinforces the Air Force’s commitment to prioritizing electromagnetic spectrum operations and the critical role they play in military operations. 

“The 563rd and 388th will allow the wing to deliver the capabilities the Air Force needs to take on the pacing challenge in the spectrum,” said Col. Josh Koslov, 350th SWW commander. “The challenges we face in the electromagnetic spectrum are demanding and we can’t afford to be stagnant.” 

As the Air Force reoptimizes itself for a new strategic environment, the electromagnetic spectrum is the global common that unites all domains of battle. The 350th SWW serves as the Air Force’s most consequential wing in winning its battles of today and tomorrow in the spectrum. 

“If we don’t win in the spectrum, we won’t win at all,” Koslov said. “The 563rd and 388th have provided our forces with strategic excellence in the past, and that’s what we are asking of them again. We’re ruthlessly pursuing spectrum superiority over our adversaries, and the growth we’ve had in the past week is a how we achieve that.” 

Source: United States Air Force

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) —  

The Air Force Materiel Command has implemented a referral bonus program to help bolster accessions for hard-to-fill vacancies across the command.

The goal of the program is to incentivize current employees who recruit individuals that are subsequently appointed to eligible positions.

“Bolstering accessions for hard-to-fill, mission-critical positions is a top priority for the Command as we strengthen our teams to effectively meet the mission,” said Kathy Watern, AFMC Manpower, Personnel and Services director. “Our employees are often the best recruiting tool in our arsenal, and their expert understanding of our mission and needs can often help identify strong fits for open positions. These awards reward them for their efforts.”

Department of Defense Instruction 400.25V451_DAFI36-1004, Department of the Air Force Civilian Recognition Program, authorizes major commands to employ referral bonuses for recruitment to hard-to-fill, mission-critical positions. The AFMC Referral Bonus Guide provides specific criteria and guidance for processing these bonuses within the command.

In general, referral bonuses may be distributed at the discretion of management to civilians who are eligible for awards in accordance with DoDI 1400.25, Volume 451. Civilians should consult the AFMC guidance to determine eligibility. The DoDI does limit certain individuals from receiving a referral bonus, including:

Individuals who work in human resources positions specific to recruitment.

Hiring managers or selection officials responsible for filling a position.

Individuals who are prohibited from advocating for the employment of a candidate to whom they are related as per section 3110 of Title 5, United States Code, Employment of Relatives.

Additionally, referral bonuses may not be offered when the candidate hired to a position is a current or former DoD employee or if the position is a temporary appointment of less than one year, to include student internship programs such as the Premier College Intern Program. Bonuses may be awarded if a candidate is hired to a qualifying position as a Palace Acquire or Copper Cap employee.

While there are no limits on the number of referral bonuses an individual may receive within a year, monetary awards are factored into the aggregate limitation on pay within a calendar year. Referral bonus award limits are set up to $2,000, up to 24 hours of time-off, or, when approved, a combination of both. In all cases, referral bonuses are awarded at the discretion of management.

Positions eligible for a referral bonus must be included on the DAF list of mission-critical occupations. However, hard-to-fill positions will be determined by each AFMC center, subject to geographic location, local labor market data and mission needs.

The AFMC Referral Bonus Guide is available here.

For additional information, email AFMC/A1KK here.

Source: United States Air Force

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) —  

The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center’s Innovation and Improvement Division is transforming the way Airmen do business by integrating cutting-edge data-preparation and data-visualization tools across the Department of the Air Force.

The AFIMSC team is providing the resources decision makers need with platforms like the PRISM project that provides snapshots of installation support metrics, ATLAS basing and beddown tool, manpower and personnel models, and resource management allocation models, said Dan Clark, data analytics officer in the AFIMSC Studies, Analyses, Assessments and Lessons Learned Directorate, or A9.

The tools provide the holistic site picture commanders need in real time to assess performance and make decisions across multiple installation and mission support areas, he said, adding that AFIMSC offers a training program to help units use the tools effectively.

“Our program equips teams with access and the knowledge to utilize cloud-based collaboration tools like Tableau server, data analytics automation and geospatial data,” Clark said.

AFIMSC kicked off the program in 2016 and has since trained more than 3,000 Airmen across the Department of the Air Force in virtual and in-person classes. The center offers more than 20 classes each month that cover all Tableau licenses and skill levels with new training opportunities being fielded every quarter, said Stephen Tickal, instructional systems designer.

In each intermediate class, students can pick their own data from among the plethora of datasets currently used for training purposes.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to gain insights on how to attack their specific data analytics challenges,” Tickal said.

Since AFIMSC’s inception, data has been important to the center’s mission, said Jadee Purdy, AFIMSC A9 director.

 “Our superpower is the enterprise-wide ability we have to share what we’re doing and scale it across the Department of the Air Force. Our other superpower is integration. We want to take data that has historically been on one or two laptops, or maybe on a SharePoint site, and put it out there in the cloud where everybody can access it to increase transparency and communication.” Jadee Purdy, AFIMSC A9 director

She encourages Airmen and Guardians to use the predictive visualization tools AFIMSC offers, not only to enhance their job performance effectively and efficiently but also to enable AFIMSC to leverage and share the data across the installation and mission support enterprise.

Last year, a team of AFIMSC data-prep and data-visualization instructors traveled to Patrick Space Force Base in Florida, Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson in Alaska, and Kadena Air Base in Japan to deliver training on the software tools.

“Kadena has a significant number of degraded facilities. In many cases these old facilities are failing via concrete spalling, which presents a significant safety concern,” said Col. Justin Morrison, 18th Civil Engineer Group commander. “We used the training to help us model data we have collected, track facilities of concern and even predict which facilities have spalling that has not yet been discovered. We can now prioritize facility inspections to identify safety concerns and where repairs are required.”

This training is worth the investment, he added. The Kadena AB team is using its installation data in ways not possible even a few years ago to help inform decisions.

The Air Force Civil Engineer Center, a subordinate unit of AFIMSC, also saw improvements by using the data preparation and visualization tools.

“AFCEC eliminated a six-week data collection effort by applying the power of robotics process automation,” Clark said. “The task to receive, edit, collate and report has been scripted into computer language and runs behind the scenes. Now, AFCEC can conduct this six-week data call in a few hours.”

The program and tools are also helping base teams advocate for resources in a fiscally challenging environment.

“The facilities sustainment, restoration and modernization, and demolition/degradation program applied these tools and demonstrated the entire built infrastructure of the DAF could be modelled onto a single screen,” Clark explained. “With the financial data applied, we were able to show a time-driven analysis of how poor the entire DAF infrastructure would become at current fiscal realities, with a total of over 55,000 buildings and all their subcomponents visualized on one screen.”

The result was a $1.7 billion increase to facilities sustainment, restoration and modernization funding levels that year, he added.

The program anticipates growing a presence in other cloud-based collaborative platforms, such as ADVANA, ENVISION and BLADE, and pursuing the increasing momentum in the MS365 app spaces.

AFIMSC aims to equip Airmen with the necessary tools, training, and support to foster continuous growth in data literacy and provide leaders at all levels with insightful dashboards and installation health assessments to enable informed decision-making and improve installation and mission support health, Purdy said.

“The ‘what’s in it for you’ is a lot fewer manual updates and no more data calls to installations or individuals,” she said. “This really is an opportunity for Airmen and leaders at every level to increase efficiency and spend less manual time manipulating the data if we got it all in one place.”

For more information about AFIMSC’s data-prep and visualization training, email afimsc.innovation@us.af.mil.