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Source: United States Air Force
In line with DAF’s efforts to reoptimize for GPC, leaders at AETC are following through on upgrading the service’s development ecosystem with a goal of providing digital-age training and education in alignment with the evolving needs of the warfighter.
Source: United States Air Force
Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Flosi received an inside look into the life of nearly 13,000 Airmen and Guardians deployed under the Ninth Air Force during his first trip as the CMSAF to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility across the Middle East, July 22-26.
Source: United States Air Force
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AFNS) —
For the first time, the Department of the Air Force-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Accelerator has welcomed two Marines into the newest cohort of accelerator Phantoms, marking a significant milestone in the program’s reach.
The Phantom Program, which admitted only DAF personnel up to this point, allows Airmen and Guardians to collaborate with world class AI researchers. The inclusion of Marines underscores the innovation needs and capabilities of service members across the Department of Defense.
“Marines have always been innovators, from amphibious operations to naval aviation, and will continue to carry on that tradition,” said Lt. Gen. Matthew G. Glavy, deputy commandant, information, of the United States Marine Corps. “AI presents yet another opportunity for Marines to showcase their ability to fuse technology, people and processes to generate favorable outcomes across the competition continuum.”
Traditionally, the program was compromised of only Airmen and Guardians, but now benefits from the unique perspectives and expertise of the Marine Corps.
“Marines bring a unique perspective to military operations, a perspective that can only enrich the AIA’s own diversity of experience,” said Col. Garry Floyd, director of the MIT-AI Accelerator. “Given the broad nature of the AIA’s portfolio we are certain to find synergies across our efforts to develop and deploy difference making capabilities for operations.”
The inclusion of Marine Corps active-duty members reflect the USMC’s commitment to harnessing AI’s potential.
“Partnering with MIT and the DAF AI Accelerator provides an opportunity to rapidly upskill our Marines to support the Marine Corps’ acceleration of AI adoption, ultimately leading to increased decision advantage for commanders at all echelons,” Glavy said.
During the five-month fellowship, Marine Phantoms will engage in cutting-edge AI research, rapid prototyping of AI algorithms, and scaling applications for real-world use.
A unique aspect of the Phantom Program is the requirement for each participant to produce a publishable impact paper. This not only enhances the program’s value but also contributes significantly to military AI research.
The DAF-MIT AI Accelerator aims to accelerate fundamental AI research to improve Air Force operations and address societal needs. By including Marines, the program is taking a crucial step toward a more integrated and technologically advanced joint force.
“Ultimately the AIA is about accelerating the development and deployment of AI capabilities for the DAF…and the DoD,” Floyd said. “Marines conduct operations in all domains of warfare, so when they asked if they could send representatives to this Phantom Cohort, it was an easy yes. We’ll benefit from their perspective, and this provides the Marines with a cost-effective way of accelerating their own AI Roadmap.”
Source: United States Air Force
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) —
The Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education’s Foundations curriculum achieved full operational capability July 19, after nine months of course testing and training.
The last Barnes Center mobile training team departed Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans after graduating 50 Louisiana Air National Guard Airmen from Airmanship 300, 500 and 700 courses. Since November 2023, 34 teams trained 1,386 total force Airmen.
“These Foundations courses were developed, tested and implemented in record time,” said Col. Damian Schlussel, Barnes Center commander. “What would normally take a few years, we have done in months. I am so proud of our staff and impressed with the work our curriculum developers and instructors have accomplished.”
In a letter to the force on Sept. 18, 2023, then-Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. and then-Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Joanne S. Bass, stated that Foundations courses will replace base-level professional enhancement seminars beginning in October 2023 and become prerequisite courses for enlisted professional military education starting in late 2024.
The Barnes Center, in conjunction with development advisors, major command functional managers and Headquarters Air Force, Force Development, developed the foundations courses as part of the Enlisted Airmanship Continuum, outlined in the same letter to the force. The continuum focuses on enhancing the professional military education and development of total force enlisted Airmen and fill the gaps between legacy professional military education schools such as Airman Leadership School and the Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
“Some Airmen go five or six years between PME courses, which is way too long,” Schlussel said. “These courses close that developmental gap by delivering the right content at the right time in an Airman’s career.”
The BCEE Foundations curriculum team, along with 56 instructors from Airey, Sheppard and Mathies NCO academies, invested a collective 27,720 hours over 90 consecutive days to developing and refining course content between July and September of 2023.
“We started in July and were told to focus on the 500-level only, with a two-year timeframe,” said Tech. Sgt. Kate Hytinen, Barnes Center Foundations noncommissioned officer in charge. “A few days later, we learned we needed to develop 300-, 500-, and 700-level content by September to ensure the courses would roll out at the same time and to support reoptimizing the Air Force in an era of Great Power Competition. It was all-hands-on-deck.”
The team also hosted a 10-day seminar in October 2023, connecting 48 subject matter experts from all the major commands for a comprehensive course curriculum review. The seminar resulted in 53 complete lesson plans prior to initial operational capability testing, which ran from November 2023 to February 2024.
During IOC, 30 NCO Academy instructors formed mobile training teams for 12 locations. The teams taught 30 classes but were also responsible for evaluating curriculum and gathering course feedback from the 352 graduates.
During FOC, March to July 2024, 24 NCO Academy instructors continued to deliver course content and gather feedback at 22 locations, but also began training developmental advisors and equivalent Foundations instructors to facilitate base-level training across the force. The FOC training teams graduated 693 Airmen from 82 locations around the world and trained 341 developmental advisors or equivalent personnel.
“Our mission was clear and concise, and our team had support from the top down,” Hytinen said. “It was a lot of long days, weekends and late nights for the team, but we were able to do it, and do it well.”
Moving forward, MAJCOMs [major commands] will incorporate the five-day Foundations courses into their base’s educational catalogs. Base developmental advisors will lead and manage the courses. The Barnes Center will continue to provide 80% of the course content, while MAJCOMs and wings provide the remaining 20%.
In a July 12, 2024, memorandum to all MAJCOM manpower and personnel directorates, Crystal L. Moore, Headquarters Air Force, Force Development director, outlined the official policy and procedural guidance to implement the Enlisted Airmanship Continuum Foundations Courses, making Airmanship 300, 500 and 700 official EPME prerequisites beginning Dec. 31, 2025.
Hytinen will soon leave the Barnes Center, as she was selected to be a warrant officer instructor for the Warrant Officer Training School, soon to open on Maxwell AFB. She credits her experiences in standing up the Foundations courses as the reason for her selection. “I’ve learned so much and it has given me more confidence in my abilities,” she said.
Source: United States Air Force
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. (AFNS) —
The Military Child Care in Your Neighborhood fee assistance program, available to active-duty and certain reserve members of the Department of the Air Force is now being extended to federal civilian families.
The program aims to make affordable, high-quality childcare accessible to more families, addressing a critical need within the Air Force.
“The program includes civilian employees who either do not live near an installation with child and youth programs or are stationed at installations pre-identified as eligible for fee assistance, such as Hanscom Air Force Base,” said Rachel Washington-Freeman, Child Development Center director.
The MCCYN program supports families by ensuring they pay no more for off-base childcare than they would for on-installation care, up to a set ca
“Fee assistance goal is to have family’s pay the equivalent to or as close as possible to the cost of care on military installations,” Washington-Freeman said.
This initiative significantly reduces the financial burden on Hanscom AFB families.
“This is critical support for our civilian personnel who have long faced challenges in accessing affordable childcare,” Washington-Freeman said. “By extending this program to civilians, we’re making it easier for them to balance their professional and family responsibilities.”
DAF civilians interested in the program can visit here to determine their eligibility, explore qualifying providers and apply for assistance.
According to officials, this secure online portal simplifies the process, providing a centralized resource for families navigating their childcare options.
Initially, the program was available to active-duty DAF personnel, full-time or deployed Guard/Reserve Airmen and Guardians, Air Guard/Reserve technicians, survivors of combat fallen warriors and wounded, ill, or injured servicemembers who lacked access to on-base childcare.
Source: United States Air Force
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
The Air Force announced today the first cohort of 78 Total Force Airmen to attend the new Warrant Officer Training School on Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama.
“These Airmen are poised to assume critical roles as technical experts, functional leaders, and advisors within their specialized domains,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin. “They possess the cutting-edge skills we need to address the multifaceted challenges of today’s dynamic security landscape. Their selection is not only a testament to their talents, but also to our commitment to rapidly reoptimize the U.S. Air Force for our strategic environment.”
The Warrant Officer Corps will address critical operational needs while maintaining highly perishable skills and leveraging the deep expertise and technical capabilities of these Airmen.
The group consists of active duty, Reserve and guard Airmen. Selected Airmen will learn foundational principles that complement their technical expertise and enable them to successfully perform their role as warrant officers.
“We are using all tools available to ensure we keep our competitive advantage and expand our force’s capabilities in the cyber domain,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi. “Our investment in the Warrant Officer Program preserves and enhances our Airmen’s technical skills. We are committed to making these necessary changes quickly in a strategic environment defined by Great Power Competition.”
Airmen in the first cohort will be divided into three classes with the first class starting in October. After graduation, the first warrant officers are expected to arrive at their duty stations in early 2025.
The complete list of Airmen selected to become warrant officers is available through myFSS.
Source: United States Air Force
WASHINGTON (AFNS) —
Dr. Lara Schmidt has been appointed the vice chair of the Department of the Air Force’s Scientific Advisory Board.
Members of the SAB include individuals who are experts in science, technology, manufacturing, acquisition process and other matters of special interest to the DAF.
Established in 1944, the advisory board provides independent advice to DAF leadership on matters of science and technology relating to the Air Force and Space Force mission. Board members offer their time to benefit the DAF and the nation by identifying applications of technology that can improve or enable new capabilities for the Air Force and Space Force.
As vice chair, Schmidt will assist in the overall direction and effectiveness of the board, focusing on conducting studies on topics deemed critical by the Secretary of the Air Force, recommending applications of technology and providing independent reviews of the quality and relevance of the DAF science and technology programs.
Prior to her new position, Schmidt served as the associate general manager of the Aerospace Corporation’s Communications and Navigations Capabilities Division and has been a member of the SAB since 2016.
To learn more about the Department of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board, visit here.
Source: United States Air Force
WASHINGTON (AFNS) —
The launch of an artificial intelligence-powered platform for uncovering and matching talent across the joint force is an important step in tackling what Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., has described as the current “war for talent.”
Combining the eagle from the Defense Department‘s iconic heraldry with the term for a short-term work opportunity, the GigEagle platform is one of the Defense Innovation Unit‘s transformational projects. It works to match members of the Reserve and National Guard with gigs based on their full set of skills, including in-demand talents gained from civilian careers. The gigs range from four hours to 90 days across DoD.
Brig. Gen. Michael T. McGinley, GigEagle’s program lead, draws parallels from the platform’s inception to the successful model of rideshare companies that match supply and demand in real time.
“The idea is that across the department, programs have real-time needs for specific support and skills, and by mapping the expertise across the Reserve and Guard force, who have in-demand expertise outside of their military occupational specialty, we are able to connect them in an easy-to-use environment,” McGinley said.
Today, the model for real-time talent matching has been proven, and it’s transforming the way one military member is serving.
Maj. Kaitlin Zimmerman created her GigEagle profile and was matched with a project listed by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office to support an on-base Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center initiative. While her military job is a program manager in the Space System Command‘s reserve strike team, she was tapped for her civilian career skills as a principal data scientist at Amazon Web Services to help predict MWR program office staffing levels.
“They needed a pretty straightforward machine learning model, and I was able to build a model that predicted the staffing needs with close to 87% accuracy,” Zimmerman said.
The MWR office provided a dataset with information that included the number of people on-base, different events and training courses, which Zimmerman was able to use as proof of the possible.
“The training dataset was relatively small, so I’d categorize this as a prototype — nothing ready for production, but it did show that it could be done,” Zimmerman said.
Showcasing what is possible for the future of defense work is precisely what platform users are demonstrating. With a focus across the services to find ways to drive modernization and recruit and develop top talent, the platform represents a joint capability gap solution.
“Throughout the U.S. Army and other services, there is an unprecedented focus on innovation and modernization which is forcing the department to leverage skillsets not typically developed within traditional military occupational specialties or branches,” said Army Maj. Craig Robbins, chief talent management officer at the 75th Innovation Command.
Leveraging soldier skills and experience — especially those gained through the private sector — in AI, robotics, software development, data analytics and medical technologies represent just a few areas critical for the future force.
“These are skills we know we have in our ranks, but [we] cannot access them in real time because we lack the tools to identify them across the force,” Robbins said.
The demand for talent matching is not new. Several years ago, the 75th Innovation Command prototyped a tool, which has since been retired, that matched talent with missions and assignments. Building on this demand, GigEagle brings those capabilities to the next level using AI and machine learning to understand the totality of soldiers’ talents and how they align with problem sets in real time.
“I see GigEagle as the next step forward in achieving what we’ve been able to achieve in the 75th Innovation Command, but at scale across the Army and DoD,” Robbins said.
Early adopters of the platform include DIU’s own Joint Reserve Detachment, Space Force Space Systems Command, Marine Innovation Unit and AFWERX.
During a March technology demonstration at the South by Southwest Conference in Austin, Texas, Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Daniel Hokanson, experienced the GigEagle platform.
“We’re happy to have seen the GigEagle platform in action, a new joint talent marketplace that could be a game changer for the National Guard Bureau by unlocking the incredible skills resident in our Guard force.”
Most recently, GigEagle prevailed as a top contender in DoD’s inaugural Talent Management: From the Ground Up Innovation Challenge hosted by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. The goal was to meet the challenges of talent management by asking employees across the department for their best talent management ideas.
Of the 200 submissions received, nine, including GigEagle, were selected after employees presented their ideas in a final round of the competition in April. They will work with various policy offices inside DoD to collaborate on how best to implement their ideas.
Initially focused on National Guard and Reserve talent, the platform has enterprise-wide use case potential to include supporting the active-duty component, civilian service matching, and even military spouses.
To learn more about how this platform can transform the way service members can apply their skills or how your organization can find and engage in-demand talent to help solve problems, visit www.gigeagle.mil.
Source: United States Air Force
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —
Department of the Air Force leaders reinforced the importance of allies and partners during their recent trip to the United Kingdom July 17-23.
Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin reemphasized the importance of interoperability in the air and space domains during engagements at the Global Air and Space Chiefs’ Conference, Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough International Air Show.
Throughout the trip, Kendall, Saltzman and Allvin participated in more than a dozen bilateral and multilateral engagements to deepen and expand relationships with allies and partners from Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
“Integration starts with us,” Allvin penned in a primer submitted to GASCC for publication. “Common values like respect for sovereignty, liberty, and the rule of law form the foundation of our relationships. These relationships translate into strategic real-time intelligence sharing and culminate in integrated battlespace activities.”
Kendall met with a range of U.K. defense and military officials, including the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry Maria Eagle, and Royal Air Force Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Rich Knighton. Additionally, he met with the new chief of the Royal Australian Air Force, Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, to discuss the recent Department of the Air Force reoptimization for Great Power Competition initiative and reaffirm bilateral strategic alignment, and Royal Netherlands Navy Vice Adm. Jan Willem Hartman, Materiel and IT Command commander, to explore opportunities to deepen collaboration.
A key aspect Kendall highlighted throughout each of his engagements was the need for the Department of the Air Force to intentionally and efficiently drive modernization efforts to contend with challenging strategic competitors.
“We’re in a situation today where it’s really important for the Department of the Air Force to modernize as effectively and quickly as we can,” Kendall said during his keynote address at the Farnborough International Air Show. “We need to make good choices, partner closely with our allies, and develop and field cutting-edge capabilities together.”
Among Allvin’s engagements were meetings with the Royal Australian Air Force Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Stephen Chappell and the Japan Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff Gen. Hiroaki Uchikura. These discussions focused on the importance of the trilateral strategic relationship and reassuring the strength of shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
Allvin also met with counterparts from Finland, Sweden, and Norway to discuss the regional security environment and support to NATO’s deterrence and defense mission.
Additionally, Allvin, Saltzman and Knighton signed a shared vision statement at the Global Air and Space Chiefs’ Conference. This statement underscores the focus on collaboration with the RAF across three lines of effort: operational harmonization, capability integration, and system resilience.
“Among great powers, space is the linchpin,” Saltzman said. “We’re part of a growing group of allies and partners that enhance our collective security through resiliency, redundancy and interoperability. Collaboration between the U.S. and the U.K. is essential to maintaining our combined force’s competitive advantage across all domains.”
Allvin emphasized collaboration is key to success in addressing rapidly evolving threats.
“No nation can successfully confront today’s dynamic security environment alone,” Allvin said. “By increasing our integration with the Royal Air Force, we are enhancing our collective ability to address the threats we face. We will continue to invest in partnerships like this to build enduring advantages while simultaneously strengthening deterrence.”
Part of Saltzman’s engagements included meeting with U.K. Royal Air Force Air and Space Commander Air Marshal Allan Marshall and Australian Army Maj. Gen. Gregory Novak, Australian Defence Space Command commander, to discuss the ongoing AUKUS security partnership. He also met with British Army Maj. Gen. Paul Tedman, U.K. Space Command commander, discussing U.K. space power priorities and U.S. Space Force efforts to reoptimize for GPC.
“This theory’s viability rests on our ability to build a coalition to uphold and strengthen a rules-based international order for space,” Saltzman wrote about the U.S. Space Force’s theory of success in an article for the GASCC publication. “Given the inherently global nature of space activities and the interconnectedness of space systems, collaboration among space-faring nations is indispensable for enhancing space situational awareness, promoting responsible behavior, and establishing norms of behavior in space.”
During keynote remarks at GASCC, Saltzman also advocated for a shift in perspective regarding the current military deterrence model in a time where aggressors are developing new methods, asymmetric, and hybrid warfare to try and erode the established international order – including the space domain. At the same time, he emphasized the importance of effective deterrence.
“I believe Integrated Deterrence is a valuable and worthy approach in the U.S.’s National Defense Strategy,” Saltzman said. “Our NDS describes it as a weaving together of capabilities and concepts with those of our international and interagency partners to dissuade aggression.”
To do this effectively, Saltzman said, “I propose we design our forces and orchestrate our activities around military functions like ‘protect’ and ‘defend,’ which we can more tangibly pursue, rather than ‘deterrence,’ which is a more nebulous and complex concept.”
Together with NATO allies and European partners, the U.S. continues to transform and modernize its military forces to enable alliance and coalition operations and improve speed, posture, transparency and alignment across all domains – air, sea, land, cyber and space.
Source: United States Air Force
FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) —
In this week’s look around the Air Force, leaders speak at the Global Air and Space Chiefs’ Conference in London about collective agility and integrated defense. They also sign a shared vision agreement with the Royal Air Force on 21st century cooperation. (Hosted by Staff Sgt. Milton Hamilton)
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For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.