By Jacob McGuire

Staff Writer

Lt. Col. James T. Couch took command of 10th Flight Test Squadron last Friday.

About 100 people attended a change of command ceremony at the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul facility, located on the south east site of Tinker Air Force Base, to witness Couch assume command of the squadron from Lt. Col. Jon. D. Cary. The backdrop for the ceremony was a massive B-1B Lancer undergoing maintenance.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead you all,” Couch said to members of the 10th FLTS, senior leaders from across the Tinker enterprise and special guests. “We’re going to do some fantastic things and build on the amazing relationship we have.”

Lt. Col. James T. Couch takes the guidon of the 10th Flight Test Squadron from Col. Christopher M. Zidek, commander of the 413th Flight Test Group, Air Force Reserve Command, during a change of command ceremony June 28, 2019, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. The 10th FLTS is responsible for post-depot maintenance test flights of B-1, B-52, E-3 and KC-135 aircraft in support of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, Air Force Materiel Command. (U.S. Air Force photo/Greg L. Davis)

The 10th FLTS performs pre-flight checks on various aircraft, including the Boeing B-1B Lancer, Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, Boeing E-3 Sentry and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker —something Couch is familiar with —previously working in several positions within the squadron, such as B-1B flight commander, chief of standardization and evaluation, chief of training and more recently, direction of operations where he oversaw a $1.9 billion Programmed Depot Maintenance program.

Before joining the 10th FLTS in 2007, Couch deployed to support Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, flying over 50 combat sorties and delivering countless joint direct attack munitions, in an effort to neutralize militant attacks.

Col. Christopher M. Zidek, commander of the 413th Flight Test Group, who acted as the presiding official for the ceremony, said [Friday] was a day full of emotion.

“Today is a special day for several reasons,” he said. “It represents change. Every time we see a great leader leave, we see an equally great leader walk in. The success of this squadron is testament to Cary’s leadership and it will continue with Couch.”

Couch explained how the day came to be.

“Col. Zidek called me while I was on leave and offered me the position. He told me to think about it and get back to him the next day,” Couch said. “I didn’t need that long. I told him right then, ‘I’m your man.’ There was no hesitation.”

Cary told his crew during his last opportunity to address them that they are in good hands with Couch. Cary has served with the 10th FLTS since 2008.

“I’m going to miss all of you without a doubt,” Cary said. “I’m confident that you all will continue to do great things with Couch.”

By Kevin Stamey

Executive Director, Air Force Sustainment Center

Tomorrow we will join as a nation in a common celebration of our country’s independence. We have many observances and holidays throughout the year, but the Fourth of July is one that is particularly unifying for all Americans. It is our opportunity to celebrate not only that defining moment on July 4, 1776, when 56 men put their names to the Declaration of Independence and birthed a nation, but every American accomplishment that moment made possible.

Kevin Stamey
Executive Director, Air Force Sustainment Center

With sovereignty comes the freedom to pursue progress. And that we did. From the cotton gin to the automotive assembly line, American inventions have changed the world. Even the aerospace sector got off the ground in the United States – literally – when the Wright Brothers invented aircraft controls that made fixed-wing powered flight possible. With that epic achievement began a movement that we in the Air Force Sustainment Center continue today.

It is important to remember that all of the business we do in a day – repairing aircraft, executing contracts, supplying parts and many other things – we do in defense of a nation who fought mightily for independence. Our job is to sustain it.

This year, as you celebrate with friends and family, know that you are the fiber of American progress. By doing your part to generate combat power for our country, you are keeping your fellow Americans safe and I thank you for that.

As you celebrate the 4th, please know your safety is important, too. However you plan to celebrate, please be safe and aware of the common dangers of our summer holiday. Always keep water safety in mind and if you plan to drink, do so responsibly. Fireworks are an Independence Day staple, but can be dangerous. Follow all of the local laws, be safe and come back to us happy and healthy.

By Megan Prather

Staff Writer

The KC-135 known as the “Speckled Trout” will spend the next 25 years at Tinker as an Aircraft Battle Damage Repair trainer.

Earlier this month, the 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group’s Expeditionary Depot Maintenance Flight pulled out a sledge hammer and did first damage to what was once a transport aircraft for distinguished visitors.

“It’s some pretty significant damage so we’re excited about that,” EDMX Flight Commander 1st Lt. Rebecca Kretzer said. “They’ll go out there and use this as a real world example of potential damage they could see out in the field.”

Members of the Expeditionary Depot Maintenance section perform post-attack reconnaissance (PAR) sweeps during their CBRNE exercise June 24. During the exercise, the Airmen are also required to perform aircraft battle damage repair (ABDR). This was the first exercise for them to perform repairs to the newly damaged Speckled Trout, a KC-135 they received in _______. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Of course, whatever damage is done has to be fixed, and on June 24 EDMX began their week- long exercise to do just that.

“You never know what capabilities the enemy has, so we try to run them through every possible scenario,” EDMX Tech. Sgt. Samuel Carr said.

The particular scenario EDMX trained for during their most recent exercise was a rocket projectile piercing the wing and causing extensive damage to the aircraft before coming out on the other side.

“It’s not as much damage as an actual rocket would’ve done, but we try to incorporate every facet or job that we would typically do day-to-day,” Carr said. “We try not to go too far out of our realm of possibilities, but just far enough to get the guys thinking about a possible scenario that is likely to happen depending on what country we’re deployed to at the time.”

On the first morning of the exercise, the cannon sounded and EDMX crews went through the scenario in full chemical biological radiological nuclear and explosive gear, and with a sense of urgency practicing ordnance sweeps, self-aid buddy care and damage assessment.

Staff Sgt. Harrison Mishler was tasked with assessing the damage and doling out repair duties.

“There are five different areas to fix,” Mishler said. “First of all, there’s a panel with multiple holes in it and above the panel we have a cracked hydro line, and above that is a wire bundle that has over half the wires inside of it split. We’re going to go through and reattach all those wires. Lastly, we have this throttle cable which has disconnected itself, and a pulley that the throttle cable goes through is damaged.”

Hydraulic fluid leaks out of Speckled Trout after sustaining its first battle damage since arriving at EDMX. During their first exercise with the KC-135, crew members had to remove and patch the damaged panel, fix the hydraulic lines with rubber tubing, rewire split wiring and construct a new throttle cable pulley and replace it on the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

A B-52 was also used in the exercise with a left fuselage puncture and a dent in the horizontal stabilizer leading edge needing to be repaired.

Overall, the air battle damage repair exercises EDMX performs provide leadership with insight on how they and their team can improve.

“We’re a work in progress,” Carr said. “We’re throwing a lot of new things at them, things they haven’t seen before and they’re learning just as we’re learning. The beauty about this is it’s not a one way street.”

The next Aircraft Battle Damage Repair exercise will take place in September.

By Greg L. Davis

72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

A special ceremony took place in the 552nd Air Control Wing’s Maintenance Dock 3 June 24 recognizing the E-3 Internet Protocol Enabled Communications program’s half-way point. During the ceremony key program workers received certificates and program coins for their efforts to deliver increased communications capability to Air Combat Command’s fleet of E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.

The pending completion of the 12th E-3 aircraft in the maintenance and modification line here signified half of the aircraft contracted for modification by Boeing had been met.

Recognition of personnel working on the Internet Protocol Enabled Communications modification program for the Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircrafts took place in the 552nd Air Control Wing’s maintenance spaces during a ceremony June 24, 2019, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Senior military and contractor leaders recognized key personnel for their outstanding contributions to providing critical capability to the warfighter. (U.S. Air Force photo/Greg L. Davis)

IPEC is part of the continuing upgrades to the Boeing E-3G AWACS (Block 40/45) to provide permanent satellite-based, internet protocol enabled communications package support over high bandwidth classified and multi-domain networks. Messaging connectivity to E-3G aircraft provides chat, Air Tasking Order, Airspace Control Order, email with attachments and website download capability simultaneously. These functions are primarily used by Block 40/45 operator workstations for seamless integration and big-picture awareness for their command and control mission of providing airspace dominance.

Aircraft equipped with the IPEC modifications are discernible by a small, upper-fuselage rectangular antennae placed just aft of the wing center section.

By Jacob McGuire

Staff Writer

It might be a little difficult getting around at Tinker Air Force Base for the next few months, but it will all be worth it in the end.

There are multiple major road construction projects going on at Tinker Air Force Base, simultaneously. One project is occurring at the intersection of Air Depot Boulevard and Arnold Street, closing Air Depot to Reserve Road, so Tinker’s paving contractor can repair and seal joints at the intersection.

Additionally, the area along Garden Plot and Reserve Road will be completely demolished and replaced.

“In the long run, it will be better for everyone who lives and works on base. We’ll just have to deal with some inconvenience for a few months,” said Brenton Willingham, 72nd Air Base Wing Civil Engineering Directorate project manager.

Air Depot Blvd. from Arnold Ave. to Reserve Rd. will be closed through Nov. 24 for full depth repair. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Willingham describes the projects as “paving the way for progress.”

“The overall goal is to make traffic smoother and safer for everyone on base, and support the mission” Willingham said.

Willingham says people should follow the detour along Arnold Street, Mitchell Avenue and Reserve Road during construction and to expect intermittent traffic delays.

He says the hope is to re-open Air Depot Blvd to Garden Plot Road Aug. 16, and the remainder of Air Depot Blvd to Reserve Rd on Nov. 24.

According to Willingham, the projects totaled more than $2 million.

He said the base’s routine pavement evaluation process identified the problems with Air Depot and Garden Plot roads in 2005 and the Air Depot and Arnold Street intersection in 2017. That, according to Willingham, prompted the construction.

“This was a high priority,” Willingham said.

For more information on these and other construction projects, visit www.tinker.af.mil/home/construction-zone, or email 72ABW.Tinker.ConstructionZone@us.af.mil.

Lt. Col. Matthew Wemyss took charge of the 552nd Training Support Squadron during a change of command ceremony July 2. Col. Steven Carocci, commander of the 552nd Training Group, presided over the ceremony in which Lt. Col. Kirk Hansen relinquished command of the squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

By Megan Prather

Staff Writer

Col. Mark Vitantonio relinquished command of the 72nd Mission Support Group to Col. Linda Hoover during a change of command ceremony in the Tinker Event Center on July 2.

72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek presided over the ceremony marking it as a “bittersweet” change of command.

“We lose a valued and beloved leader, and at the same time we bring on an absolute phenom of an officer,” Filcek said. “The 72nd MSG simply has no peer. It’s a diversified group of more than 1,500 professionals who directly support five wings, 45 separate agencies, the Air Force Sustainment Center and more than 94,000 people. This MSG is the leverage point for about 20 bases worth of American Air Power and Col. Vitantonio has led it as well as anyone could be expected to.”

72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek presided over the 72nd Mission Support Group Change of Command Ceremony in which Col. Linda Hoover took command from Col. Mark Vitantonio at the Tinker Event Center July 2. Hoover will be in charge of approximately 1,500 civilian and military personnel who maintain the infrastructure of the base, secure and patrol the base, and provide customer and family support, education, transportation, logistics and readiness support. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Hoover comes to Tinker from the Office of the Secretary of Defense in Washington D.C. where she was the director of Special Staff for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. In this position she assisted in policy, control and oversight of all aspects of the department’s program to account for the nation’s missing personnel from past conflicts in order to provide the fullest possible accounting to their families and the nation.

“As your new commander I do pledge three things to you, the first is to be a bold leader: one who looks at taking risks, to promote innovation and sustain the positive synergy you have created,” Hoover said. “(The second is) to be a servant leader: to listen to your inputs, to learn from you and to provide you and advocate for the resources you need to do your jobs better. Finally, (I pledge) to be a purposeful leader: to provide the vision, inspiration, empowerment and to always live by the motto to be the example and not the exception.”

During his time as commander of the 72nd MSG, Vitantonio is credited with helping to orchestrate the conversion of the Tinker Club to an event center; a $2.5 million project to consolidate Security Forces, Fire Protection and Medical into one central system; a 2018 Unit Compliance Inspection with less than 1% non-compliance naming the Security Forces Squadron as the Best Inspected Security Forces in all of Air Force Materiel Command; the largest drug bust in Air Force history in 2017 as well as executing a $10 million gates and roads improvement agenda that’s still in the works.

“Commanding commanders and directors is a different game, I’ve learned,” Vitantonio said. “It’s not about solving the problems, but rather advocating for those who do. It’s not about taking on more burdens, but rather finding a means to reduce it for others. It’s not about the finish line, but the journey of getting to the finish line. Col. Hoover, I couldn’t think of a better officer to take the reins and accelerate the group even farther.”

By Marisa Alia-Novobilski

Air Force Materiel Command Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — In an effort to make certain the Air Force Materiel Command is ideally structured and resourced to support the National Defense Strategy, AFMC leadership has launched an enterprise-wide initiative that will empower its Airmen and civilians to help shape the future of the command.

“This command’s work is vital to the execution of the National Defense Strategy. AFMC has built the most powerful Air Force in the world and our nation is depending on us to acquire, field and sustain the capabilities the Air Force needs to secure our nation’s future,” said Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr., AFMC commander. “To provide technology at the speed of relevance to counter adversarial threats and to sustain our service’s lethality, we need to make sure our organization is strategically organized, structured and resourced to execute our critical missions for the nation.”

The command-wide activity will seek the inputs of military and civilian Airmen across the headquarters and center footprints to recommend changes to posture the command for mission success in the decades to come.

“We are developing a 21st Century AFMC that is able to anticipate warfighter needs and leverages innovation to advance technology and deliver capabilities at the speed we need to remain ahead of our adversaries,” said Bunch. “Our work supports every Air Force mission, and it’s our responsibility to build the most lethal and ready Air Force.”

The wide-reaching initiative will study command processes, resources, and command and control structure. Specifically, the objectives under review are:

Unity of command and effort, including major command and program office structure and authorities

Command processes and the ability to support aging weapon systems

Internal structure and organization

Agility to adapt to provide rapid capabilities and logistics for the future

Alignment among multiple emerging initiatives and strategies

Ability to anticipate needs and lead solutions

The three-phase effort runs from June 24 through mid-August. A core team from AFMC headquarters is guiding the effort, augmented by personnel at all AFMC operating locations. Maj. Gen. Carl Schaefer, AFMC Deputy Commander, leads the initiative on behalf of AFMC leadership. Col. Pat McDonnell, AFMC National Guard advisor, is the operational team lead and Yancy Mailes, director, AFMC History and Museums Program, is managing the task force team activities. An independent contractor is supporting the internal team as well.

The entire AFMC workforce has the opportunity to participate in the initiative. Select individuals at each AFMC location will participate in live interviews and focus groups with the AFMC core team. All AFMC personnel will have the opportunity to share feedback and suggestions through an online survey and the AFMC website.

Collected feedback will be non-attributional and anonymity preserved to encourage full participation and candidness of submissions. The data gathered will be reviewed in conjunction with insights and best practices from industry to recommend courses of action for the AFMC future.

“This is not a manpower cut or climate survey,” said Bunch. “Rather, this is an opportunity for us as a command to identify those practices that work and those that are preventing us from being the agile and responsive AFMC our Air Force needs.”

Over the next few months, AFMC personnel should look for opportunities to participate in the initiative. Study updates will be communicated on the AFMC We Need webpage at www.afmc.af.mil/About-Us/AFMCweNEED/ and through email, social media, and the AF Connect mobile application.

“We need everyone’s participation,” said Bunch. “This is an opportunity to shape our workplace to lead the Air Force in innovation and inspire enthusiasm to enable new levels of mission success. The ‘AFMC We Need’ needs you.”

72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek presented the Tinker Military Retiree Activities Volunteer of the Year Award to J.D. Miller Sept. 3. Miller was joined by his daughters, from left, Yvonne Green and Yvette Miller and his spouse, Clara. Miller, a retired Tech. Sgt., served from 1954 to 1974, and has volunteered his time since. He primarily volunteers in the Tinker Clinic Pharmacy and Tinker Chapel, but also serves elderly and others in the Midwest City community. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Megan Prather

Staff Writer 

The spirit of giving back is something that stuck with retired Technical Sgt. JD Miller early in his military career.

Miller enlisted in the Air Force in 1954 with his first overseas assignment as a radio operator taking he and his wife, Clara, overseas.   

“When I was 22 years old in England, a family helped me and my wife when we really needed it and I’ve been trying to give back since,” Miller said.

His career took him to South Carolina, London, Japan and Vietnam as well as a year working as a crypto analyst at the Pentagon. However, when Miller retired from the Air Force in 1974, he knew his service wasn’t over. On Sept. 3 he was honored as the Military Retiree Activities Volunteer of the Year.

With Miller’s family and friends in attendance, 72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek presented Miller the award. 

Since 1995, Miller has served at the Tinker Pharmacy for one to two days a week for a total of 15 to 20 hours a week. Miller provides customer service to around 200 customers daily as they pick up their prescriptions, as well as  also trains other volunteers.

Miller has also been an active member of the Protestant chapel community at Tinker for the past 46 years. During this time he has served as an usher and assisted chaplains where needed. In addition, he has provided tax preparation assistance to AARP members for the past 16 years and has volunteered at assisted living quarters in Midwest City delivering groceries and providing transportation along with a smile and a good laugh for the past 20 years.

“I think that’s why we’re here. I’m just paying it forward from that one incident,” Miller said.  

Christian Tabak

Staff Writer

On Sept. 18, the United States Air Force will become 72 years old. Yet while this anniversary represents more than seven decades of the Air Force operating as a single organized entity, its history as one of the premier air powers in the world began at the turn of the twentieth century.

President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act of 1947 on July 26, 1947, which officially established the Department of the Air Force, and on Sept. 18 of the same year the first Secretary of the Air Force, W. Stuart Symington, would be sworn in and officially cement the creation of the new department. 

The Act reads that the purpose of organizing the U.S. Armed Forces was, “To provide a comprehensive program for the future security of the United States; to provide three military departments: the Army, the Navy and the Air Force; to provide for their coordination and unified direction under civilian control and to provide for the effective strategic direction and operation of the Armed Forces under unified control.”

Yet the Air Force’s original foundation was set 40 years prior in 1907, when the U.S. Army Signal Corps established a small Aeronautical Division to “take charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines and all kindred subjects.” This fateful decision was made only four years after the Wright Brothers successfully completed the first-ever airplane flight in 1903.

After that decision, it wasn’t until two years later that the U.S. Army manufactured its first aircraft in 1909 and in 1913 the first Army unit devoted exclusively to aviation, the 1st Aero Squadron, was formed, a unit which continues to operate today as the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron.

The need for air supremacy and a more organized flying force became apparent during World War II, and this need was backed up by the establishment of major air bases such as Tinker. Now home to the largest air logistics center in the Air Force Materiel Command, the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex, Tinker was established in 1941 and has since continued to play a central role by serving as one of the largest depots in the Air Force.

Between the purchase of its first aircraft and the establishment of Tinker AFB, the Air Force went through several designations as the Aeronautical Section, Signal Corps (1909); Aviation Section, Signal Corps (1914); United States Army Air Service (1918); United States Army Air Corps (1926) and United States Army Air Forces (1941).

Now in its 72nd official year, the purpose of forming the U.S. Air Force remains as central to U.S. security as it did at the time of the National Security Act’s establishment.

Christian Tabak

Staff Writer 

Tinker Air Force Base’s Community Action Team has been increasing its efforts  to connect Airmen with resources as part of a coordinated movement to support the Air Force’s goal of supporting Airmen during Suicide Prevention Month in the face of rising suicide rates.

More than simply addressing the topic of suicide itself, CAT’s programming is geared toward holistically addressing suicide and the various factors that contribute to it. Using their community partners and available resources on base, such as the Mental Health Clinic, the goal for the month is to ensure that awareness for suicide prevention is something that lasts year-round, according to Juan Flores, Tinker AFB’s suicide prevention manager. 

“This is for us to recognize that we need to do this on a more ongoing basis and how do we get all of our folks connected and to be effective bystanders,” Flores said. “We need to look out for one another and it is through connecting Airmen with resources, connecting them with their community and connecting them with each other that we will be able to address these issues.”

Flores, who also works as the violence prevention integrator, said that fostering connections is one of the single greatest ways to address suicide prevention and that many of the resources they direct Airmen to provide that.

One of the single greatest resources Flores recommended is the installation’s Mental Health Clinic, which provides psychiatry and counseling services for Airmen. More than just for Airmen who are in a crisis situation or are already feeling suicidal, Flores said that the Mental Health Clinic is an option for anyone who feels the need to meet with a counselor. The clinic is available for Airmen, while non-active duty beneficiaries may find options through Tricare for mental health check-ups.

“Mental health is just like physical health,” Flores said. “Just in the same way you would get a check-up with your doctor, this provides an opportunity to do the same for your mental health and address any stressors in your life.”

Addressing stressors, such as finances, relationship issues or anything related to substance reliance, is a key component of the approach CAT is taking to promoting awareness, according to Tinker Community Support Coordinator Karen Blackwell.

Regularly scheduled classes such as Health and Happiness, Power to Change, Personal Goal Setting for a Healthy Lifestyle and others provide Airmen a supportive environment to address issues that might be burdening them.

“This is about more than just suicide,” Blackwell said. “It’s about addressing everything that might be contributing to these feelings as well.”

A highly successful program that Flores said they have been implementing is training volunteers in Mental Health First Aid, a national public education program sponsored by the National Council for Behavioral Health. These eight-hour classes provide demonstrations through role-playing, simulations and other activities to provide support on how to address warning signs for specific types of illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Like in training for CPR or other physical first aid certifications, MHFA participants are prepared to interact with an individual in crisis and trained to support these individuals by connecting them to resources or serving as a resource his or herself. A key component is that they are not trained to diagnose or to provide counseling or therapy; instead, they are trained to provide practical bystander support.

“It teaches you how to support someone day-to-day with a mental health disorder, as well as if they are in crisis,” said Blackwell. “The more individuals we get trained in Mental Health First Aid across our installation, the more we have people on the front lines that can help people. It is another way to build those vital connections.”

Already, Blackwell said that the program has trained 327 people and that they are currently offering five classes, all of which are fully booked at 25 participants per class. Blackwell added that training and other classes like this are a great way to address one of the biggest obstacles facing Airmen in addressing suicide prevention: Airmen’s concern over how they appear within their unit.

More than the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide, Flores said that Airmen struggle more with concerns over how reaching out on these issues impact their standing among their teammates. By training Airmen in MHFA and by taking measures such as offering classes to a whole group rather than expecting Airmen to come to the classes themselves provides an environment where those concerns are dispelled.

These efforts to address suicide come in conjunction with orders from the Air Force to have each of its wings hold a resilience tactical pause to address rising suicide rates. The instruction, which came from Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein, gives wings until Sept. 15 to host a pause.

While each wing is given its own autonomy for how to conduct these pauses, the goal of these events are designed to allow each wing an opportunity to break from the daily grind of Air Force life and focus on the Airmen and their well-being, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright said in an official video posted to social media

“Our teammates are taking their own lives,” Wright said. “We lose more Airmen to suicide than any other single enemy, even more than combat.”

Tinker’s 72nd Air Base Wing hosted their own resilience tactical pause Sept. 4 with a series of sessions that allowed Airmen to meet and connect with one another. Other units brought in guest speakers from organizations such as the Wounded Warrior Project and similar activities that would give Airmen a break from their regular daily routine.

This heightened awareness on suicide comes at a point when the Air Force is projected to reach its highest point in 11 years. In their quarterly report, the Department of Defense announced a total of 325 active duty members took their lives, including 58 Marines, 68 Sailors, 60 Airmen and 139 Soldiers.

Oklahoma is ranked 8th in the nation for suicide and Flores said that it is vital that Tinker work with off-base community partners to address the topic, as it is something more than just an AF United States military problem.

“One suicide is too many. We want to make sure we are getting to the root of what the issue is,” Flores said. “We want to make sure [Airmen] know what helping resources are available and that we are getting our community to help them.”

Maj. Denise Zona, 72nd Medical Group Mental Health Flight commander, talks about the importance of forming and maintaining relationships during a community dinner Sept. 4. During the dinner, members of Team Tinker and representatives from community organizations shared ideas and experiences about suicide prevention. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

April McDonald

72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Tinker Air Force Base leaders recently sat down with local community members and health officials Sept. 4 at the Midwest City Chamber of Commerce to discuss suicide and share ideas to prevent it.

Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker installation commander, said the community event was the result of a directive from Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Goldfein, who called for all wings to hold a Resilience Tactical Pause during September. The purpose of the RTP is to increase Airmen connectedness and sense of purpose to increase unit cohesion, trust and confidence in command teams.

The wing culminated its RTP on Sept. 4 with several resiliency sessions for employees. Filcek discussed the reason for the pause during the community dinner that evening.

“Suicide is killing Airmen,” Filcek told the crowd, adding that he wasn’t distinguishing between those who wear a uniform and those who don’t when talking about Airmen. “It’s killing both. That’s an alarming prospect.” In Air Force Materiel Command, all suicides this year have been civilians.

Maj. Denise Zona, 72nd Medical Group Mental Health Flight commander, said the top three common denominators among military members who die by suicide are relationship issues, financial stressors and legal problems.

“That relationship element is front and center,” the major said. “The question I was trained to ask, ‘If you got a flat tire, who are you going to call?’ Relationships do not imply romantic relationships; they are the connections we make with others.”

It’s easier to be isolated today than it was just 10 years ago, said Shelby Rowe, Suicide Prevention Program manager with the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. “That isolation is poison,” she added.

J.D. Baker, special assistant to the Oklahoma City mayor, shares his personal experience of battling depression as a person with bipolar disorder during a Mental Wellness Community Dinner Sept. 4. Listening are, Midwest City Mayor Matt Dukes, left, and 72nd Air Base Wing and Tinker Installation Commander Col. Paul Filcek. Members of Team Tinker had the opportunity to listen to ideas and share their own experiences with community members specializing in mental wellness, substance abuse, and suicide prevention during the event. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Teresa Deck, clinical director with the non-profit Green Shoe Foundation, agreed.

“It’s important that you have connectedness with someone,” Deck said. “They are reaching out for a relationship when they call [a hotline], when they don’t have anyone else.”

Juanita Celie, suicide prevention coordinator with the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, said people who have a support network are more apt to ask for help when they encounter tough times.

“We are always trying to encourage people to be vulnerable and reach out and make that connection. Whether it’s through 2-1-1 or the National Veterans Crisis Line or a wingman, whomever is in your corner,” Ceile said.

It is important for leaders to be part of their subordinates’ support network. Chief Master Sgt. Melissa Erb, 72nd Air Base Wing command chief, said “intrusive leadership” is part of the supervisory task she gives young Airmen entering their first leadership role.

“Go learn about your Airmen,” she said. “You have to know enough about them to know there is something wrong with them. Because if you don’t know what their backstory is, you will never connect and you will never have any level of trust with your Airmen because they don’t see you as someone they can come to in a time of crisis.”

Filcek said it all boils down to caring for people. That doesn’t mean bringing donuts on Fridays or simply remembering someone’s birthday.

“Those don’t prove that you care,” he said. “It’s about coming through for someone in the clutch, when it’s inconvenient for you. Look for those opportunities. Just listen to one person one day. They will remember how you made them feel. If we start to ingrain that in our culture, these interactions and relationships, I think we will start winning.”

There are many resources available for those needing help. To talk to someone on base, call Tinker’s Mental Health Clinic at 582-6603 or the base chapel at 734-2111. Heartline, a free 24-hour phone service, can be reached by calling 2-1-1 or texting 8989211. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number is 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). 

For more information, visit https://www.resilience.af.mil/.

Areas of tall native grasses like the area on Mitchell Avenue on Tinker AFB is a purposeful restoration of land back to its original prairie, that will make the base more resilient for years to come. According to John Krupovage, Natural Resources Manager, Federal Executive Orders 11988 and 13693 mandate restoration of floodplain functions and values such as floodwater attenuation, filtering water pollutants, and linking fragmented natural areas. It takes time, but Krupovage said it will eventually be a beautiful prairie. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Kimberly Woodruff

72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The tall grasses lining Mitchell Avenue are a sign of Tinker Air Force Base rebuilding a robust, native ecosystem to benefit everyone who lives and works on and off the installation. 

Tinker is restoring land back to its original prairie, and though it is a different approach to managing urban land, it is making the base much more resilient and beneficial for years to come.

“We are trying to be responsible land stewards as the American public would expect us to be. We can’t just continue to take. At some point we have to replace what we’ve taken so we can keep the environment healthy. This translates into mission-related benefits such as keeping wildlife species from going into decline and becoming listed as threatened or endangered, which can complicate the Air Force mission,” said John Krupovage, Natural Resources manager. 

The prairie restoration is intentional and, according to Krupovage, serves three primary purposes: It mitigates the loss of green space due to the KC-46 construction site; it serves to reduce maintenance costs of having to mow large areas of grass; and it restores floodplain functions and values.”

Much of the land going back to prairie previously had houses and high-maintenance lawns. Converting to prairie reduces grounds maintenance costs and is just a smarter way of managing these land areas, Krupovage said. 

Krupovage added that healthy native vegetation helps rebuild the food chain for species that are stressed by poor habitat conditions.  

Tall grass acts as a natural water filter, which improves water quality. The grasses shade the water and keep it cool. Cooler water provides a better habitat for fish and other wildlife which use the stream. 

This way of managing the land makes Tinker AFB more resilient. According to Krupovage, the land is being managed in part to meet requirements of Federal Executive Orders 11988 and 13693, which mandate restoration of floodplain functions and values such as floodwater attenuation, filtering water pollutants and linking fragmented natural areas.  

“Tinker is also being a good neighbor to Midwest City, by managing its floodplains properly. When it rains, the Tinker water runoff needs somewhere to go or it would flood the city downstream,” said Krupovage. “By providing that floodwater detention space on Tinker, we are not making Midwest City’s flood problems worse. 

“A healthy prairie is pretty beautiful,” said Krupovage. “It takes time to transition from mowed Bermuda grass turf and weeds to prairie. Using practices such as prescribed burning will take us there. Ultimately it will mature and grow to be attractive.” 

The Air Force is committed to preserving and protecting the natural environment as it accomplishes its military mission. The conservation of natural resources and the completion of restoration efforts is one way Tinker AFB is remaining good stewards of the environment. 

A Signing Ceremony was held Sept. 6 at Tinker Fire Station #1 to certify a renegotiated Local Supplement Agreement from 1994. Signers of the new version of the LSA were, from left, International Fire Fighters Union Vice President Alexander East, 72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek, IAFF Union President Jody Chase, Chief of Fire and Emergency Services Terry Ford, Deputy Chief of Fire and Emergency Services Nathan Schooling and 72nd Force Support Squadron Labor Relations Officer Bryan Jackson. The major changes in the new version included updates to overtime, tours of duty, fitness time, etc. and provided updates for compliance with the Command Labor Agreement. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Megan Prather

Staff Writer

Members of the Tinker Fire Department, along with 72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek, gathered in Fire House #1 on Sept. 6 for the signing of a renegotiated Local Supplement Agreement between Tinker Air Force Base and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local F-211, Tinker Professional Fire Fighters.

This is the first time the contract has been renegotiated in 25 years with the process taking six months.

Local IAFF President Jody Chase said they’ve been negotiating this specific agreement, regarding working conditions for the firefighters, for about six months. The agreement outlines exact working conditions from meal times, breaks, sleeping times, standby times and similar items. 

“We’ve always had a really good partnership with the agency, fire chief, deputy fire chief and we always try to work through things diplomatically,” Chase said. “That shows in this contract.”

While the old contract from 1994 wasn’t completely thrown out, it was greatly expanded upon. Some of the changes include a schedule adjustment that will allow firefighters to spend more time with their family, as well as giving firefighters more stability in their work schedule from year to year.

 “Since our last contract negotiations 25 years ago, our jobs have changed and the way we do business has changed,” Chase said.

A significant change in the new agreement is in Article 5 Section 1.1 regarding hours of work.

“We codified our 48-72 hour alternate work schedule,” Chase said. “This unconventional schedule is vital for the safety of our community, because it provides the same level of service while allowing longer periods between shifts for our firefighters to care for their families. The demands of the job can easily affect our families in a negative way, this helps with that.”

Another change is the solidification of firefighter station and work group assignments to ensure crew continuity, cohesiveness and a positive impact on crew morale.

“This is important to firefighters and the community alike. It provides firefighters with a sense of stability and cohesiveness that breeds efficiency,” Chase said. “Individual crews will now be able to build long-term goals to facilitate the higher plane of skill we strive for.”

Other significant changes include updates to overtime, fitness time and updates for compliance with the Command Labor Agreement.

“This is an agreement between our Local and the agency that we will work together to create a workforce that is highly motivated, multi-skilled and technologically advanced to meet the ever-changing needs of our Tinker AFB community,” Chase said. “This is important and ensures that problems can be resolved in a timely and fair manner.”

During the agreement signing, Tinker Fire and Emergency Services Chief Terry Ford called the process a top achievement.

“This is a big day for us. For me, this is a top achievement. We’re doing something today that hasn’t been done in 25 years,” Ford said.  “Contracts are great, but what we have here is far more important. We’re family.”

Tech. Sgt. Trevor Brewer, 72nd Security Forces Squadron flight chief and Wounded Warrior ambassador, tells a filled auditorium the story of a 2011 terrorist attack in Germany he was involved in during the combined B-52 Resiliency Tactical Pause on Sept. 10 in Fannin Hall. (U.S. Air Force photo/Megan Prather)

Megan Prather 

Staff Writer

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein recently said in a note to commanders that suicide is an adversary killing more Airmen than any enemy on the planet.

In order to address rising suicide rates in the Air Force, a resiliency tactical pause was ordered with each wing at liberty to handle the day how they felt best.   

A combined B-52 resiliency tactical pause was held on Sept. 10 in Fannin Hall as part of Team Tinker’s efforts to address the problem and meet the directives of the Air Force chief of staff. Attendees were provided statistics and information from various helping agencies, as well as a personal account from Tech. Sgt. Trevor Brewer, 72nd Security Forces Squadron flight chief and Wounded Warrior ambassador.

Brewer told the filled auditorium the story of a 2011 terrorist attack in Germany he was involved in that resulted in the death of two fellow Airmen and wounded two others.

“I had been in the Air Force for four and a half years. I was 22 years old and I had been a staff sergeant for seven months. A few months before that I was tasked to deploy to Kandahar airfield to be an intel liaison. January 2011 I went through my intelligence training and February 2011 I went through my pre-deployment training,” Brewer said. “March 2, 2011, was the day that my life changed forever.”

Brewer was travelling with 14 other Security Forces members from Royal Air Force Lakenheath to the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, where they were to board a bus that would take them to Ramstein Air Base before deploying to Afghanistan.

The group of Airmen with the 48th Security Squadron loaded their gear into the Blue Bird bus and awaited departure.

“It was one of the Airmen’s 21st birthday and, to be honest with you, I was thinking about how nice the beer was going to taste at Ramstein that night,” Brewer said. “While I was sitting in my seat thinking about the ice cold beer at Ramstein, I hear a faint pop outside of the bus.”

Brewer didn’t think anything of the sounds at first, but then he heard footsteps coming up the bus.

“I see a man in a gray sweatshirt with his hood up. He had his right arm raised up and at the top of his lungs I hear him scream, ‘Allahu Akbar,’ and he had a pistol and shot Airman (Zachary) Cuddeback point-blank in his head and killed him instantly,” Brewer said.

In that moment, he said he thought the whole situation might be a drill.

“As a defender we do a lot of exercises and drills for certain situations and, in my naivety, I thought it was a drill. In that split second I realized I had nowhere to go and this man is probably going to kill every single one of us. So, I put my head down and I waited for my turn to die.”

Brewer continued to hear gunshot after gunshot as he took cover behind his seat until finally the shooting stopped.

“At this point I think that the shooter’s gone and I sit up in my seat and I’m staring down the barrel of a 9mm pistol, and this man screams ‘Allahu Akbar’ and pulls the trigger and the weapon malfunctioned,” he said.

The shooter pulled the trigger again, but there was another malfunction.

“At this point I knew I had to do something,” Brewer said. “I charged this man realizing that if I don’t do something now, we’re all going to die. I pursued him through the airport for approximately 300 yards and helped German authorities apprehend him.”

A retired Army soldier who happened to be at the scene assisted Brewer in translating what had just happened to the German police.

“I had two men get shot, two others wounded and we needed help,” Brewer said.

Brewer ran back to the bus where he verified the deaths of Cuddeback and Senior Airman Nicholas Alden and found his other Airmen providing first aid to those who were wounded.

Upon return to duty after the incident, Brewer noticed that he just wasn’t the same and that a good wingman stepped in and pushed him to enter into counseling with Mental Health.

“I couldn’t sleep, I was having nightmares, I was having flashbacks, I was very irritable, I was drinking heavily…so I went up to my supervisor a week after my return and told him that something wasn’t right. He scooped me up and put me in a vehicle and took me to Mental Health and that was the best thing he could’ve done for me,” Brewer said. “If it hadn’t been for the Wounded Warrior Program and the Mental Health counseling that I received, I probably would’ve committed suicide shortly after my return, or I would’ve committed a felony or driven drunk and hurt somebody else.”

Brewer said the support he received from friends and family after the incident are what changed his perspective.

“I hope you understand the impact you can have on somebody’s life,” he said. “Even the small things can mean big things for people.”

Brewer also emphasized that reaching out for help when you need it is not something to be ashamed of.

“I wouldn’t be standing here today as a tech sergeant with a line number for master sergeant. if I hadn’t gone forward and sought the help, and if I didn’t have somebody who gave me the help that I needed.”

Chap. (Lt. Col.) John Key; Col. Laurie Dickson, commander of the 513 Air Control Group; Kevin Stamey, executive director of the Air Force Sustainment Center, Chief Master Sgt. Melissa Erb, command Chief of the 72nd Air Base Wing; and Col. Paul Filcek, 72nd Air Base Wing commander walked the first lap of the POW/MIA 24-hr. Vigil Sept. 12. With the exception of the time lost from weather delays, members of Team Tinker filled the entire 24 hours to walk in memoriam of all POW/MIA service members. The vigil was originally held in conjunction with the 9/11 Memorial Run, which has now been postponed until Sept. 27 at 6:15 a.m. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Megan Prather 

Staff Writer 

As the Oklahoma sun rose over Tinker Air Force Base on Sept. 12, members of the community gathered at the track for the opening ceremony of the first 24-hour POW-MIA Vigil Run/Walk.

This year’s 24-hour walk was a new addition, prefacing annual 9/11 POW-MIA Memorial 5K/2K Run/Ruck/Walk, which has been rescheduled for Sept. 27 due to inclement weather. 

During the Vigil, volunteers took 20-minute shifts throughout the 24 hours to read the names of all those listed as POW-MIA, as well as to carry the POW-MIA flag around the track.  

72nd Air Base Wing Commander Col. Paul Filcek reminded attendees of an important quote during his opening remarks.

“Almost everybody who has ever existed dies twice, they die the moment that their heart stops and then they die the last time somebody mentions their name,” Filcek said. “Nobody whose name is remembered is ever dead so what you’re doing today over the next 24 hours is as great a service as you could ever give. It costs so little and it means so much to be engaged.”

Three members of the 552nd Air Control Network Squadron took that engagement a step further and planned to walk for the entire 24 hours of the vigil.

“All three of us had either known somebody or personally lost somebody in the line of duty,” Airman First Class with the 552nd ACNS Wesley Altman said. “I think the intention here is to change more of the perspective, not just for the Air Force, but for the military as a culture. Since it’s been 18 years, you’re starting to get a lot of guys joining the Air Force who were so young when it happened that they didn’t grow up knowing anybody personally affected by it that it got to the point of desensitization.”

Prepared with small amounts of gear and a cooler filled with ice and water, Senior Airman Michael Klinker from Tinker AFB and Hilton Nguyen, a Lockheed Martin contractor from Carswell AFB decided to join Altman on the 24-hour trek.

“I’ve had a couple of family members who have served and a couple of them have gotten the Purple Heart. One of them was on D-Day actually and took seven shots to his stomach,” Klinker said. “If he can take shots to the belly, I can try to walk for 24 hours.”

The group was able to walk the track for 10 hours before inclement weather and physical complications brought them to a halt. However, despite stopping short of the 24-hour mark, through their participation in the vigil the group was able to independently receive 33 donation pledges for the Wounded Warrior Project.

“We don’t view it as a failure, we view it as an experience,” Altman said.

Air Force Sustainment Center Commander Lt. Gen. Gene Kirkland served as the keynote speaker at the State of the Aerospace Industry hosted by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and held at the Reed Center in Midwest City, Oklahoma, Sept. 5. Kirkland leads 40,000 Total Force Airmen across three air logistics complexes, three air base wings and two supply chain wings. The command provides global logistics and sustainment planning, operations and command and control including agile software development and sustainment, supply chain management and execution, weapons systems maintenance, modification, repair and overhaul, as well as critical sustainment for the Air Force and Navy nuclear enterprise. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Amy Schiess

72nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Attendees of the Sept. 5 “State of the Aerospace Industry” luncheon got a comprehensive look at the structure, purpose, opportunities and challenges of the Air Force Sustainment Center.

AFSC Commander Lt. Gen. Gene Kirkland spoke about the State of the AFSC at the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber event to approximately 300 aerospace professionals and community members at the Reed Conference Center in Midwest City.

“We are big business,” Kirkland said. “We have over an $11 billion economic impact to our communities. These are big numbers, but it’s really about the readiness it generates.

“Our Center’s capabilities and cost-conscious approach are central to our Air Force’s readiness.”

This fiscal year, the Center has repaired and returned 438 aircraft to the Warfighter, he said.

Discussion on depot activity included workload realignment regarding the C-130, the Global Hawk and growth of the F-35 program.

“From a Sustainment Center standpoint, all of this is interconnected,” Kirkland said. “The landing gear at Hill [AFB, Utah] complements the engines we do [at Tinker AFB] and the avionics at Robins [AFB, Georgia]. Our supply chain and our operations are mutually dependent; we operate as an enterprise.”

Kirkland also talked about how support from each of the communities near AFSC bases help drive the Air Force mission and support future opportunities for growth. The Enhanced Use Lease and recent opening of a $35 million software support facility at Hill AFB, the partnership of Robins AFB with the Central Georgia Technical College and the acquisition of land now being used at Tinker AFB for the development of the KC-46 Sustainment Campus could not have happened without community and legislative support. 

“Commitments like that are investments which help ensure each base has long-term viability,” Kirkland said. 

One area where community support will remain an integral partner in progress is meeting the demanding workforce needs of the Center, he said.

“Within Oklahoma, Utah and Georgia, we rely on community colleges, vocational schools and universities to sustain our growing workforce,” Kirkland said.

As organic software development and technologies such as robotics, additive manufacturing and 3D printing become more prevalent in sustainment operations, the need for scientists, engineers and highly skilled mechanics continues to increase. 

Kirkland said making Direct Hire Authority permanent and eliminating the 180-day waiting period to hire military retirees would help fill those needs. Direct Hire Authority speeds up hiring by eliminating some steps of the standard hiring process when a critical need exists in specific occupations.

Future workload such as the B-21, which will be sustained at Tinker, and the T-7A Red Hawk trainer aircraft, will also require new personnel with advanced skills.

“Looking back at 2012 when the Sustainment Center was born, there was cautious optimism among the three depot communities,” Kirkland said. “I’m convinced, seven years on, that this journey has produced a win-win-win outcome. Our workloads, our workforces, our interdependence have created a shared journey that is only getting tighter and more beneficial.  As the commander who gets to lead AFSC, I could not be more proud.”

Col. Daniel Cook

621st Air Mobility Advisory Group

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — Remember that old saying, “Perception is reality?” I believe this is a big lie.

We have never won a war off of “perception.” I understand the original meaning, but somewhere in the translation we started believing it literally instead of as a precaution against overlooking the power of perception in the human psyche. 

If our technical manuals were written on information which was less than trustworthy or off of a perception, then we would be seriously hindered in the performance of our jobs. It would degrade our operations and send uncertainty through our ranks. We would make bad decisions, all because of misinformation or, said another way, lies. Something less than the truth is a lie and lies can be very disruptive in organizations and life.

I’m not writing this article to talk about perceptions or mistrust in organizations, but how it affects our lives. To do this, I must become the most vulnerable I’ve ever been as I have never shared this story and use the word “I” more than ever before. However, if this helps one person, then it is worth it. So, as a 46-year-old, commander, colonel, husband and father of four, here goes nothing.

The big lie I believed was not just a misperception, but, rather, a distortion of what reality was for me growing up. My parents were divorced in a time when divorces were viewed very negatively and the unfortunate few who went through one were plagued as being a stigma to society. This happened when I was relatively young and my dad was stationed at Zweibrucken Air Base in Germany. So, my mom, sister and I left him in Germany and moved back to the states. I didn’t see him much for about three years while the divorce was being settled. We saw him about twice a year after that when he returned and joined the Air Force Reserves.

We were poor and this precluded my father or us from traveling much. Our hardships continued. I remember my mother paying for our groceries with food stamps, kind of embarrassing at the check-out. The living arrangements were less than ideal as well. We stayed in government-subsidized housing or jumped from house to house with family. As a young teenager, I remember just wanting my life to end.

You see, the big lie I bought into was the world would be better off without me. My family would be better off without me. Heck, I didn’t wear the right clothes, didn’t say the right things, didn’t have good grades and was an extra mouth to feed. I felt like such a burden. The days were dark and I wanted out. I thought for sure God didn’t like me either. These were lies, especially the last one. While there were some bad things happening and some truth to my situation which was influencing my belief in these lies, the truth was quite the opposite. The world is better with me and the bigger truth is the world is better with you.

Today, we are haunted with a staggering number of suicides. Airmen are choosing to take their lives at an alarming rate. In 2019, nearly 80 Airmen have committed suicide and we are, unfortunately, on pace to exceed 150 suicides this year. No matter where you are in life, no matter what you’ve done and no matter how dark it looks today, there is hope in knowing you matter. Everything you do, everything you say matters. You are making a difference in the world and in our Air Force. We need you. This world needs you. You matter. Before reaching a point of no return, I realized I believed a lie and ever since have tried to make each day better.

The old saying, ‘Your attitude determines your altitude and not your aptitude,’ comes to mind. Attitudes come from our beliefs and our hope for a brighter day. I look back 33 years to the day when I put the butcher knife down. I am so thankful for the life I have lived and for all I’ve been through because it has shaped me. Getting up when this world knocks us down is the only mission…one day at a time. 

Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t cured cancer or set any Olympic records, but with every Airman I’ve been able to help, the missions I’ve been able to complete and the children I’ve helped raise, I am thankful I started believing the truth. In my own way, I have made a difference in the world and the truth is you can do much more than me. I believe you will and I believe in you. So, are you going to make a bad decision off of misinformation? Are you going to believe a big lie? Or are you going to believe the truth and continue in your own way to make this world a better place? I hope you choose the truth, because you are the only you this world will ever see. You have a purpose. You matter. This is the truth.

Air Force Materiel Command has nominated the Air Force Sustainment Center Innovation Center Team for the national Gears of Government Award. The team is comprised of the Reverse Engineering And Critical Tooling Lab (REACT) at Tinker AFB, the Reverse Engineering, Avionics Redesign And Manufacturing Lab (REARM) at Robins AFB and the Rapid Engineering of Composites, Low Observables And Innovative Materials Lab (RECLAIM) at Hill AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo/Kelly White)

Amy Schiess

Air Force Sustainment Center

Air Force Materiel Command is recognizing the Air Force Sustainment Center Innovation Center Team for their many applications of technological advances by nominating the team for the national Gears of Government Award.

“These guys are doing incredible things every day with this technology,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Blackwell, director of AFSC Innovation Centers. “It is exciting to see. I really think this is a strong candidate to go far.”

The Gears of Government Award recognizes federal employees and teams who are exceptionally successful in mission results, customer service and accountable stewardship.

The Innovation Center Team is making an impact in each of those areas with the establishment of an innovation center at each of the three air logistics complexes within AFSC and by using reverse engineering and advanced manufacturing technologies such as polymer 3D printing and AFSC’s first-ever metal 3D printer at Tinker Air Force Base.

“The innovation center team moved these game-changing technologies beyond hype and demonstrated their capability to revolutionize sustainment,” said Kevin Stamey, Air Force Sustainment Center executive director. “Now they are working to expand these capabilities across the entire enterprise.” 

The Reverse Engineering And Critical Tooling Lab at Tinker AFB, the Reverse Engineering, Avionics Redesign And Manufacturing Lab at Robins AFB, Georgia, and the Rapid Engineering of Composites, Low observables And Innovative Materials Lab at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, have together saved the Air Force millions of dollars through reverse engineering and the 3D printing of parts, tooling and even prototype circuit boards. 

“The innovation centers that we’ve built are really a testament to some forward thinking heroics by individuals at the different air logistics complexes,” said Dr. Albert Lowas, AFSC Engineering and Technical Management technical director. “The new technologies coming available such as additive manufacturing and in avionics really do promise to help us move our depot maintenance to a much higher level of efficiency and effectiveness through the ability to rapidly make replacement parts.”

At the RECLAIM lab, engineers have 3D printed a fully assembled moving part which operates like a clamshell that protects the F-22 throttle during maintenance processes. It has caught the attention of field maintainers of other services who have asked for versions of the product. 

“It’s a capability intended to solve problems across the Air Force, not just Air Force Sustainment Center problems,” Blackwell said. “We just need you to tell us what your problems are and give us a shot at it.”

In addition to cost savings, the work of the innovation centers has shaved years off the traditional manufacturing and procurement processes.

“It’s revolutionary,” Blackwell said. “We are at the very cusp of a new industrial revolution and there is a lot that has to be learned before we are able to truly unleash its full capacity.”

The innovation centers also partner with academia, which not only allows for problem-solving partnerships with university students, but also generates interest in AFSC work among the future engineering workforce, a population highly recruited by AFSC.

“Now we can start telling our story to university students,” Blackwell said. “We’re not working with sticks and stones on your grandfather’s B-52. We’re actually doing leading edge, state-of-the-art stuff here.”