AFLCMC Leadership Log Podcast: Recent Episodes
AFLCMC
Welcome to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Leadership Log podcast where you’ll hear directly from senior leaders across the center as they share their insights and perspectives on topical issues of interest to our entire work force.
In this Leadership Log podcast, the AFLCMC Public Affairs Office speaks with Col. Amanda Okeson about her work as Senior Material Leader with the F-16 program office. Okeson also discusses how the F-16 has garnered an international following and how she views working in the acquisition field.
In this “Leadership Log”, the AFLCMC Public Affairs office previews the 2024 Product Support Managers (PSM) Forum, a yearly event hosted by the Logistics Directorate so PSMs can gather to discuss matters of importance to the logistics career field.
In this “Leadership Log”, to learn more about the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), the AFLCMC Public Affairs team spoke with Lt Col Todd P. Myers. He’s a Materiel Leader for the project, which is modernizing the Air Force’s command and control capabilities. ABMS is also the service’s contribution to the Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2).
In this “Leadership Log”, Yolanda McCain, Director of the Small Business Office within the Business and Enterprise Systems (BES) Directorate. McCain discusses her job matching small business resources with the Air Force’s needs to support warfighters.
In this “Leadership Log”, to learn more about DMM, the AFLCMC Public Affairs team spoke with two practitioners: Kevin Torres, Digital Architect with the Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate and Oren Edwards, Chief Engineer, Medium Altitude UAS Division with the Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) and Special Operations Forces (SOF) Directorate.
The Personnel Directorate serves as the Center’s human resources department and manages recruitment and staffing needs. Personnel leadership provide counsel to Center leadership on staffing matters. “People are the lifeblood of our organization,” Leingang explains, mentioning how an Air Force civilian career allows for growth and training without losing seniority by having to jump from one to company to the next to climb the experience and career ladder.
In this Leadership Log podcast, AFLCMC Director of Personnel Greg Leingang explains how his team supports uniformed and civilian airmen across the Center.
In this Leadership Log podcast, we “pull back the curtain” and look at how the Business and Enterprise Systems (BES) Directorate provides essential tools and services to warfighters.
As Deputy Program Executive Officer and Deputy Director Col. Walter Bustelo explains, BES’ services are enormous - “we're impacting 3.3 million people every day” - and that BES “run[s] the systems that run the Air Force.”
In this “Leadership Log,” Kevin Rusnak, Chief Historian with the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, walks listeners through how changes in the post-Cold War environment contributed to AFLCMC’s creation, and how Air Force command and acquisition structures have constantly evolved to meet the needs of their time across the service’s existence.
Early aviation history has many connections to the Dayton, Ohio area, and through a series of events and the needs for the United States, modern Air Force development and procurement also maintained a presence in the region, with far-reaching consequences.In this “Leadership Log,” Historian Kevin Rusnak guides listeners through aviation’s roots in Ohio, how world events impacted the U.S. Army’s aviation efforts, and how a burgeoning Air Force created and evolved its support, technical and acquisition abilities to serve challenges of the Cold War era.
Dennis D’Angelo, SES, came to the Air Force Life CycleManagement Center in September and serves as Executive Director. He previouslyheld the same role at the Air Force Sustainment Center.
Being Executive Director of AFLCMC is a large role thatencompasses many responsibilities and requires many skillsets. The role acts asa civilian right-hand to the Commander and largely focuses on manpower issues.During a recent episode of “Leadership Log,” Mr. Dangelo talked about hisbackground, his love of flying and his excitement in joining the AFLCMC team.
Before becoming a civilian, Mr. D’Angelo spent 30 years inthe USAF and retired as a colonel in 2008. He was primarily a C-5 pilot, workedin operations and logistics. He spent time at Wright-Patterson as 88thLogistics Group and Vice Commander of the 88 ABW.
“I did a lot of things with the combatant commands to preparefor war, to be able to move large masses,” explains D’Angelo of his logisticsexperience. “After I retired, I spent time at Stuttgart, Germany at U.S. AfricaCommand Deployment and Distribution Operations Center (AFRICOM). I worked onthe African continent for a period of time while I was there doing logisticstype activities.”
During the interview, D’Angelo shares some stories during histime as a pilot, including recalling being shot at by an angry individual. Healso recalls flying through the Northern Lights.
“But probably the coolest thing was I've probably seen thespace shuttle recover from the airplane more than most people have seen itrecover to either Edwards or the Cape,” adds D’Angelo. “…The early spaceshuttle missions would start recovery somewhere over Guam. And sometimes I wasflying over Hawaii, and they'd fly right over us on the way in. And it doeslook like a big flaming star. It goes by you.”
On November 6, Lt. Gen. Shaun Q. Morris will say goodbye to the Air Force as he retires as commander of AFLCMC. He is just the fourth person to fill the role.
In a special edition of “Leadership Log,” AFLCMC chief historian Kevin Rusnak interviewsMorris on a USAF career that began in 1988, the pivot toward digital materiel management, becoming commander of AFLCMC during a global pandemic and a massive hiring push.
For the latter, experience in the seat and listening to advisors across the Center helped make the hiring push successful.
By making external hiring a priority through an initiative called Mach 3, the Center was able to adjust some hiring practices and add new individuals to the Center workforce.
From a personnel perspective, 2023 saw the largest growth of the Center since 2016.
“The goal was to increase our Center size by reducing the amount of attrition and increasing the hiring. Our attrition has stayed about the same,” Morris explains. “But most of our retention incentives, I think are a little bit forward looking. I'm hoping that has longer term impact.”
The hiring push will be part of the legacy that Morris leaves for the Center. Today’s hirings are done with tomorrow in mind, attempting to find civilian personnel with the right skillsets for future technologies. That requires looking at individuals with different backgrounds and education than might typically be employed by AFLCMC.
Morris will be succeeded by Lt. Gen. Donna Shipton as the Center’s next commander.
Shipton will be the first woman to fill the seat. She is currently the Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. It is not clear when Lt. Gen. Shipton will assume command. Her move is in limbo as part of an ongoing block of general and flag officer promotions by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) regarding Dept. of Defense abortion policy.
To hear the full conversation, you can watch “Leadership Log” on YouTube at https://youtu.be/AWSjz6lCal0
You can also listen by searching “Leadership Log”on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Overcast, Radio Public or Breaker.REMINDER: The retirementceremony of Lt. Gen. Shaun Q. Morris will be broadcast live on the AFLCMC Facebook page Monday at 2 p.m. ET.
Jackie Janning-Lask, AFLCMC Engineering Director and Karen Hudson, Chief of the Avionics Engineering Division, attended the 37th Annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards and STEM Conference in National Harbor, Maryland earlier this month. In addition to Hudson receiving the Black Engineer of the Year Outstanding Achievement Award, they both participated in a “A Day in the Life of an Air Force Engineer/Scientist” panel discussion.
The Rapid Sustainment Office is charged with finding innovative solutions and looking for opportunities to apply them across the Air Force enterprise.
While Operations Security is as old as warfare, the expansion of the virtual information space has presented new challenges.
Dozens of professional development opportunities for civilian Airmen will open this week under the Air Force-wide Civilian Development program.
There is an organization in AFLCMC whose primary purpose is to act as a force multiplier for the broader acquisition workforce. The Acquisition Center of Excellence, led by Melanie Marshall, is a group of multi-functional experts ready to offer on-demand assessment and advisement to groups facing challenges in the acquisition process.
“Just because there's a song that says it's the most wonderful time of the year, give yourself permission to have whatever it is you're experiencing. It’s going to come, and it's going to go, but trying to get rid of it might keep you stuck in it,” said Maj. Aaron Esche, clinical psychologist, at the Wright-Patterson Medical Center.
He and Maj. Carlos Salazar, also with the Mental Health Clinic, talked about dealing with stress over the Holiday season on a recent episode of AFLCMC's Leadership Log podcast.
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” is an adage dating back more than 350 years. It hasn’t lost any utility with age.
Speaking on a recent episode of AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast, Capt. Adam Brewer, AFLCMC Commanders Action Group, said he finds the balance between his varied personal and professional interests keeps him sharp.
Lt Jimmy Doolittle looked to the cool, fair skies over the city of Dayton, just across the river from where he stood on the periphery of McCook Field, home to the Air Service’s Engineering Division and its cadre of expert test pilots. His keen eyes tracked a pair of airplanes flown by his comrades more than 2,000 feet overhead, heading southeast over downtown.
“It’s important that you care for the Airmen under your charge. Without that, in my opinion, everything else can be very futile. That needs to come first. You need to care about your folks,” said Chief Master Sgt. Rob Jones, Senior Enlisted Leader for the Cryptologic and Cyber Systems Division.
For nearly three decades, the C-17 Globemaster III has provided the bulk of airlift for the Air Force.
When something absolutely positively has to get there, the C-17 is the aircraft for the job. The prime example is its performance in the withdrawal from Afghanistan, Operation Allies Refuge, the largest non-combatant evacuation airlift in U.S. history. The C-17 was key in evacuating more than 124,000 people over 17 days at the end of August 2021.
An early member of the Aeronautical Systems Directorate, a predecessor organization of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, recently made the trek to Dayton, Ohio, site of the early days of his flight test career.
Dr. William R. O’Brien, 91, traveled from his home in Maryland to visit a plaque installed in his honor by his family at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. While here, he sat for an episode of AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast where he reflected on programs like Skybolt and NATO AWACS as well as his role in the development of “matrix management” system of providing technical expertise to program offices.
It was a long and fruitful career that began in a moment of happenstance or perhaps serendipity.
Megan Kane, a Mechanical Engineer with the Armament Directorate at Robins AFB, Georgia, led the effort to develop an app that locates suitable spaces for nursing mothers who need to pump breast milk on a regular basis.
The creation of lactation spaces either from converting existing rooms or the installation of “pods,” is one of many programs led by the Women’s Initiative Team which is part of the Department of the Air Force Barriers Analysis Working Group. Specifically, WIT is charged to identify barriers to women’s service that influence and impact women’s propensity to serve and advocate to eliminate those barriers through policy change.
The Innovation Match Game takes problem statements identifying virtual training needs from Air Force organizations and then ‘matches’ a solution from industry. It will be held at the Industry/Interservice Training Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) in Orlando, Florida the last week of November. The Simulators Division’s Innovation Team is leading the effort. The deadline to submit an application to the Innovation Match Game is September 9. Requests for an application or any questions should be directed to AFLCMC.WNS.Sims_Innovate@us.af.mil.
The Honor Flight Network is an organization with chapters across the nation dedicated to celebrating America’s veterans by escorting them to Washington DC to visit the nation’s memorials.
On Saturday, August 27, Honor Flight Dayton is asking for people to gather at the Dayton Airport to greet and cheer for more than 100 veterans returning that evening.
After two years as a virtual event, the Air Force Marathon will again be in person just in time to help celebrate the Air Force 75th anniversary.
A new application called GearFit is giving Airmen a direct line to share feedback on fitment and utility of the gear they wear to perform their missions.
The F-15 Eagle is celebrating its 50th birthday this month with events planned across the country. The events all mark a half-century of undefeated air dominance operations for the fighter that has never been shot down in combat.
They are a team assigned to AFLCMC for the sole purpose of supporting all Airmen deal with the burdens and stresses faced every day.
The Air Force can't fight and win, if it can't fly. Aircraft need constant maintenance. It isn't a fault with engineering and design, it's physics. Things just break. So if you plan to conduct global operations, you need to have a global supply infrastructure to support it.
“You'll be fine. I've seen worse.”
Those were the words of a Walter Reed medical technician to Senior Master Sgt. Ben Seekell some 48 hours after a land mine in Afghanistan forced surgery to remove his lower left leg.
A key element to the success of AFLCMC program offices is using teams of enlisted Airmen experts to use their specific career field knowledge and experience to guide programs. Specifically at Hill AFB in Utah, teams of enlisted Munitions Systems specialists are rotated from jobs in field units to guide the worldwide transfer and accounting of all Air Force munitions.
The 21st Intelligence Squadron – the only active-duty Intel Squadron in AFMC – embarked last year in a very intentional effort to assess and fill the gaps in the professional development of their Airmen.
Registration is open now for the 2022 AFLCMC Product Support Manager Forum, which aims to generate conversations on improving Air Force readiness and operational effectiveness.
When Microsoft announced earlier this year that legacy Microsoft Office files would block from operating on Air Force computers, many users took it in stride. However, members of the Defense Enterprise Accounting and Management System recognized the change could have a significant and potentially mission-stopping impact.
Nearly every Airman at some point and perhaps many points in their career will carry a rifle, pistol, revolver or some sort of small arms. It’s one of the things that keeps our more than 300,000 Airmen members an “armed” force.
The Rapid Sustainment Office was established just 4 years ago with the charge to create a pathway for innovative ideas to impact the sustainment enterprise and dramatically improve Air Force readiness.
When Rodney Stevens came on board as Deputy Program Executive Officer some 6 months ago, he found an organization just hitting its stride.
The process to create a digital twin of B-1 tail #85-0092 is already showing promise to predict and control sustainment processes in a way that will keep this limited resource in the air.
In recognition of Women’s History Month, three female Airmen serving as first sergeants gathered on AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast to discuss their Air Force careers.
Senior Master Sgt. Elise Redziniak, AFLCMC First Sergeant, Master Sgt. Celeste Suazo, HQ AFMC First Sergeant and Master Sgt. Kesha Harper, 88thMission Support Group First Sergeant, are all leaders serving at the pinnacle of their craft. As First Sergeants, they are focal points for all readiness, health, morale, welfare, and quality of life issues within their organizations.
Embedded within the program offices are acquisition professionals, known as Security Assistance Program Managers, who work to ensure international partners receive the war winning capabilities they need, when they need it.
It’s the age old question from “Ghostbusters.” Who are ya gonna call?
“For some, they find it very comforting they're not held accountable, the mentee, to find the perfect mentor,” said Scott Boyd, Deputy Program Executive Officer for Mobility Aircraft. “They're relying upon more senior leadership to help find a good match for them and we've had great success today with doing that for them. It's all about that first step, helping someone make that first connection.”
In large organizations, problems and solutions can exist on the opposite sides of a cubical wall without any means to cross over.
Emily Farley, Chief Venture Officer for the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance/Special Operations Forces Directorate, was brought on to find such instances and bring the two together.
A new initiative in the F-16 Division co-located at Hill AFB, Utah and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, called the Harmony Council, was created to expand perspectives of members to see life experiences unlike their own.
Col. Tim Bailey, F-16 Division chief, Vince Lewis, F-16 Deputy Program Manager for Nuclear Matters and Rosmarie Edwards, F-16 Avionics Engineer, all are involved with the Harmony Council and described their experiences during a recent episode of AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast.
As the COVID pandemic continues to rage, personnel in the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center can expect continued reliance on telework where mission execution allows. Sherri Artuso, AFLCMC Director of Personnel, Jennifer Bauer, Chief of Personnel Programs Division and Angie Benito, Personnel Program Division Telework lead, joined for an episode of AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast to help foster better understanding of the center’s telework policy.
You might say the Air Transportability Test Loading Activity, or ATTLA, is a small office with a global reach. The small group of nine located in the AFLCMC Engineering Directorate is responsible for what we call certifying unusual or problematic cargo. In short, nothing flies on Air Force aircraft unless this team has done an assessment and published detailed instructions loading, positioning, securing, etc.
AFLCMC is seeking top talent to fill critical roles across the AFLCMC software enterprise! Interested candidates are invited to participate in a Zoom Live Q&A with experts on Jan. 5 from 4:30 to 5:30 Eastern Time at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0sdeCgrDIjGtZVlrmZDdB8zu_dNJqKvUaf?fbclid=IwAR39PkJFpXaF3fvkELGJBQiQ_huUdYM1peik2W28QPNiC3wtrNLX5C2e5cU
The KC-46 Pegasus Tanker Sustainment Team completed its first year of organic 1C-Checks at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma producing 23 of 23 aircraft ahead of Depot schedule.
Col. Leigh Ottati, KC-46 Division Chief and Jody LeBlanc, Depot Activation and Sustainment team lead, joined for an episode of AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast to share their experiences in launching this sustainment effort.
Enlisted Professional Military Education courses use guided discussions to educate, develop and inspire enlisted leaders. The courses are designed to let students share experiences, ideas and work together to achieve various educational objectives, according to the Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education.
Recent graduates from the three primary courses, Airman Leadership School (E-4, E-5), NCO Academy (E-6) and Senior NCO Academy (E-7, E-8), joined for an episode of AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast to share their PME experiences.
A partnership between AFLCMC’s Propulsion Directorate and the Rapid Sustainment Office is realizing the promise of additive manufacturing by producing real engine parts for real jets.
Col. Pat Miller, 88th Air Base Wing and Wright-Patterson AFB Installation Commander and his counterpart at Hanscom AFB in Massachusetts, 66th Air Base Group Commander Col. Katrina Stephens, shared their experiences as Installation Commanders during a recent episode of AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast.
Returning to the Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate a decade later, Brig. Gen. Luke Cropsey admitted it felt a bit surreal walking back in the building and into the Boss’s – now his – office.
Cropsey served as the Materiel Leader in the Pacific/South East Asia/Americas Branch from August 2011 to July 2013. Last month, he returned as the AFSAC Director.
The Air Force Security and Assistance Cooperation Directorate manages all foreign military sales for the Air Force. It uses Command Country Managers assigned to international partner nations to help them successfully interact with the US Government.
Three command country managers recently had a discussion of their experiences on AFLCMC’s Leadership Log podcast. They were:
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John Harrington supporting Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Brunei, East Timor, Palau and Royal Marshall Islands;
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Mary Koogler supporting Argentina, Barbados, Bolivia, Brazil, Eastern Carribbean, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama and Uruguay;
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1st Lt Lucas Tung supporting Italy and Norway.
Welcome back for another episode of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Leadership Log podcast.
It's our 50th episode and we’re going to mark this milestone by talking about one of the oldest platforms in the Air Force’s inventory, the B-52 Stratofortress otherwise known as the BUFF.
For more than 60 years the BUFF has been an icon of global reach and central to the Air Force’s ability to project power anywhere, anytime. And that doesn’t appear likely to change anytime soon.
Col. Lou Ruscetta leads the AFLCMC B-52 System Program Office which is located at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma.
Ruscetta explains the BUFF’s history since it was first acquired in 1947.
The Big Ugly Fat Fella started flying in 1952 and the Air Force acquired the last airframe in 1962 and it has been a mainstay in the Air Force's bomber arsenal ever since. The BUFF is projected to be the Air Force’s 1st-century platform with plans to fly it well into the 2050s.
One of the reasons I became interested in joining the Air Force was hearing stories that my Uncle told about crewing BUFFs during Vietnam. We'd love to hear any of your experiences with the BUFF over the years.
Thank you for coming along on this ride with us. We hope that you’ve enjoyed the first 50 episodes of the Leadership Log podcast.
We’re lining up some great topics to bring to you in future episodes so we really hope you’ll stay with us.
If you haven’t already done so, then please consider subscribing to this series, and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms.
For more information on all things Air Force Life Cycle Management Center related please visit and bookmark our website at www.aflcmc.af.mil.
If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the Life Cycle Management Center family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil.
Until next time---stay strong, stay safe, and keep providing what warfighters need when they need it.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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AFLCMC's Rapid Sustainment Office went from a mere concept to a full out sprint in just a few short years, and has been leading the way in solving enterprise-wide sustainment issues across the Air Force inventory.
RSO's military deputy program executive officer Col. Nicole "RL" Ruff-Lehman, started her career working sustainment problems for the bomber fleet.
Since that beginning, she has had a multitude of experiences making her uniquely qualified to help lead the RSO effort. Ruff-Lehman walks us through the RSO's "art of the possible" vision for the future of sustainment.
She explains how her organization is helping to reduce costs and increase readiness across the enterprise, helping to ensure that the world's most advanced Air Force stays that way.
If you haven’t already done so, then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms.
For more information on all things Air Force Life Cycle Management Center related please visit and bookmark our website at www.aflcmc.af.mil.
If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the Life Cycle Management Center family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
Lansen Conley is the director of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Logistics Directorate. In this episode, he talks us through what to expect during the upcoming 3rd annual Product Support Manager, or PSM, Forum.
The forum's theme this year is "Advancing Logistics, Digitizing Sustainment and Modernizing Product Support." Like last year, the three-day event will be on zoom .gov and runs from June 22nd to the 24th.
The focus of this year’s event is to foster communication and interaction across all Air Force PSMs, ensuring their individual and collective success.
Day one will focus on a strategic outlook to logistics featuring a keynote address by the F-35 Program Executive Officer Lt. Gen. Eric Fick.
Day two will take a look at product support as a whole and features a past forum favorite being a PEO panel discussion.
And day three takes a look at the technical aspects of product support management and features a keynote address by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center commander Lt. Gen. Shaun Morris.
Registration is now open, so don't wait to get scheduled.
You can RSVP at https://einvitations.afit.edu/inv/anim.cfm?i=588308&k=07694A0A7B5F. Questions can be directed to Kristen Foran (kristen.foran@us.af.mil, Cell: 937-760-2190) and Jeffrey Blackburn (jeffrey.blackburn.1@us.af.mil, Cell: 937-572-5112).
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at: https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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At what is officially known as the Air Force Packaging, Technology, and Engineering Facility, but better known as the packaging lab, a team of 16 AFLCMC members made up of engineers, designers, crafts, and acquisition professionals, develop, investigate, test, and evaluate specialized materials, containers, and techniques in order to safely move and protect Air Force equipment wherever it’s needed.
This specialized team, led by Joel Sullivan, doesn't build wooden pallets or fiberboard boxes. They design and build specialized containers meant to protect whatever they put inside of it, in adverse movement and sustainment conditions, for a very long time.
The packaging lab team considers what they do as an investment in the life span and sustainment of Air Force assets and work hard every day to realize overall cost savings for the programs they serve.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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In this discussion, we talk with Luke Schultz who is AFLCMC’s small business program office director.
Schultz walks us through how his team of 14 small business professionals is working to support the warfighter by encouraging program offices to seek and consider small businesses when they are developing their acquisition strategies.
Schultz brings a deep level of experience to the job from his years of work in contracting and cost analysis and is uniquely qualified to provide advice and counsel on both sides of the negotiating table, helping to secure opportunities for small business owners throughout the country.
Schultz explains that his team runs a wide spectrum of engagement activities so all parties are aware of what the others can offer, such as mentoring small businesses on how to interpret contracting requirements, advising program offices when small businesses are available options, and learning from the Small Business Administration when companies are interested in Air Force partnerships.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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In this discussion Lt. Col Jameson “HEAThER” Locklear and Mr. Joe Baker explain how the Air Force is incorporating digital engineering tools into how we are thinking about, designing and acquiring new weapon systems.
Locklear is the deputy program manager for the eT-7A Redhawk program, and Baker is the director of engineering for the Mobility and Training Aircraft Directorate.
As Baker explains during the discussion, digital engineering isn’t changing how engineers approach their job, but it is providing an array of new tools that will allow a much faster weapon system acquisition process.
Using the growing set of digital engineering tools coming online will save time and a lot of money throughout the design, test and build phases of getting weapon systems out to our warfighters when they need them.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
In this discussion Cesar Vega-Flores walks us through the efforts being done in the AFLCMC Rapid Sustainment Office’s Rapid Austere Focus Area.
Vega-Flores is a member of the AFLCMC / RSO Innovation Integration Team.
The goal of his team is to provide the warfighters working in austere locations with critically needed tools, while reducing the logistical footprint needed to deploy and employ those tool.
It's a fascinating discussion about some of the out of box thinking and innovative work being done in the center.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
Col. John Kurian is the senior material leader for AFLCMC's Agile Combat Support Directorate's Simulators Division.
In this discussion he explains how his team of dedicated professionals work to provide state-of-the-art ground-based training systems to the warfighter.
The sims portfolio of systems spans across 2,700 devices at 160 sites around the world.
The sims team directly impacts the warfighter every day in nine different major commands, across 26 platform offices and with 20 foreign partners.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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Instagram: @aflcmcofficial
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
The Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate's Foreign Military Sales Construction Division was recently elevated from a branch to a division, and Dr. Carlos Braziel is its first division chief.
Braziel oversees a team of dedicated professionals who are currently working 29 different FMS cases involving 22 international partners in 14 different countries.
In this episode we discuss the role that his division plays in building critical infrastructure for, and long enduring relationships with our international partners.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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“You’ve heard these words over and over from supervisors and mentors. There's only one person that can manage your career, and that's yourself.”
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Executive Director Kathy Watern said that quote as she explained the opportunities that the Civilian Educational Development, or CDE, portfolio of programs offers the federal civilian workforce.
This is part three of our discussion about the opportunities being offered in CDE program.
In this episode Ms. Watern met with senior leaders from across the center to talk about their personal experiences with CDE and the role the program plays within different career paths.
If you are on the fence about applying for the CDE program then check out our two previous episodes on the topic.
Episode 33 provides an introduction to the CDE program and episode 34 features a discussion with three CDE alumni where they highlight their unique experiences while participating in the programs.
The once-a-year window to apply for the various programs in the CDE portfolio opened January 13 and closes on March 13.
A full list of the centrally-managed, centrally-funded courses is available on MyPers and you can find a link to that information in the show notes.
There are differences in the application process between courses. If you’re interested in a course, you can get further information from Mike Mathes at michael.mathes.2@us.af.mil
A full list of the centrally-managed, centrally-funded CDE courses is available on MyPers at https://mypers.af.mil/app/categories/c/549/p/2
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at: https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
For the latest information and news from programs across the center please follow and like us on our social media channels:
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Welcome back for a new season of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Leadership Log podcast
In the first episode of the season we have a discussion with Taylor Ruffin, from the AFLCMC Rapid Sustainment Office other wise known as the RSO, about the effort to bring augmented and virtual reality, or AR/VR, to the Air Force.
Taylor is the lead product manager for the AR/VR effort. Her team is working to reshape how the Air Force thinks about and approaches maintenance.
She explains that virtual reality is a computer-generated environment with the goal of being a fully immersive experience, while augmented reality is the ability to alter the view of the real world by employing virtual overlays, images and graphics.
VR will provide a rich training environment where maintainers will be able to practice high critical / low frequency tasks before going out to work on the actual piece of equipment.
AR will bring a bevy of tools to the maintainer such as digital tech orders and supplemental resource materials to draw from while performing maintenance in the field.
Ultimately the AR/VR effort will help to increase a maintainer's cognitive retention while decreasing maintenance downtime.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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This is the last episode of our first season and we really appreciate that you’ve come along with us for this ride. We hope that you’ve gained something from the content we’ve been putting together during our inaugural season.
We’d really like to hear about any ideas that you have for future episodes, so please drop us a line. Our e-mail address is in the show notes.
For the season wrap up episode we continue our discussion about the opportunities in the upcoming Civilian Developmental Education, or CDE, program, which opens for applications on January 13.
We had a chance to chat with three alumni of the program and get their perspective on the benefits of the CDE program
All three of them participated in different aspects of CDE.
John Bailey is the deputy director of the Advanced Aircraft & Fighter Directorate’s Agile Development Office. He had the opportunity to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management for a year earning a Master’s Degree in the process.
Robin Harrah is the survivability IPT lead for the Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate’s VC-25B Program. She attended the Department of Defense’s Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP) where she spent 10 months learning form warfighters in each branch of the military in locations all over the world.
Kristi Evans is the operations management division chief for both the Advanced Aircraft & Fighter Directorate and the Bomber Directorate. She opted to apply for shorter duration courses and has been able to attend three such courses over the last three years.
All three of our alumni expressed similar takeaways during the discussion: CDE is an incredible opportunity to learn and grow as a professional civilian Airman.
If you missed it episode 33 provides an introduction to the CDE program.
The once-a-year window to apply for the various programs in the CDE portfolio opens January 13, 2021 and closes March 13, 2021.
For more information on the programs being offered please visit www.mypers.af.mil.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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In this episode we discuss opportunities in the upcoming Civilian Developmental Education, or CDE, program with AFLCMC"s chief of workforce development Linda Leichty and AFLCMC"s civilian developmental education program manager Mike Mathes.
The once a year window to apply for the various programs in the CDE portfolio opens January 13, 2021 and closes March 13, 2021.
Both of our experts stressed the importance of not waiting for the window to open to start getting application packages ready.
Leichty explained that there is a broad portfolio of opportunities available in the CDE program with something for everyone in grades GS01 - GS15. She also mentioned that five new opportunities, including a bachelor's degree, were recently added to the upcoming cycle.
For more information on the programs being offered please visit www.mypers.af.mil.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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This week we had a chance to chat with the Program Executive Officer for AFLCMC's Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate Brig. Gen. Ryan Britton, about his organization's effort to bring supersonic airlift to the Air Force.
When realized supersonic airlift will allow moving the nation's senior leaders and military teams to where they need to be twice as fast as is currently capable.
Britton explains that the key to the effort is in partnering with small business enterprises and leveraging commercial investment and commercial derivative technologies.
By adding to the collective knowledge base in supersonic, and eventually hypersonic, airlift Britton is convinced the effort will provide benefits across every organization in the center as well across the entire Department of Defense.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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About 5 years ago, the Air Force embarked on a journey with Condition Based Maintenance Plus, also known as CBM+, to shift the sustainment enterprise from a “flying to failure” to a “flying to forecast” mindset.
In this episode the CBM+ Program Office chief, Chris Damani, describes it as a new sustainment paradigm that is transforming the way the Air Force sustains its fleet. The central element is leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to turn sustainment data into valuable knowledge that puts the Air Force in control of its sustainment and logistics operations.
Damani explained during our discussion that the overall future of CBM+, as he sees it, is that the CBM+ model or paradigm will become engrained into the way the Air Force sustains its fleet.
To put it simply. CBM+ is not just another gimmick or buzzword, it’s just the way.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
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The KC-135 Stratotanker has been in service longer than most of us have been alive.
Born out of the cold war need for nuclear deterrence the Air Force purchased 800 of the airframes from 1957 - 1965 in order to keep B-52 bombers airborne around the globe.
We recently had the opportunity to chat with the senior materiel leader and Legacy Tanker Division chief Col. Mark Mocio about the challenges his team at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma face in keeping 60+ year old airframes in the fight.
The plan now is to keep at least 75 percent of the current KC-135 fleet available for service to 2050 and beyond.
Col. Mocio explained that the key to achieving that goal is in partnering with stakeholders throughout the Air Force and Industry, and in utilizing the robust weapons system integrity plan all working to solve tomorrow's problems today.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
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Resiliency can be defined as the ability to bounce back during adverse events in someone's life, and the Air Force considers it a key topic when discussing the wingman culture.
This past year has certainly presented many challenges to everyone in the center.
The approaching holiday season is a time of fellowship and joy for most, but for some it can be a particularly challenging time of year.
The recent uptick in COVID-19 cases could make it even more difficult to meet and host traditional celebrations, which could leave vulnerable members isolated and alone.
Two of AFLCMC's senior enlisted leaders, the center's command chief Chief Master Sgt. Troie Croft and the center's 1st Sgt. Senior Master Sgt. Elise Phillips recently sat down for an in depth discussion about resiliency and shared some insights on how to be resilient through the holiday season.
The key take away is to not be afraid to ask for help.
There are a number of support services available that were mentioned in the conversation such as: the Military & Family Life Counseling Program, Military OneSource and Employee Assistance Program.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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AFLCMC has a new 1st Sgt.
In the Air Force an organization’s 1st Sgt, who can also be known as the 1st shirt or just the shirt, is a special duty rank and is a positional job.
In our sister services the Army and Marine Corps first sergeant is an actual rank and not a special duty position.
The position in the Air Force is held by a member of the senior NCO corps in the grades of E-7 through E-9. They report directly to the unit commander or deputy commander of operations. They are responsible for the morale, welfare and conduct of all the enlisted members in an organization and serve as the chief adviser to the organization’s leadership concerning the enlisted force.
We had a chance to talk with Senior Master Sgt. Elise Phillips about her background and her thoughts on her role serving in such a wide reaching and varied organization like the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
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When you think about the actual work being done across the Center, in house prototyping and manufacturing don't often come to mind.
Contrary to that thinking there is a small, but very busy team working in AFLCMC’s Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance and Special Operations Forces Directorate, also known as ISR/SOF doing just that.
Not too many folks know about the innovative work being done by the Rapid Development Integration Facility, or RDIF, team housed on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
We had the chance to talk with Alan Brookshire, who provides technical management and is the overall RDIF team lead, about how his small group of subject matter experts and trades craft workers provide rapid prototyping and fielding of equipment and parts to warfighters across the Air Force, often time saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in expected project costs, and getting much needed parts out to the field far faster than utilizing other sources.
The RDIF team truly embodies the mantra of providing what the warfighters need, when they need it.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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Throughout his career Col. Cory Brown has worked on a variety of weapons systems including the U.S. Air Force's most tactical platforms when he was with the Predator Reaper program, and now he heads up the Air Force's most strategic platform as commander of AFLCMC’s B-2 system program office.
We recently had a chance to talk with him about the vitally important role the B-2 plays in keeping our nation and our allied nations safe. During the conversation Col. Brown explained that the B-2, which is also known as they stealth bomber, can reach anywhere in the world in a matter of hours while carrying 20 tons of conventional, and or nuclear weapons. It's the tip of the spear holding together the nuclear triad umbrella that secures today's relative peace unknown for us and our allies since WWII.
Despite its importance the B-2 has had a reputation for being difficult to sustain during its 30 year history of operations. To counter that reputation the program office was awarded the Dr. James G. Roche Sustainment Excellence Award for 2019. The recognition goes to the program demonstrating the most improved performance in aircraft maintenance and logistics readiness. They also took the award in 2010. Col. Brown explained because of the tightknit team and spirit of excellence throughout the program the platform is currently experiencing the highest rates of aircraft availability then ever in it's history.
If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms.
For more information on all things Air Force Life Cycle Management Center related please visit and bookmark our website at www.aflcmc.af.mil.
If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the Life Cycle Management Center family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil.
Until next time---stay strong, stay safe, and keep providing what warfighters need when they need it.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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After a nearly six month communication effort deep diving into all things AcqDemo, the two senior leaders who kicked off the AcqDemo information campaign AFLCMC’s executive director Kathy Watern and AFLCMC’s director of personnel Sherri Artuso got back together for a wrap up discussion about the effort.
During the discussion Ms. Watern points out that they started the effort with a simple goal, which was to communicate and peel back the layers of uncertainty and fogginess that was there in AcqDemo.
If you haven't had a chance to check out the multitude of discussions and material that’s been put together about AcqDemo over the past several months then you can check out the various playlists on our YouTube channel.
The playlists are tailored to specific topics and broken down even further on information related to individual career fields within the center.
You can also find a ton of resources related to AcqDemo by clicking the link to the AcqDemo knowledge center located on the AFLCMC home page at www.aflcmc.af.mil
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
Every year around this time we are reminded of how fortunate we are to be gainfully employed, and with great benefits.
We are also reminded that there are many folks around us who aren’t so fortunate. This year has been an especially difficult one for many of our friends, family members and neighbors as the coronavirus pandemic disrupted life as we all knew it from earlier this year.
One great way to help those in need is to donate some of your resources like, time, money, or both to a helping organization through the annual Combined Federal Campaign.
In this episode we have a conversation with Staff Sgt. DeAndrea King and Airman 1st Class Terrance Grayson who are the co-managers of headquarters AFLCMC’s 2020 CFC effort. During the conversation they explain why they got involved with CFC, and they shared with us some important details about how this year’s campaign works, and where to go to find more information.
The CFC isn't necessarily just about digging into your wallet as Staff Sgt. King pointed out during our conversation. He mentioned that many organizations really need folks to help them through volunteer work. So even if you don't have the financial ability to donate, your time is also a valuable commodity needed by many helping organizations.
To reach out to one of the co-managers of the AFLCMC HQ CFC effort you can e-mail one of them directly at: deandrea.king@us.af.mil or terrance.grayson@us.af.mil
For more information about the campaign visit its website at the following link" https://cfcgiving.opm.gov/welcome.
You can also reach out to the keyworkers in your organization for details about how you donate in your local area.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
Lt. Gen. Shaun Morris took command of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center on Sept. 04.
He’s spent the last month getting up to speed on the latest activities in the center's vast portfolio.
We had a chance to sit down with him for a few minutes to discuss how the first month has gone. We learned a little of his career history and we got a sense about some of his focus areas for the center as he settles into his role as AFLCMC/CC.
One important thing we learned during the discussion is his idea of what makes a team, when he said. "A team is more than just a gathering of people. What makes a team more than just a gathering of people is a common purpose and a shared set of values."
He then explained that we have a shared set of values in the Air Force Core Values, and that we can evaluate everything we do in this organization through the lens of our core values.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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Welcome back for another episode of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Leadership Log podcast.
This week we celebrate one of our own.
James Tipton is the lead engineer for three B-1 ACAT III programs, and the software sustainment program at AFLCMC’s B-1 program office located at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
He was recently honored as a recipient of the 2020 Gears of Government President's Award for his innovative approach to the Air Force's B-1 Bomber modernization and sustainment activities.
The Gears of Government Awards are designed to drive a culture of excellence and continuous improvement, which ultimately provides the federal workforce with tools and ideas to better serve the American people.
The individuals and teams recognized exemplify the hard work and innovation essential to achieving the President’s vision for a modern, effective government.
Award recipients embody the values of mission, service, and stewardship, and their stories display the impact public servants are making across the government.
Lt. Col. Timothy Jackson is the B-1 System Program Office deputy director. He remarked about the importance of Tipton’s work.
He said, "The B-1 is one of the backbones that Air Force Global Strike Command relies on every single day to continue meeting the National Defense Strategy. Individual contributors like Mr. Tipton who consistently go the extra mile and demonstrate daily dedication supporting the warfighter, are the keystones that keep the weapon system doing what the Air Force needs it to do to protect every American's civil liberty."
"I'm honored to be recognized for this prestigious award," said Tipton. "This achievement I believe is really a reflection of the dedication and hard work across the B-1 division."
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at: https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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Do you know how Air Force uniforms are developed?
Have you heard of the Berry Amendment, otherwise known as (10 U.S.C. 2533a), and do you know how it impacts Department of Defense procurement of certain goods and services?
Have you heard of the Air Force Ideation Platform, and did you know that you can be an intricate part of improving existing uniforms, or developing future uniforms?
Welcome back for another episode of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s leadership log podcast.
We get answers to these questions, and much more this week, as we take a behind the scenes look at the Air Force Uniform Office, which is part of the Agile Combat Support Directorate and is located on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Tracy Roan is chief of the Air Force Uniform Office. She and her staff of 19 industry professionals take care of the uniform needs of members of the Air Force and now members of the Space Force as well.
As she put it during our discussion, the work that her team does day in and day out literally touches every Airman, and soon every Space Force member, everyday.
If you want to see the uniforms that we talk about in this episode check out the video version on our you tube channel. There is a link to it below.
If you are interested in being part of the uniform improvement process then visit the USAF Ideation platform at: https://usaf.ideascalegov.com.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
We identify feedback in the workplace as a communication process between managers and employees used to course correct and improve poor performance. It’ s also used to reinforce and encourage good performance.
In this episode we talk with two seasoned leaders who over the course of their careers have spent countless hours both in giving and in getting feedback.
AFLCMC's command chief Chief Master Sgt. Troie Croft and Agile Combat Support Directorate's senior enlisted leader Chief Master Sgt. Ted Angel reflect on lessons they've learned from their many years engaged in the feedback process.
A few of their key takeaways are: know your people, balance the good with the bad, be persistent and spend most of the time listening.
As noted author Steven Covey wrote in his book the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People "Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
Operational security, or OPSEC, has had a renewed focus recently given the secretary of defense’s mandated OPSEC training for all Department of Defense employees.
A few episodes ago, (E17) if you want to go check it out, we talked about the importance of protecting critical information, and the new DoD CUI standard for marking and safeguarding other than classified information.
In this episode we have a conversation with Sean Crone to dig a little deeper into information protection. Sean is the industrial security lead and an OPSEC signature manager for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.
During our discussion he defines operational security for us in both textbook terms, and in terms we can understand and apply in our day-to-day lives. He then explains why it's critically important to safeguard our other than classified information, and he provides us with insights on potential vulnerabilities we might not consider as we go about our daily lives.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
This week we had a chance to sit down with our new vice commander Col. C.B. Cain for a discussion on his Air Force background and on his leadership philosophy and style.
For you history buffs, during our discussion we learned that he flew a C-17 into Wright-Patt and turned it over for display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, so go check it out.
If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms.
If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the Life Cycle Management Center family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
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For information that hasn’t been classified, but is still in need of some level of protection we’ve long used the FOUO label (for official use only) to indicate that the information should be kept protected.
The federal government has developed a new standard for information protection that all government agencies have to comply with, and part of that standard is replacing the FOUO classification with controlled unclassified information, or CUI for short.
Welcome back for another episode of the AFLCMC leadership log podcast. Jeff Hetzler is the information security lead at AFLCMC's information protection office. For this episode We sat down with him (virtually) for a 101 discussion on the new standard, and what its phased in implementation will mean for all government agencies going forward.
If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms.
You can also see a video version of this and all of our episodes on our You Tube channel.
For more information on all things Air Force Life Cycle Management Center related please visit and bookmark our website at www.aflcmc.af.mil.
If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the Life Cycle Management Center family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil.
Until next time---stay strong, stay safe, and keep providing what warfighters need when they need it.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
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This weeks's conversation centers around virtual training and war fighter readiness. Lt. Col. Ricardo Jaime, material leader and branch chief for the AFLCMC Simulators Division, Operational Training Infrastructure Branch, and Mike Burns from the SCARS program explain how the Simulator Common Architecture Requirements & Standards program, otherwise known as SCARS, provides a relevant integrated realistic training environment allowing the war fighter to train in mission relevant schemes and scenarios in order to achieve full spectrum readiness for the Air Force. SCARS is the Air Force's first major initiative to bring enterprise standardization to training and simulator systems. In a nutshell it's all about improving readiness. For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at: https://www.aflcmc.af.mil. Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center. LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/aflcmcofficial Twitter: @AFLCMCofficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFLCMCofficial Instagram: @aflcmcofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzpbkmBDlq05aBqPYvcze3A History Office Twitter: @airpowercradle
As our vice commander Col. Brady Hauboldt gets ready to retire we sat down with him to discuss his eclectic career.
A recurring theme emerged during our discussion; an Airman’s plan for themselves and the Air Force’s plan for that Airman are often diametrically opposed…and that is not necessarily a bad thing. To put it in his words, “ that was my plan, but thankfully the Air Force had a different plan for me.”
After a 30+ year career the U.S. Air Force Academy graduate offers some sage advice to young Airmen who are just starting out in their careers; don’t forget to celebrate your and your team’s successes, and whatever the Air Force gives you to do find a way to make it fun. If you’re having fun doing what you’re doing then you will be successful.
If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms.
You can also see a video version of this and all of our episodes on our You Tube channel.
If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the Life Cycle Management Center family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil.
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC please visit our website
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center
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Twitter: @AFLCMCofficial
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Did you know that within AFLCMC there is a group of dedicated professionals who focus on securing cyber resiliency for our warfighters? Do you know who your cyber focus team members are? And what does cyber resiliency and security even mean?ou know that within AFLCMC there is a group of dedicated professionals who focus on securing cyber resiliency for our warfighters? Do you know who your cyber focus team members are? And what does cyber resiliency and security even mean?
In this episode we talk with three members of the CROWS team: Joe Bradley is the director of the Cyber Resiliency Office for Weapon Systems, Steve Stolly is the CROWS training and education team lead and Lloyd Martin is a member if the CROWS mitigation project team.
During our discussion the cyber experts explain what cyber resiliency means and how the CROWS team is working to stay ahead of the ever-evolving threats in cyberspace. Their vital work ensures that when a weapon system is needed to accomplish a mission objective it is cyber resilient and cyber secure. For an in depth look at the CROWS mission check out a recent article in the May addition of Airman Magazine at https://airman.dodlive.mil/2020/05/18/
For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at:
https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/aflcmcofficial
Twitter: @AFLCMCofficial
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFLCMCofficial
Instagram: @aflcmcofficial
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzpbkmBDlq05aBqPYvcze3A
For an in depth look at the CROWS mission check out a recent article in the May addition of Airman Magazine at https://airman.dodlive.mil/2020/05/18/
If you have questions about the CROWS team you can reach out to them at crows@us.af.mil
In this episode we talk with Stacy Betlej-Amodeo from AFLCMC's Rapid Sustainment Office. We discuss RSO's mission in general and how the organization embraces what then Secretary of Defense James Mattis charged the Defense Department to begin practicing: moving at the speed of relevance as he outlined in the 2,018 National Defense Strategy. We also discuss details about the upcoming Air Force Advanced Manufacturing Olympics, which will be held virtually October 20-23. There is an AMO kickoff registration event on August 12 featuring as its keynote speaker the commander of the Air Force Materiel Command Gen. Arnold W. Bunch Jr.
For more information about the RSO and their upcoming AMO you can visit their website at https://www.afrso.com If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms. You can also see a video version of this and all of our episodes on our You Tube channel. For more information on all things AFLCMC related please visit and bookmark our website at https://www.aflcmc.af.mil. If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the Life Cycle Management Center family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil. Until next time---stay strong, stay safe, and keep providing what warfighters need when they need it. For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at: https://www.aflcmc.af.mil. Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center. LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/aflcmcofficial Twitter: @AFLCMCofficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFLCMCofficial Instagram: @aflcmcofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzpbkmBDlq05aBqPYvcze3A For more information about rso and amo visit: https://www.afrso.com https://www.afrso.com/advanced-manufacturing-olympics https://www.linkedin.com/company/afrso/ https://www.facebook.com/airforcerso
In this episode we discuss the upcoming changes in functional alignment across the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, especially at the senior materiel leader level. Our panel of senior leaders include: Maj. Gen. Mike Schmidt, program executive officer for the C3I & Networks Directorate; Thomas Robinson, director of Contracting; Kathy Sowers, director of Financial Management; and Brig. Gen. Dale White, program executive officer for Fighter & Advanced Aircraft. For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at: https://www.aflcmc.af.mil. Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center. LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/aflcmcofficial Twitter: @AFLCMCofficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFLCMCofficial Instagram: @aflcmcofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzpbkmBDlq05aBqPYvcze3A
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work as an executive officer to a senior leader also known as the boss’ exec? If you have then this is the episode for you. Welcome back to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Leadership Log podcast. For this episode we were able to pin down four very busy execs from across the center for a candid discussion about how they got their positions, what their day in and day out lives are like and what they’ve been learning along the way. Two of the execs we spoke with are a husband and wife team who serve in different directorates. They certainly bring a unique perspective to the discussion. We hope you enjoy the episode. If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms. You can also see a video version of this and all of our episodes on our You Tube channel. For more information on all things Air Force Life Cycle Management Center related please visit and bookmark our website at www.aflcmc.af.mil. If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the Life Cycle Management Center family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil. Until next time---stay strong, stay safe, and keep providing what warfighters need when they need it. For more information on all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at https://www.aflcmc.af.mil. Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center. LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/aflcmcofficial Twitter: @AFLCMCofficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AFLCMCofficial Instagram: @aflcmcofficial YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzpbkmBDlq05aBqPYvcze3A
As we mentioned in an earlier episode, based on inputs from the "AFMC We Need Initiative," Air Force Materiel Command leadership made some significant changes to the Department of Defense Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project, otherwise known as AcqDemo.
One of the changes AFMC made to AcqDemo was removing the tiers. In this episode John Slye, who is the deputy program executive officer for Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate, walks us through the evolution of AcqDemo and introduces us to the career path models that are replacing tiers.
For more information on AcqDemo and for all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
Follow and like us on our social media channels for the latest information and news from programs across the center.\
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- Instagram: @aflcmcofficial
How do you continue to execute your mission when the work force is hampered by covid-19 lock down restrictions forcing 100 percent teleworking and their day-to-day effort relies on a legacy system that is only accessible while logged into the official network on the installation? With some agile out of the box thinking teams at both Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts quickly developed not just one but two solutions allowing contracting professionals to do their jobs even when having to work remotely. The bottom line is that through innovative thinking a long-standing limitation was overcome and contracting actions have remained on the same historical pace allowing for full mission execution despite the forced teleworking posture. In this episode we talk with the teams who developed and implemented the creative solutions and hear how their passion for problem solving exemplifies the Air Force core value of---excellence in all we do. For more information on all things related to the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center visit our website at www.aflcmc.af.mil. If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms. You can also see a video version of this, and all of our episodes on our You Tube channel. If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the AFLCMC family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil.
In this episode we sat down with Maj. Saily Rodriguez for a really interesting chat about the Female Fitment Program that she manages. She also serves as the Combat Ready Airmen deputy branch chief in the Human Systems Division of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Agile Combat Support Directorate. During the discussion Maj. Rodriguez walks us through the history of Female Fitment, and explains how the program is serving the needs of Airmen across the Air Force, both on and off the flight line. For more information about the Female Fitment Program and for all things related to AFLCMC visit our website at https://www.aflcmc.af.mil. If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our social media platforms. You can also see a video version of this and all of our episodes on our YouTube channel. If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the AFLCMC family shoot us an email at AFLCMC.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil. Until next time—-stay strong, stay safe and keep providing what warfighters need when they need it.
Thanks for coming back for another episode of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Leadership Log podcast. This week we had the chance to sit down with our vice commander Col. Brady Hauboldt where he shares his thoughts on workforce expectations as we begin to slowly reoccupy our work centers. He also gave us a glimpse into his typical day since the corona virus pandemic hit. Col. Hauboldt stresses a few factors to keep in mind: Continue to maximize telework when you can Self-monitor for symptoms – don’t risk your coworkers’ health with fever, cough or cold (use sick leave or telework where appropriate) Wear a face-covering when moving to and from personal workspaces Feel free to remove the face covering at your personal workspace when 6 feet of social distancing is preserved Keep a contact tracing record when your work requires you to interact with people within 6 feet for more than 10 minutes at a time Transit to and from your work center should be limited to primary entry and exit points – avoid walking through other work center spaces Wipe down high touch surfaces such as light switches and door handles Avoid or wipe down common areas before and after each use And finally remember to frequently wipe down multi-user and personal workspace high touch items such as keyboards, phones, your computer’s mouse, etc. If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing and don’t forget to follow and like us on our website and social media platforms. You can also see a video version of this, and all of our episodes on our You Tube channel. If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the AFLCMC family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil. Until next time---stay strong, stay safe, and keep providing what warfighters need when they need it.
The Air Force Materiel Command recently made some changes to the Department of Defense Civilian Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project, otherwise known as AcqDemo.
In this episode the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's executive director Kathy Watern sat down with AFLCMC's director of personnel Sherri Artuso for a conversation about the changes and what they mean for the workforce.
The two leaders touch on several subjects including AFMC's decision to remove the tiers from AcqDemo. This is the first of several discussions that will focus on helping AFLCMC employees better understand AcqDemo in general, and what we all need to know about the changes made to the program, and how they impact our career planning.
If you haven’t already done so then please consider subscribing to this series and don’t forget to follow and like us on our website and social media platforms.
You can also see a video version of this and all of our episodes on our You Tube channel.
For more information on AcqDemo and for all things AFLCMC related please visit and bookmark our website at https://www.aflcmc.af.mil.
If you have an idea for a future episode on a topic that would interest the AFLCMC family shoot us an email at aflcmc.pa.mediateam@us.af.mil.
Until next time---stay strong, stay safe, and keep providing what warfighters need when they need it.
The Air Force has focused on mentoring during the month of May, so we sat down with our vice commander Col. Brady Hauboldt for a discussion on mentorship and leadership and how his mantra or people, passion and purpose has guided him throughout his career as a leader and as a mentor.
We sat down with our commander Lt. Gen. McMurry to get his thoughts on what the return to full capacity means. He also shares some insights on how we’ll continue to operate in our new normal.
In this episode our executive director Kathy Watern sat down with two members of the AFLCM team Sasha Lemon and Brian Allport for an in depth discussion on remarkable leadership.
Sasha is a limited PCO contract specialist, and Brian is her supervisor.
The three discuss topics like what being a great leader means to an organization, what distinguishes a good supervisor from a bad one, and what it means to truly care about the members of a team at every level.
In this episode Lt. Gen. McMurry was joined by our Command Chief, Chief Master Sergeant Troie Croft for an in-depth discussion on resiliency and the Air Force’s wingman culture. The seasoned leaders had a lot to say about what it means to be resilient and how to be a good wingman especially during this unprecedented time in our history.
In our inaugural episode we hear directly from our commander Lt. Gen. McMurry as he shares his thoughts on the challenges faced across the center in our new normal. In future episodes we’ll hear from leaders across the center as they share their insights and perspectives on the pressing topics faced throughout the center. We hope you enjoy this episode and consider subscribing to the series. Stay strong, stay safe and keeping providing the warfighter’s edge.