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Airman of GUNDAM 22 Posthumously Promoted

Sunday, December 31st, 2023

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

The Secretary of the Air Force posthumously promoted Captain Terrell “Terry” K. Brayman to the rank of Major, with an effective date of December 15, 2022 reflecting when Terry was selected for Major following the conclusion of the Air Force promotion board.

The posthumous promotion is in recognition of Terry’s outstanding service and in acknowledgment of the ultimate sacrifice he made in the line of duty.

Terry was one of the eight Airmen of GUNDAM 22 that died in a CV-22 mishap off the shore of Yakushima Island, Japan on Nov. 29, 2023.

“Major Brayman’s legacy will forever endure in the hearts and minds of those who served alongside him, as his commitment to his country will continue to inspire current and future generations of Air Commandos,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, AFSOC commander. “The AFSOC community continues to stand with the families, friends, and teammates affected by this devastating loss.”

By Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, SOF | 1 Comment »

Sneak Peek – GBRS Kinetic Ti by Sangin Intruments

Saturday, December 30th, 2023

The GBRS Kinetic Ti represents a timeless partnership between two veteran-owned companies. Collaborating to create a robust and enduring timepiece, their shared goal was to craft a watch specifically designed for real-time operations.

This collaboration timepiece is produced in small batches annually, limiting it to one per customer. Available 1-1-24 @ 1300 EST.

gbrsgroup.com

Posted in Guest Post, Watches | 3 Comments »

Robot Dogs Protect Lives Through Innovation

Saturday, December 30th, 2023

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. —

“These robot dogs not only have the potential to save Airmen’s lives, but they also serve as a reminder of how valuable your voice is, regardless of rank.”

Master Sgt. Dominic Garcia, the emergency management flight chief from the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, devised the concept of robot dogs and while he advanced his idea into building and testing the robots, he learned some valuable lessons along the way.

Garcia is originally from Denver, enlisted in the Air Force in 2006 and spent most of his career working under Air Force Global Strike Command.

In 2017, Garcia deployed to Syria from his home station at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. After returning from his deployment Garcia reflected on his time in Syria.

“I had a really hard time adjusting back, and when you’re trying to adjust back, you replay a lot of things in your head,” said Garcia. “You replay certain situations, you think; what could I have done better? What could I have done differently?”

While reflecting on his deployment he remembered seeing canine teams on some of the chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear missions. He said while he considered the things he would improve; he wondered if there was a way to arm the dogs with detectors instead of sending an entire team into a potentially hazardous environment.

In 2019, Garcia was one of six AFGSC Airmen of the Year award recipients and met people from across AFGSC. His networking led to the opportunity to bring the concept of robot dogs to life through the Air Force Work Project.

AFWERX is an Air Force innovation program that connects Airmen with technology developers to turn creative ideas into a reality. While Garcia worked on his concept with AFWERX, he connected with the company Ghost Robotics who agreed to build the robot dogs.

In 2022, Garcia and his team applied for the Silver Award Grant and they were awarded 1.25 million dollars for the project. Garcia said he was delightfully surprised as he discovered opportunities and programs as he progressed in his journey to make his robot dog idea possible.

“All I knew up until 2018 and 2019 was, if you want something done, you have to wait for policy or requirements,” said Garcia. “I didn’t know that there’s this whole other side of the Air Force that allows you to fast track and get what you need, kind of at the speed of relevancy to the tactical edge.”

Once the robot parts were ready and delivered Garcia and his team assembled the parts into two user-friendly robotic canines.

The team tested the functionality of the newly assembled robot dogs before advancing to test their capabilities to tackle Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear materials incidents. The team tested the dogs’ CBRN readiness by putting them through radioactive sites at the Defense Nuclear Weapons School at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

While it might seem odd to build expensive equipment and then immediately expose it to extreme situations, this testing is necessary. Garcia created the robot dogs to replace Airmen in life-threatening situations and withstand dangerous environments. He also armed the robotic canines with detectors capable of simultaneously detecting various threats.

Garcia and his team went to the Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah to test the detectors, sensor data feedback, communication, and terrain performance.

Garcia’s focus while developing the dogs was to design equipment that could save Airmen’s lives both here in the United States and when deployed overseas. He said in addition to preventing Airmen from risking their lives, the robots could fill operational gaps and increase the manpower in hazardous specialties.

Persistent to meet these goals, Garcia and his flight continue to test the robotic canines through further research and development.

Throughout the development of his robot dog concept, Garcia discovered a new passion for empowering Airmen to share their perspectives.
He emphasized the importance of listening to and encouraging different perspectives of his teammates.

“We need to be able to say yes more and listen more,” said Garcia. “We need to be able to allow our Airmen, our sergeants, our lieutenants, whoever, to be able to give those ideas and support them because if you say no you’ll never know the return on investment. But a simple yes can have so many positive effects that we don’t even see sometimes.”

Prior to his innovative journey Garcia said he didn’t know he could come up with a concept and receive the support to make it a reality.

Going through this process opened his eyes to the value of involving Airmen at every level, encouraging them, and supporting their ideas. Garcia said that is the reason he wanted to involve his teammates in the testing and evaluation of the robot dogs.

“This is one of the few times that we get to build by the end user, for the end user. Yes, end users test certain pieces of equipment, but very rarely do they get to build it out for an entire career flow for an entire mission,” said Garcia. “That’s why I wanted to create an exposure for these guys to show them that it doesn’t matter what rank you are, it doesn’t matter how much experience you have in the Air Force, we all bring something to the table.”

One of Garcia’s flight members, Airman 1st Class Daisy Slater, an emergency management specialist from the 2nd Civil Engineer Squadron, has been learning from Garcia while they work with the robot
dogs.

She said she is grateful for the opportunity to work with Garcia and learn about the dog’s performance
and capabilities.

“I feel like getting to this flight, I’ve been given the opportunity to hit the ground running, so to speak,” said Slater. “There are so many NCOs and especially Airmen coming out of this flight that are making waves in the career field. And when you situate yourself next to people doing great things, it opens a door for you to also do great things.”

Garcia said he is inspired by the adaptability and eagerness displayed by the newer generation of Airmen and he hopes he has paved a path for the many Airmen who have innovative ideas.

“The robot dogs are amazing. I love them, and I believe they’re going to save lives,” said Garcia. “What we’re doing for the career field, I think is awesome because we’re the first ones in the whole emergency management career field doing this, but the more important message is, we need to be able to be more open.”

By Airman Rhea Beil & Master Sgt. Delia Martinez, 2nd Bomb Wing

Posted in Air Force, CBRNE, Guest Post, Robotics | Comments Off on Robot Dogs Protect Lives Through Innovation

Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to Host Hackathon in Hawaii

Friday, December 29th, 2023

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —

The Office of the Secretary of Defense Chief Digital and AI Office, Defense Innovation Unit, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Army Pacific Command and the U.S. Air Force will host a multi-classification hackathon open to all U.S. citizens, Feb. 5-9, 2024.

A hackathon is an innovation event commonly employed by technology companies in which teams develop prototypes in response to enterprise challenges associated with data. The BRAVO 11 Bits2Effects hackathon will occur at one of the DOD AI Battle Labs on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.

Any American citizen is eligible to apply, regardless of whether they currently work for the federal government or possess a security clearance. Applications, available online here, will be accepted on a rolling first-come-first-serve basis with the first group of acceptances taking place in mid-December. Due to past events exceeding 400 participants, BRAVO has secured an over-flow room, although organizers still expect demand to exceed supply.

Attendees are not required to hold a security clearance. However, certain spaces, use-cases and datasets may require a U.S. secret security clearance or higher. Applicants may apply as an employee for the U.S. government, a U.S. government contractor working on behalf of a federal contract or as U.S. citizen either affiliated or unaffiliated with a company. Any U.S. federal employees or federal contractors are eligible to submit potential use-cases and proposed collaborations within the application process. Sourcing a use-case to these hackathons often results in an operational prototype and feedback for the sourcing organization.

Starting in 2021, the U.S. Air Force began organizing multi-service prototyping events, known as BRAVO hackathons, to expedite learning and capability development from classified and protected operational data. This year’s BRAVO 11 Bits2Effects, the fourth BRAVO hackathon and first-held inside a combatant command, is seeking to produce solutions to combatant command challenges utilizing Indo-Pacific operational theater data. BRAVO utilizes a permissive software development environment that permits the co-mingling of classified and protected data with untrusted open-source and commercial software otherwise not approved for production systems within minutes.

Prior hackathons have produced prototypes influencing major Defense Department programs in areas including large language models, space launch, flight telemetry and biometrics, unmanned systems, personnel recovery, security classification, sensing and targeting and battle damage assessment among others.

“In the early 1920s, Army Col. Billy Mitchell assessed battleships, a top military funding priority of the Department of War, could be sunk by bombers just 1/80th the cost,” said Stuart Wagner, Chief Digital Transformation Officer for the Department of the Air Force and BRAVO AI Battle Labs Executive Agent. “To disprove widely held resourcing beliefs of senators, four-star generals and the Secretary of War, Mitchell organized the Project B exercises where bombers repeatedly sunk German-captured battleships, changing warfare by turning investments to airpower in the leadup of World War II.

The BRAVO DoD AI Battle Labs are again seeking to change how warfare is conducted by enabling innovators to develop and employ data driven effects during competition and conflict.”

Applicants looking to participate may do so in one of three roles:

The “Hacker” role is open to all applicants and expects project builders with varying skill sets and experience, including operational and warfighter expertise, software development, data science, machine learning, design and user interface/user design, data visualization and product management. Hackers may optionally supply a use case during the application process.

The “Hacker Subject Matter Expert” role is open to government and government contractors who lead one or more teams with specific expertise about a use case or dataset or supplies and administers infrastructure utilized at the hackathon. HackerSMEs will be required to supply a use case during the application process.

The “Supporter” role, open to government and government contractors, provides administrative support to the event by running security, facilitating supplies delivery, organizing social events and facilitating the delivery of science fair materials and attendee check-in.

Any federal government organization (contractor or government) is eligible to submit a use case, dataset, infrastructure or potential collaboration with the hackathon by submitting a Hacker/HackerSME application to the event. Further clarification can be obtained via saf.cn.bravo@us.af.mil. U.S. citizens and industry not leveraging an existing DoD contract for their proposed collaboration are encouraged to contact the Defense Innovation Unit at onramp-hack-bravo@diu.mil.

Story by U.S. Department of Defense

Posted in Air Force, Cyber, Guest Post | Comments Off on Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to Host Hackathon in Hawaii

WEPTAC / AFSPECWAR Vendor Nights

Thursday, December 28th, 2023

January 10-11 at the Nellis Club.

Posted in Advertiser, AFSW, Guest Post, Tradeshow | Comments Off on WEPTAC / AFSPECWAR Vendor Nights

820th BDG Tactical Leader, Battle Staff Courses Shape Future Leaders

Thursday, December 28th, 2023

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – The 820th Base Defense Group plays a pivotal role in ensuring safe operations by securing air base infrastructure, safeguarding personnel and providing a strong defense posture to enable Air Force, Joint and Coalition missions.

In a joint environment with unpredictable challenges, dispersed execution and mission command becomes imperative for operational success and maintaining a lethal edge.

To create a more cohesive unit, the 820th BDG created a two-week Battle Staff Course for its unit leadership and merged its execution with the Group’s existing Tactical Leader course for squad leaders. The first iteration of this combined training occurred Dec. 1-18, 2023, at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

A Battle Staff consists of officers and non-commissioned officers working together to support command decision-making processes, manage resources, plan and direct subordinate missions, analyze intelligence, and oversee communications and logistics during military operations. Tactical leaders are senior airmen and NCOs appointed as leaders within their unit entrusted to make decisions at the ground level.

The Battle Staff course teaches Air Base Defense Doctrine and how to implement it into mission planning for tactical leaders to employ. The tactical leader course empowers Airmen to interpret, execute and conduct lower-level planning to support the commander’s intent in the Battle Staff’s operational orders.

“By immersing students in this intensive training regimen, the (Tactical Leader) course empowers Airmen with ample leadership opportunities, allowing them to make critical decisions throughout the entirety of the program,” said Senior Airman Garrett Montilla, 820th Combat Operations Squadron training instructor.

These courses culminated with a five-day field training exercise immersing tactical leaders and battle staff in real-world scenarios where they had the freedom to experiment, make mistakes, and most importantly, learn from them.

“They’re working through very realistic problems in an environment where failure is totally fine because everything is executed in a controlled environment,” said Lt. Col. Justin Bateman, 822d Base Defense Squadron commander and course creator. “We have a chance to play it back and show them the decisions they made and let them reflect on it and figure out how to learn from it during the debriefing process.”

During the training exercise, students in the Battle Staff course produced an operational order for their squadron driving a series of tasks for tactical leaders in the field to execute.

“These orders guide the squads during missions, conducting area reconnaissance and gathering crucial intel from ground forces,” Montilla said. “They ultimately inform strategic decisions by shaping future operations and their dynamic scenarios.”

To initiate the exercise, the squad leader faced the challenge of maneuvering a squad through an enemy-contested area. Upon reaching the designated operating location with low visibility, they efficiently established a base in four hours which included digging 4-foot trenches for defensive positions and setting up communications with the Battle Staff.

Operating on minimal sleep, tactical leader students underwent frequent rotations as squad leaders and team leaders. Instructors evaluated them from the moment they received patrol orders to the end of each mission. These operations focused on denying adversarial access to key terrain and enemy movement as well as eliminating adversaries in proximity to bases, decreasing enemies’ capability and willingness to fight.

“I hope that they take away a better understanding of their role and what is required of them in an airbase defense environment,” Bateman said. “I also hope that they take away the realization that we all have a lot to learn and must stay growth-minded no matter our rank. Regardless, the students are growing and you can see that in their execution.”

Story by Senior Airman Deanna Muir, 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing

Posted in Air Force, Forces Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on 820th BDG Tactical Leader, Battle Staff Courses Shape Future Leaders

Brouwer’s “The Thing”

Wednesday, December 27th, 2023

Is a simple, and robust solution to a long-faced problem; how do you combine the ergonomic benefits of multi-angle pistol magazine pouches, with the versatility of the soft forging duty pouch such as the “TACO”?

Traditionally, the multi-angle pouches are manufactured using Kydex, or injection molding, which serve their purpose well, however, they only support one or two types of magazines. This solution is great, in environments where only one gun or one magazine type is used.

But for the working professional or the firearms connoisseur, you just flat out need more flexibility… literally. And for this need, the HSGI TACO is excellent. Stuff whatever you want in it and it will serve you well. However, it can only be installed 90 degrees to whatever MOLLE belt solution you select.

We are proud to announce a solution for the best of both worlds. the “The Thing” is a robust T7075 aircraft-grade aluminum mount ready for any scenario in shooting. Our proprietary design allows quick and easy mounting with any MOLLE pouch on the market. Adjustable in 10-degree increments, for a full 360 degrees of rotation.

Additionally, the center of rotation is offset from the centerline, so that “The Thing” can be installed with the magazines in a high or low offset, depending on your setup and needs!

Includes 2 spacers for your belt of choice from 1.5″ – 2″ we got you covered.

We didn’t know what the hell to call it, so it’s just, … “The Thing”

www.brouwersolutions.com/shop/the-thing

Posted in Guest Post, Load Carrying | 2 Comments »

How Army Tailors Brought Back The “Ike” Jacket

Wednesday, December 27th, 2023

Stitching with distinction: the Army’s talented tailors

FORT MEYER, Va. — From a basic trouser hem to re-designing a famous jacket fit for a President, the tailoring team at the Logistics Readiness Center, Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Fort Meyer, Virginia keeps the fabric of the Army strong, accurate and reliable for its customers.

LRC JBM-HH is one of 78 LRCs that report to the U.S. Army Sustainment Command. LRCs are essential in providing support services across the entire U.S. Army. While these support services vary in type – everything from ammunition management to food service – the tailoring team is one of the unique teams that supports our Army. LRCs have a daily, visible impact on every Soldier at their duty station and provide essential services that many take for granted. For example, many don’t likely think twice about a ceremonial uniform for a Soldier, but if they looked or fit less than perfect, it would attract attention.

The LRC JBM-HH team provides tailoring services for members of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), 289th Military Police Company, Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/USA Military District of Washington staff members, and a few other senior leaders and organizations. These organizations are authorized to wear the ceremonial blue uniform and include people with titles such as Commanding General, Chief of Staff White House social aides and the Army Aide to the President and Vice President. They’ve also worked on garments for presidents and other key U.S. dignitaries. With a tailoring team of only five personnel, this wide and diverse mission keeps them consistently occupied.

Comprised of three seamstresses, a tailor, a joint lead tailor and shoe cobbler, they adeptly tailor 80-100 items weekly. Common tasks take between 30 minutes to three hours to complete, while custom pieces can take much longer.

Thanks to the proficient tailoring team, the process seamlessly unfolds for those utilizing their services. As an invaluable part of ASC, they provide a unique way for leadership to look sharp and ready for a variety of occasions.

The team manages individual orders for ceremonial uniform fittings, but they also handle other aspects of daily wear, such as shirts, trousers, overcoats, raincoats, and more.

“A saber must be measured based on the height of the individual,” explains James Risek, LRC JBM-HH director. “This ensures that we are meeting the standards of the U.S. Army and the Old Guard.”

If standards are not met and maintained, there can be inconsistencies among uniforms, taking away from the polished look that the Army is known for. There may also be differences in the uniforms based on exposure to the elements, such as excessive time in the sun.

Ceremonial uniforms for the Old Guard, for example, are composed of a heavier set of cloth material that will hold up over a longer period of time. This is particularly important for the guards of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Honor Guards, and funerals.

“The precision and dedication of our talented tailors to serving the Old Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier indeed symbolize their profound commitment to honor and professionalism,” says Col. Larry Dean, commander of the 406th Army Field Support Brigade.

“The heavier uniforms maintain their appearance longer, and it reduces the dry cleaning and pressing requirements,” Risek explains. “The Old Guard Soldiers have internal press machines in each of the barracks for in between funerals or other missions. This provides them the ability to press their individual uniforms as needed.”

He adds that for any alterations, they must measure, fit and size before making any necessary follow-up adjustments and transferring to the workroom. The final product is then ready for pickup and wear.

Through thousands of stitches, some noteworthy items have been worked on over the last few years.

Alex Nguyen, lead tailor at JBM-HH, was invited to then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley’s retirement ceremony this fall. Nguyen provided specialized tailoring for Milley for eight years and was specifically requested by Milley to re-outfit him as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The team tailored a jacket for President Donald Trump and other key senior military leaders in 2017 for use while addressing troops overseas.

They supported the Cadet Uniform Factory at LRC West Point during a backlog, adding a new facet of uniform preparation to their repertoire.

Risek says that while most tailors and seamstresses focus on alterations, his team is different.

“The tailor shop is trained to understand the unique needs of every customer and weigh it against tailoring, embellishments and any other unique military requirements.”

The team showcased their skills and knowledge with the “Ike jacket,” designed on commission from Milley. It was the prototype of a replica of the famous jacket worn by President Dwight D. Eisenhower while in the field. This process involved using an archived jacket, relying on historical data, and applying modern standards, reviewed and approved by Milley. It was executed by the team with Milley’s input. Milley, the first fitting model for the project, made it available for Army service members to purchase and wear.

While not all items are as intricate as this project, it underscores the team’s wide range of skills and talents benefiting the Army. Whether jackets, pants, overcoats, raincoats or special commissions, most projects require at least a hem, embellishments, or final touches throughout their life cycle.

Tailors are an invaluable asset to both ASC and the Army, ensuring that military members are properly outfitted with uniforms that fit correctly and meet the standards set by the Army. While having the correct uniform is essential for a Soldier’s comfort, safety, and morale, it can also help create a sense of unity within the Army team.

By Kelly Haertjens, ASC Public Affairs

Posted in Army, Clothing, Guest Post, History | 5 Comments »