Arnold AFB, Tenn. March 18, 2019Vol. 66, No. 6

PRSRT STDUS POSTAGE PAIDTULLAHOMA TNPERMIT NO. 29

Local Stellar Xplorers teams place second and third in

Southeast Region

Sen. Bowling speaks to AEDC personnel as part of International

Women’s Day celebration

…Page 4

Working with Air Force One: AEDC’s John Washer shares his

experience

…Page 3 …Page 9

‘The Bone’ returns to Arnold Air Force Base for store separation testing

By Bradley HicksAEDC Public Affairs

It had been nearly 20 years since a test involving the B-1B Lancer aircraft was conducted by Arnold En-gineering Development Complex at Arnold Air Force Base.

This long absence recently came to an end, as a 10 percent model of the bomber, known in the flight world as “The Bone,” is now being used to conduct a series of store separation tests in the 16-foot transonic wind tunnel at Arnold AFB.

The tests, which began earlier this year, were re-quested by an AEDC testing partner, the Air Force SEEK EAGLE Office (AFSEO), based out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. A new targeting pod design has been introduced for the aircraft, and officials in the SEEK EAGLE Office will examine the effects of the new pod on the B-1B Lancer. Tests will be conducted on five different store models at Arnold to determine whether the full-size munitions will cleanly release from the actual bomber during flight.

“AFSEO and AEDC engineers are running numer-ous tests in the wind tunnel to collect data that will allow them to analyze the forces, moments and aero-dynamic effects on the store and be able to determine if the trajectories from the aircraft are safe and effective for flight,” said 1st Lt. Johnathan Gutierrez, test manager in

Lt. Johnathan Gutierrez, test manager in the Flight Systems Combined Test Force at Arnold Air Force Base, looks on as a store model performs an offline simulation of store separation from a 10 percent model of the B-1B Lancer. Store separation tests are currently being conducted in the 16-foot transonic wind tunnel at Arnold to assess the impact a newly-introduced targeting pod for the B-1B would have on stores released from the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks) (This image was altered by obscuring badges for security purposes)See THE BONE, page 3

Arnold Air Force Base Legal Office earns MAJCOM-level recognition for team and individual efforts

Fire and Emergency Services personnel participate in live fire training

By Bradley HicksAEDC Public Affairs

The Arnold Air Force Base Legal Office was recently recog-nized for its work supporting the base mission. A member of the team was also recognized for the oversight she provides for sever-al programs offered by the office.

The office was named the Air Force Materiel Command Small Legal Office of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2018, and Para-legal Specialist Leslie McGowan was recognized with the Harold R. Vague Award for AFMC Out-

standing Legal Service Civilian of the Year for 2018.

McGowan was nominated for the MAJCOM-level award by Lt. Col. Andrew Barker, Arnold AFB Staff Judge Advocate.

“I was a little shocked and surprised because I feel there’s a lot of civilian paralegals out there,” McGowan said. “I’m very happy, and I appreciate Lt. Col. Barker putting me up for the award.”

McGowan has worked at Ar-nold since 2006. She began her career at the base as a claims ex-aminer before assuming her cur-

rent role of paralegal specialist. She has a history of Air Force

service, whether active duty or now as a civilian employee. She entered the Air Force after gradu-ating high school. While serving in Japan, she began legal training and served as a military paralegal at Altus Air Force Base in Okla-homa before her military separa-tion. McGowan then worked as a civilian legal assistant at Altus before joining the Arnold AFB Legal Office.

McGowan currently manages a number of programs offered by the Arnold Legal Office, includ-ing its legal assistance program. Through this program, active-

duty Air Force and retirees, as well as the dependents of active-duty members, can seek legal advice from those in the office. McGowan also runs the office tax program, in which individu-als can schedule appointments to receive guidance needed to help them complete tax forms.

Additionally, she runs the tax program for Rome Laboratory, a small Air Force Base located in Rome, New York, and she acts as the claims examiner for all of Arnold AFB. Leslie McGowan

See RECOGNITION, page 6

By Bradley HicksAEDC Public Affairs

A pair of Arnold Air Force Base firefighters cut through the thick smoke to gain entry into the small living room just as the flames engulfing a couch climbed higher.

As soon as the duo suppressed this blaze, a sec-ond fire emanated from a stove in the kitchen. While the firefighters focused their attention on these flames, the fire in the living room reignited. As this occurred, a group of Arnold firefighters on the roof braved a blinding haze to gain entry from the atop the home.

The fire and smoke were real, but the situation was only a drill. It was all part of the live fire training re-cently completed by firefighters with Arnold Fire and Emergency Services.

Live fire training is an annual requirement for fire-fighters according to National Fire Protection Associ-ation standards. To ensure compliance among the Ar-nold AFB Fire and Emergency Services, a mobile live fire simulator was brought to Arnold. The training unit resembles a mobile home and is designed to replicate situations crews could encounter while responding to a residential structure fire.

Brandon Gunn, left, and Lee Brassfield, driver/operators with the Arnold Air Force Base Fire and Emer-gency Services, move a firehose into position to battle a blaze during live fire training. The department took part in the training Feb. 26-28. The training was carried out using a simulator capable of replicating the fire, smoke and heat firefighters would face in actual structure fire situations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks)

See TRAINING, page 6

2 • March 18, 2019

Values

Vision

• Ethics. We are uncompromising in ourintegrity, honesty, and fairness.

• Safety & Health. We are relentless in keeping people safe from harm, andwe provide a safe and healthy work

environment.• Security. We are disciplined and vigilant in protecting sensitive AEDC information and ensuring system integrity to support

national security and our customers.• Excellence. We thrive on challenge, accomplishment, and mission success.• Quality. We are passionate about doing

our work right the first time.• People. We have a mission-focused,inclusive workforce who have a diverse skill set, are committed to success, demonstrate innovation and have a can

do attitude.• Culture. Our team is proud of our diver-sity, inclusiveness, and collaborative work environment. We are proud of what we do

and how we do it.• Relationships. We build positive, long-term business relationships through trust,

respect, and collaboration.• Innovation. We overcome challenges through creativity, perseverance, technol-ogy, and flexibility. We actively seek to

continually improve.• Sustainability. We plan and act for thelong term benefit of our communities and

our environment.

High Mach Staff:Kathy Gattis,

NAS Executive Editor

Deidre Ortiz, NAS Editor

Arnold Air Force

Base

Col. Scott CainCommander

Jason AustinChief,

Public Affairs

Richard TigheGeneral Manager,

National Aerospace Solutions

High Mach is published by Lakeway Publishers, Inc. a pri-vate firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, Arnold Air Force Base, Arnold Engi-neering Development Complex (AEDC) or National Aerospace Solutions (NAS), under exclu-sive written contract with NAS at Arnold AFB, Tenn., 37389.

Everything advertised in this publication will be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital sta-tus, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.

The High Mach office is located at 100 Kindel Drive, Suite A236, Arnold AFB, Tenn. 37389-1236. Editorial content is edited and prepared by NAS. Deadline for copy is Wednes-day at close of business one week before publication.

This commercial enterprise newspaper is an allowable NAS contractor publication for personnel at Arnold AFB.

The content of High Mach does not necessarily reflect the views of the Air Force, Arnold AFB, AEDC or NAS. The ap-pearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement of the products or services advertised by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force, Arnold AFB, AEDC, NAS or Lakeway Publishers, Inc.For general information about High Mach, call (931) 454-5655 or visit www.arnold.af.mil.

Core Values• Integrity first

• Service before self• Excellence in all

we do

Use High Mach to market your products and servic-es. Contact Renee at 931-455-4545 or tnadvmgr@lcs.net.

Smoking Policy1. The following revised Arnold AFB smoking policy is effective immediately and applies to all individuals on

Arnold AFB.2. Traditional Tobacco products (e.g. cigars and cigarettes):

a. Smoking is permitted solely in Designated Tobacco Areas (DTAs) identified by designated signage. If nosignage exists, smoking is not permitted in that area. It is the responsibility of all smokers to keep DTAsclean of cigarette butts.

b. Tobacco use on the Arnold AFB Golf Course is permitted, but discouraged based on the health hazardsof tobacco use and secondhand smoke. No smoking is permitted within 50 feet of golf course buildingsexcept in the approved DTA.

c. Smoking in government-owned/leased vehicles is strictly prohibited. Personnel are allowed to smoke in theirpersonal vehicles at any time; however, at no time will personnel discard cigarette butts outside their vehicle.

d. For government employees, the fact that a person smokes has no bearing on the number of breaks theymay take. Breaks should be taken in accordance with the current supervisory and personnel policies thatafford all employees the same break opportunities consistent with good work practices and accomplish-ment of the mission.

3. Smokeless Tobacco products (e.g. snuff and dip):Smokeless tobacco products are not to be restricted to DTAs. Smokeless tobacco use will be permitted in allworkplace areas (inside and out) subject to reasonable safety and sanitary conditions. Specifically, containersof tobacco waste product, including sealed containers, must not be left unattended or disposed of in trashreceptacles. Users of smokeless tobacco must flush tobacco waste down the toilet.

4. Electronic Cigarettes (also known as “e-cigs”):Pursuant to Air Force Instruction (AFI) 40-102, Tobacco Free Living, e-cigs are considered to be equivalent totobacco products; however, e-cigs are not restricted to DTAs and are allowed to be used outdoors at a minimumdistance of 25 feet from building entry/egress points. (This policy is dated July 27, 2016)

Team AEDC,I believe in free and open communications

with our Team AEDC employees, and that’s why we have the Action Line available. People can use the Action Line to clear up rumors, ask ques-tions, suggest ideas on improvements, enter complaints or get other issues off their chests.

The Action Line has been expanded to in-clude an option for your ideas, comments, or suggestions on the AcqDemo personnel sys-tem. Simply call the normal x6000 commander’s action line. You will then be prompted to select option 1 for the Commander’s Action Line or Op-tion 2 for the AcqDemo line. They can access the Action Line via the AEDC intranet home page and by calling 454-6000.

Although the Action Line is always available, the best and fastest way to get things resolved is by using your chain of command or by con-tacting the organization directly involved. I en-courage everyone to go that route first, then if the situation isn’t made right, give us a chance.

Col. Scott CainAEDC Commander

Action Line

“NAS delivers the best aerospace testing

capabilities today and in the future.”

Computer and network performance improvements are on the way

By Dan HallAFTC Center Information Technology Office

You arrive at work, turn on your computer and login. Then it’s off to pour the first cup of coffee, maybe a restroom visit, put lunch in the fridge and greet a few coworkers.

By now maybe the computer is finished loading and you can get to work. You launch email and wait for that to load. In the meantime maybe launch the web browser to see what’s going on in the world. That fails to load with a message that the site took too long to re-spond.

Back to Outlook and an impor-tant message from the boss needs your attention. You click and wait for the PIN authentication to come up. You respond to the email and are prompted that the message must be encrypted because of PII, even though you know there isn’t any. It won’t send without agreeing to the nonexistent PII, so your message is forever altered with an array of legal warnings, along with another wait for the PIN entry to digitally sign it. Outlook then freezes and says ‘not responding’. You are al-most hypnotized by the spinning

donut when suddenly Outlook re-sponds and sends your message.

For too many of us, this is a typical start to our workday. We have learned to tolerate the delays of poor performing computers and networks, and it never seems to get better. You are not alone. The good news is, your frustrations are being heard and addressed by many lev-els of senior leadership.

Col. Rick “Rico” Johns, deputy director for Air, Space and Cyber-space Operations & Chief Infor-mation Officer of Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, has Operation Bottleneck as No. 1 on his top 10 priorities. Brig. Gen. Christopher Azzano, commander of the Air Force Test Center, com-mented after a recent AFTC climate survey that network and computer performance was reported as the No. 1 hindrance to productivity. Improvements are on the way.

24th Air Force/Air Forces Cy-ber, who is the lead organization tasked with maintaining and de-fending the Air Force Network (AFNET), is undertaking signifi-cant efforts to remediate the prob-lems. They have created five Prob-lem Resolution Teams (PRTs) to research and enhance the user ex-

perience in five key areas. They are:• E-mail• Virtual Private Network

(VPN) Connectivity• Local Application Latency• Failed Authentication &

Logon Delays• Web Traffic LatencyThese teams are meeting week-

ly, some daily, to research and implement solutions, with 14-day, 30-day, and long-term targets. They are looking at everything from net-work traffic content filtering to in-crease throughput of the most com-monly used data; to desktop client software configuration to speed load times; to the physical location and configuration of authentication servers to speed login prompts. Ev-erything is being implemented and tested with the end-user experience in mind.

Our unclassified environment is not the only network being looked at for performance enhancements. AFMC SIPRNET has been in need of a complete modernization for some time. The AFMC Com-mander approved funds to modern-ize and expand the entire AFMC SIPRNET architecture. This over-haul includes expanded storage ca-pacity for shared files, along with a

new Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI).

This VDI solution allows for small and inexpensive terminals to be deployed to end users, while the processing and storage is main-tained at redundant back end fa-cilities. This makes operation and maintenance much easier, with up-dates being deployed very quickly. This architecture also allows for much greater flexibility and scal-ability. The central hardware and software has already been installed and configured. A secondary fail-over site is also being deployed. The next step is to identify key users for early implementation and testing, which is currently underway.

It is clear that computer and net-work performance is receiving the attention and resources needed to allow personnel to be more produc-tive in support of their various mis-sions. Hopefully we will all begin to see the fruits of their efforts in the coming weeks and months.

To quote Col. Johns, “Providing our users an amazing cyber experi-ence is job 1 at AFMC A3/6 (head-quarters)…we will keep fighting tirelessly to ensure the greatest Air Force in the world has the greatest network in the world.”

Main Gate upgrades to be completed soon

Work continues on modifi-cations to the Main Gate at Arnold Air Force Base. "We expect to be finished with the project completely by the end of April," said Josh Cooke, utility asset manager for the Test Support Division Operations Section at the base. The active vehicle bar-rier foundations are in place and installation of new fenc-ing and overwatch building was scheduled to begin the week of March 11, Cooke said. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett)

March 18, 2019 • 3

the Flight Systems Combined Test Force. “One end goal is to make sure that once a store leaves the aircraft, it moves away from the aircraft and not back towards it in aerodynamic flight.”

The targeting pod currently used on the B-1B Lancer has been in place for about 10 years. Gutier-rez said the new pod configuration will enhance the avionics of the weapons system, bolstering the aircrew’s ability to locate a target.

“Because the pod has a differ-ent shape than the original one, the engineers need to study the aero-dynamic effects of that on the air-craft and the weapons as they re-lease from the aircraft, because if they encounter turbulence or other disturbances across those weap-ons bays, then it is likely to cause the store to behave in a way that’s unfavorable for the aircrew,” Guti-errez said.

The Captive Trajectory Sys-tem, or CTS, in the 16-foot tran-sonic wind tunnel, also known as 16T, is used to position the store models at any of the weapons bays of the B-1B Lancer.

One of the testing methods in-volves using the CTS to place a store close to a weapons bay and

simulating the release of the mu-nition. Depending on the aerody-namic effects the store sensors are reading, the store will drive itself away from the aircraft model as it is in actual free flight. The test system will run continuous cal-culations to determine where the store should be going as the store continues to drive itself. This test studies the behavior of the store as it leaves the aircraft. Engineers input specific commands for the store before testing is done.

Further testing to examine stores at specific trajectories away from the aircraft are com-pleted later.

“We can take that store and roll it negative 90 degrees to pos-itive 90 degrees. We can pitch it up or down. We can yaw it side-to-side,” Gutierrez said. “It just depends on what our customer wants to see based upon how they think the store will behave as it leaves the aircraft, and then they can examine data to come closer to that.”

Gutierrez reiterated that the testing now being conducted is vital in ensuring the safety of the B-1B aircrew.

“If we put something out

there that’s untested, then there is a significantly higher risk to the aircrew,” he said. “But the AEDC and AFSEO team is go-ing to crunch the numbers and do the engineering work to find out if that’s safe for flight.”

The B-1B Lancer has served the U.S. Air Force since the mid-1980s, and Gutierrez said the air-craft is still used regularly. Prior to the recent efforts, the last test at Arnold involving the B-1B – also a store separation test - oc-

curred in 2000. The aircraft is capable of car-

rying many payloads, so individ-ual tests can last anywhere from a few days to multiple months. The ongoing testing is expected to continue through mid-Spring.

Working with Air Force One: AEDC’s John Washer shares his experience

By Kathy GattisAEDC Public Affairs

Very few of us can say we’ve met even one U.S. president, but Test Operations and Sustainment contractor John Washer has met two – President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. He met them when he started working with Air Force One, the president’s airplane.

“The team I was assigned to conducted all security once the president exited Air Force One and subsequently departed on Marine One,” Washer said.

While his interactions with the president and vice president were limited, he got to know the Security Forces assigned to the Phoenix Raven program well. This was the group who actually flew with the president and his staff. You’ve seen them; they’re the people standing at the bottom of the stairs who wait patiently as the president and his entou-rage board or depart the plane.

“We were a very close group, and I miss those times just work-ing with them,” Washer said. “They became family, and we were all very close and would do anything for each other. When I sit and think about it, something as simple as entering a complex, walking down the hall and see-ing pictures of past presidents on the aircraft, some with historical significance in context and some that were just candid; it’s those experiences that I probably cher-ish the most.”

The assignment of working for Air Force One didn’t happen instantly. Washer first applied for a special duty assignment to An-drews Air Force Base while sta-tioned at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. He received or-ders and was assigned to the 89th Security Forces Squadron and deployed to Camp Bucca, Iraq, when he learned that his clearance came through and he would begin working for the Air Force One Maintenance and Support Complex.

His initial title was Security Response team leader. This is the area supervisor for security of the Air Force One Mainte-nance and Support Complex for a specific shift. After undergoing extensive training, Washer later became one of the vindicator op-erators for his shift, which was known as Panther Flight. As the vindicator operator, the primary responsibility is to monitor the alarm system and dispatch se-curity patrols to alarms for the complex when activated. In real

world incidents, the vindica-tor operator would be in direct communication with appropriate commanders and, if the situa-tion warranted, the White House Military Office.

During his three years with the Air Force One team, Washer had many memorable experi-ences.

“My first night on duty at An-drews (AFB), we did a security detail for then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. It was one I remem-ber partly because it was my first security detail. Another one that stuck out to me was the return of Captain Richard Phillips, who had been held hostage by Somali pirates while he and his crew were on the Maersk Alabama. This one was memorable be-cause the event was world news and it was a big deal when he was rescued and brought back to the U.S.

“I remember that prior to leaving office, President George W. Bush came to the Air ForceOne Maintenance and SupportComplex to meet with each Air-man that took direct part in sup-port missions during his term inoffice. This included logistics,maintenance, security, food ser-vices and the flight crew. It wasmore than a quick five-secondhandshake and it was a humblingexperience for so many of us.”

Another time Washer re-counts providing a tour for Vice President Dick Cheney’s family. Washer was the area supervisor for security of the famed U-2 Reconnaissance aircraft also known as Dragon Lady during the Joint Service Open House when the tour was requested.

“I truly enjoyed the people I got to work with and, looking back now, being a part of history. I don’t think I truly appreciated it like I do now. I took my job very seriously and did it to the best of my abilities, but I never really took a deep breath and thought about how much of an honor it was,” he said.

In November of 2009, Wash-er was honorably discharged after serving six years on active duty; three with Air Force One. He then returned to Tennes-see and began working in state government before landing at AEDC.

“This base (AEDC) offers me an opportunity to continue to serve my country and allows me to utilize some of my skill-sets I acquired from the military. It’s also one of the coolest mis-sions in all the military. I don’t know if people truly appreciate it; the work everyone does is so unique. The men and women who work in the test areas do an absolutely amazing job. I’m in

awe each time I get to go visit these areas.”

Washer now works for Na-tional Aerospace Solutions in Industrial Security.

He heard about AEDC through his first flight chief who was also from Tennessee.

“TSgt. Wagner told me about the base and how he hoped to be

stationed here before he retired,” Washer said. “I think at the time there were maybe two to three active duty members in Security Forces at AEDC.

“I think AEDC is one of the best kept secrets; this is a tre-mendous place to work. I’m tru-ly proud to come to work every day.”

NAS Industrial Security Specialist John Washer, right, and the NAS Deputy General Manger Mike Belzil, left, conduct security checks bi-weekly along with Elise Sherrill, NAS Security Manager and Facility Security Officer (not pictured). Belzil is also the NAS Industrial Security Executive Sponsor. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks)

John Washer, left, and his Air Force One teammates prepare then Vice President Dick Cheney’s family to tour. Washer, who now works as National Aerospace Solutions Industrial Securi-ty Specialist, was the area supervisor for security of the famed U-2 Reconnaissance aircraft also known as Dragon Lady dur-ing the Joint Service Open House when the tour for the vicepresident’s family was requested. (Courtesy photo)

THE BONE from page 1

A store model positions near one of the three weapons bays on a 10 percent model of the B-1B Lancer. For the first time since 2000, the B-1B is involved in testing at Arnold Air Force Base. Tests are currently ongoing to determine the effects a newly-introduced targeting pod for the B-1B would have on stores released from the aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks)

4 • March 18, 2019

XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator completes inaugural flightBy 88 Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. The Air Force Research Labo-ratory partnered with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems to develop the XQ-58A.

The 586th Flight Test Squadron, part of the Arnold Engineering Development Complex, provided assistance and men-toring to AFRL from test planning all the way through safety chase of the flight.

This joint effort falls within the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) portfolio, which has the objective to break the escalating cost trajectory of tactically relevant aircraft. The objec-tives of the LCAAT initiative include

designing and building UAS faster by developing better design tools, and ma-turing and leveraging commercial manu-facturing processes to reduce build time and cost.

Developed for runway independence, the aircraft behaved as expected and completed 76 minutes of flight time. The time to first flight took a little over 2.5 years from contract award. The XQ-58A has a total of five planned test flights in two phases with objectives that include evaluating system functionality, aerody-namic performance, and launch and re-covery systems.

“XQ-58A is the first example of a class of UAV that is defined by low pro-curement and operating costs while pro-viding game changing combat capabil-ity,” said Doug Szczublewski, AFRL’s XQ-58A Program Manager.

The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019 at Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona.

By Deidre OrtizAEDC Public Affairs

On International Women’s Day, March 8, Tennessee State Sen. Janice Bowling was in-vited to Arnold Air Force Base to discuss how women are making a dif-ference in Tennessee and her own role in state gov-ernment.

Members of the AEDC Test Operations and Sustainment contrac-tor at Arnold Air Force Base organized the event in recognition of Interna-tional Women’s Day.

As senator, Bowling serves Tennessee District 16, which covers Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Mari-on, Sequatchie, Van Bu-ren and Warren counties. She is currently the Dep-

uty Speaker of the Ten-nessee Senate. Prior to her involvement in state politics, she also served at the local level as al-derwoman for the City of Tullahoma from 1992-2004 and 2005-2008.

AEDC and Arnold Air Force Base are special to Bowling, who has twice served as president of the Arnold Community Council, a nonprofit or-ganization founded in 2000 to support and pro-mote AEDC.

Her husband, Temple Bowling, worked at Ar-nold AFB for 37 years before retiring in 2010. He served in many roles during his AEDC career, as an active duty member of the Air Force, a con-tractor employee and a government civilian. In

1981 he worked for the deputy of Contracting, and in 1995, became the director of Contracting. He also served as act-ing executive director in 2006 before being asked to serve as the deputy di-rector of the 704th Mis-sion Support Group that same year.

Many at Arnold are still familiar with the Bowlings, and a large group took advantage of the opportunity to hear Sen. Bowling speak at the Main Auditorium to learn how she got her start in state politics.

Bowling explained that in 1993, Van Hil-leary had asked her to help lead the Coffee County efforts for his campaign for congress. After he was elected, she

served as the field repre-sentative in the 4th Con-gressional district cover-ing nine counties. She then went on to become district director over all 11 counties in the dis-trict.

Having made con-nections and built re-lationships within the communities in her district, she decided to run for U.S. Congress. Though her two con-gressional runs were not successful, Bowling mentioned that her ca-reer has become what it is today because of her perseverance.

When asked if she’s ever had difficulty be-ing a woman in a mostly male political environ-ment, she mentioned that she hasn’t really ex-perienced any issues.

“As a woman you do have to work harder, smarter and faster,’” Bowling said. “But now they know, ‘She’s Jan-ice and she’s a worker.’ I’ve always gone in with the expectation that I’m here and I’m part of a team, and it’s worked.”

Bowling said a great part of her career has been when she has made her family proud. She mentioned a conver-sation with her young granddaughter when she became Tennessee’s first Deputy Speaker of the Senate.

“She said, ‘Nana, it makes me so proud when our family makes history,’” Bowling re-called.

International Wom-en’s Day falls on March 8 annually, and the 2019 campaign theme is “Bal-ance for Better,” focus-ing on gender equality and creating a gender-balanced world, accord-

ing to information pro-vided by the Internation-al Women’s Day website.

Of the efforts for gender equality over the years, Gloria Steinem, world-renowned femi-nist, journalist and activ-ist once said, “The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about hu-man rights.”

In addition to Interna-tional Women’s Day, the entire month of March is Women’s History Month. Throughout the month, The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smith-sonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in commemorating and encouraging the study, observance and celebra-tion of the vital role of women in American his-tory.

The movement for a

nationwide celebration of women started in the 1980s. In 1981, U.S. Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28, which autho-rized and requested thePresident to proclaim theweek beginning March 7,1982, as “Women’s His-tory Week.” Throughoutthe next five years, Con-gress continued to passjoint resolutions desig-nating a week in Marchas “Women’s HistoryWeek.”

Then in 1987, after being petitioned by the National Women’s His-tory Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9, designating the month of March 1987 as “Wom-en’s History Month.” Between 1988 and 1994, Congress has passed ad-ditional resolutions re-questing and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month.

Since 1995, U.S. presidents have also is-sued a series of annual proclamations designat-ing the month of March as “Women’s History Month.”

Sen. Bowling speaks to AEDC personnel as part of International Women’s Day celebration

Tennessee State Sen. Janice Bowling speaks to a crowd at the Main Audito-rium at Arnold Air Force Base on International Women’s Day, March 8. Bowling talked about her life and career and how she eventually became involved in state politics. As senator, Bowling serves Tennessee District 16, which covers Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Marion, Sequatchie, Van Buren and Warren counties. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett)

Prior to speaking at the Main Auditorium at Arnold Air Force Base March 8, Tennessee Sen. Janice Bowling introduces herself to Dr. Richard Tighe, general manager of the AEDC Test Operations and Sustainment (TOS) contractor at Arnold AFB. (U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett)

March 18, 2019 • 5

The workforce at Arnold Air Force Base and other AEDC locations is comprised of not only Depart-ment of Defense workers and salaried employees but also of non-exempt salary and Service Contract Act employees across various contractors. NES and SCA personnel include techni-cians, designers, processors, specialists, security staff and administrative assistants. Each month, one NES or SCA employ-ee and his or her contributions to the AEDC mission will be high-lighted in the High Mach.

Name: Katie PierceContract: Test Operations and SustainmentCompany: National Aerospace Solutions, LLC

Hometown: From Tullahoma, Tennessee, where she resides.

Time at Arnold: Employed on base since March 2018.

Job: Administrative Assistant for the NAS Flight Branch. Pierce’s job duties include a variety of administrative tasks and specific job assignments by the Branch

Manager. These range from the creation of a SharePoint site for the Flight Branch to the design of the NAS sign for the NAS Office of the General Manager. She is also available to assist any Flight team member with tasks as they need help. “I began my job in March of 2018 and have enjoyed every minute of being part of the NAS orga-nization. The AEDC family is a special group, and they have wel-comed me with open arms. The staff here is so proud of the work they are doing and are eager to share information and answer any questions I ask. The mission at Arnold AFB has such a rich his-tory; I am just happy to be a tiny part of the important work that is happening here. But, above all, having the privilege to provide as-sistance to team members, mak-ing their work days easier, is very fulfilling. It is nice to know my job is about helping others and hav-ing the ability to provide relief to our hardworking engineers and craftsmen.”

Education: Received associate degree from Motlow State Com-munity College in Business Ad-

ministration. Also has many years of nonprofit experience as the ex-ecutive director of the Tullahoma Fine Arts Center and financial co-ordinator for Partners for Healing.

Describe a memorable or exciting project with which you’ve been involved: “I have learned so much in the short time I have been with NAS, but I think one of the most exciting projects I have been asked to be a part of is sitting with the 16S Return to Service Independent Review Board to assist Walt Bishop with taking notes for the meetings. I had a front-row seat, witness-ing the engineers and craftsmen reviewing the past knowledge of how the tunnel operated and hearing the discussions on how to bring it back to life. Being new to the base, it was a great history lesson on the mission of AEDC and what the future holds here at Arnold AFB.“It was very exciting to hear the plans and potential of the 16S Tunnel and to watch the infor-mation being shared between the experienced engineers and the younger engineers who will be taking this project forward.

Since my time sitting with the IRB, there has been an ener-getic buzz all around 16S, with many NAS and Air Force team members working together as they begin ‘waking the sleeping dragon.’ It is history in the mak-ing and I look forward to hearing the tunnel running.”

Hobbies: Pierce enjoys spend-

ing time with her three children, ages 17, 14 and 10.“We spend many nights and weekends at various sports events rooting for Tullahoma.”She also enjoys working on vol-unteer projects with area non-profits. Pierce added she and her husband enjoy traveling and spending time with family and friends.

AEDC Team Profile: Katie Pierce

Preventing common warehouse accidentsBy AEDC Safety

An accident in a warehouse can injure you or your co-workers, damage equipment, and ruin cargo. It has the potential for a multiple loss. The most common warehouse accidents involve forklifts and manual material handling.

The forklift is one of the most important mechanical devices you have. It can also be one of the most dangerous if not properly used. Statistics show that forklifts are involved in only about 1 percent of lost time accidents, yet they account for about 10 percent of the serious injuries. Some of those injuries occur when a forklift strikes a pedestrian; a load falls on a pedestrian or the driver; a forklift falls between a trailer and dock or off a truck; or a forklift overturns.

The key to forklift safety is your skill

in operating the equipment, your ability to anticipate hazards in the warehouse and your concentration regarding the task at hand.

You can prevent traffic incidents while operating the forklift, by using the same safe practices that apply to traffic driving. Observe the rules regarding speed, maneuvering, and loading and unloading. Keep your arms and legs inside the guard and wear your seatbelt. The seatbelt will keep you inside the forklift in the event it tips over. Odds are you won't be able to jump clear. Unfortunately too many people have tried…unsuccessfully.

The dock plate is all that is between you and an accident when transferring cargo between a trailer and the dock. Damaged plates should not be used. Check for cracks or if curbs are missing or broken, report it. Makeshift plates

should not be used, not even for a one-time job. Make sure the plate is properly anchored in place before loading or unloading.

The trailer can also contribute to an accident. The impact of lift trucks moving in and out can cause the trailer to inch away from the dock. Trailers should be chocked and frequently checked to insure they have not shifted. When the trailer is parked, jacks should be placed to prevent the trailer from tipping over.

As a pedestrian in the warehouse, stay clear of moving loads. When palletized cargo is being picked up, it can topple. Be alert. The rear of a forklift swings wide, since the steering axle is in the rear. So stay clear, and give the equipment plenty of room to maneuver.

Before you attempt to lift, move or shift heavy items in the cramped confines of a trailer, assess the situation.

Do you need assistance from one of your co-workers, or do you need mechanical assistance from a forklift? Without assistance, you may injure your back or damage the cargo.

All AEDC employees have the responsibility and authority to stop work when there is imminent danger to an individual. This authority applies to Air Force/DOD, inside and outside contractors.

If you observe an unsafe action or condition that needs immediate action (i.e. one that creates immediate danger to life or health), please stop the unsafe action and then call the AEDC Safety Hotline, 454-7233 (S-A-F-E). This number rings in AEDC Safety on weekdays during business hours. The Operations Center answers calls at night, on weekends, and after the fourth ring during regular duty hours.

Supporting warfighters: Two workforces come together with one mission in mind

By Debbie AragonAir Force Installation and Mis-sion Support Center Public Affairs

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (AFNS) – Child care, golf, bowling,community center, lodging operations and outdoor recre-ation. These operations, andmany more, are designed tosupport the morale, welfare and recreation of Airmen andtheir families and rely heavilyon one thing to make them tick… nonappropriated fund, orNAF, employees.

Although paid by a differ-ent funding source than gen-eral schedule, or GS, civilian employees, NAF employees “are committed to the same thing as their GS counterparts – delivering capabilities to generate combat-ready and re-silient warfighters,” said MikeHildebrandt, Air Force Servic-es Activity human resourcesprogram management branchchief.

Currently, there are more than 20,000 NAF employees around the globe doing things like caring for children and youth, conducting art classes, managing outdoor recreation programs, preparing healthy meals and helping people achieve a pilot’s license or re-pair their cars.

All of these efforts play a vital role in building resiliency, unit cohesion and readiness in our Air Force, said Col. Donna Turner, AFSVA commander.

Brian Roush, AFSVA hu-man resources and benefits di-vision chief, began his career as a NAF employee in 1984 at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebras-ka, as a busboy and general purpose clerk working Sunday brunch at the officers’ club.

“Little did I realize then that my part-time job in high school for gas and fun money would be the start of a 30 plus year career as an Air Force ci-vilian,” Roush said. “By being open to new opportunities and challenges, having great men-tors and bosses, access to edu-cation and tuition assistance programs and, honestly, a lot of hard work and long hours, I progressed.”

NAF positions, like those filled by Roush along his jour-ney, offer opportunity, employ-ment and careers for spouses, other family members and the local community, Roush ex-plained.

“Through installation mo-rale, welfare and recreation facilities, NAF employees deliver service programs and activities to build and sustain Airmen and their families,” Hildebrandt said. “It’s one way Airmen know that their fami-

lies are well taken care of as they complete their mission at home station or while de-ployed.”

“NAF employees are part of the overall team that deliv-ers the mission of the Air Force and brings the importance of that mission home to the com-munity,” Roush said.

“After a snowstorm hits and the base needs to return to nor-mal operations, what are the first places to re-open, if they

ever closed?” Roush asked, “The child development cen-ter, lodging, restaurants and snack bars.”

“Our NAF employees are right there, on installations, as part of the core of our Air Force family community,” Roush added.

“NAF employees are a force multiplier and backbone of our installation MWR ac-tivities. Without them, the mis-sion and resiliency opportuni-

ties we provide to our service members and their families would not be possible,” said Turner. “They are a vital part of our Air Force mission and we appreciate their dedication and commitment to taking care of Airmen and families each and every day.”

To find out more about NAF careers for you or your family members, visit the NAF careers page at https://www.nafjobs.org/default.aspx.

Jeremiah Parks, Maxwell Fitness and Wellness Center recreation aide, poses for a photo in the weight room of the fitness center, Sept. 7, 2018, at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama Parks retired after 61 years of service to the Maxwell community. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Air-man Alexa Culbert)

6 • March 18, 2019

RECOGNITION from page 1

TRAINING from page 1

Over the past year, Mc-Gowan has twice been named AEDC Civilian of the Quarter.

Barker described Mc-Gowan as an “outstanding performer” who has excelled in her duties.

“I was delighted that she won,” he said. “That’s be-cause Leslie has been a top performer in the legal world for many years who has been recognized many times and is someone who has built good relationships with all the oth-er organizations. She does a great job.”

McGowan competed against 12 other AFMC legal offices for the Harold R. Vague Award. Next month, she’ll vie against other top paralegals across Air Force MAJCOMs for the Air Force Judge Advo-cate General Award.

While McGowan said she was surprised by her individ-ual award, she was not by the MAJCOM-level recognition earned by the Arnold Legal Office.

“We have a great office,” she said. “We work well to-gether. I can’t say enough good things about what our office does, what the attorneys do.”

The office provides legal support for the command at Arnold AFB, and its efforts impact everything from con-struction around base to com-missary operations. Along with the legal assistance and tax help programs, the office helps with acquisitions for testing and legal review of contracts and agreements.

Working alongside Mc-

Gowan and Barker in the Ar-nold Legal Office are Capt. Ja-net Ashitey, deputy staff judge advocate; Greg Porter, senior attorney advisor; Ryan Muel-ler, attorney advisor; and Eric Norton, paralegal specialist.

Barker said the Arnold Le-gal Office is a “great team,” adding he is glad he gets to observe all of the behind-the-scenes work done by its mem-bers.

“I’m always glad when

this team gets recognized be-cause the legal office has its hand in everything that hap-pens on the base in one way or another through some kind of legal review or approval, and not just the big things like source selection, but lots of small things, too,” Barker said. “These guys work really hard and put in a lot of hours.

“An award like this really helps highlight how important the legal office is and how

valuable it is to the efficacy of the base and the base’s mis-sion.”

Five legal offices within the AFMC are considered Small Legal Offices. The of-fice has been recognized be-fore, also having been named the AFMC Small Legal Office of the Quarter in 2017.

Barker said much of the credit for the recognition the Arnold Legal Office has re-ceived belongs to leadership

across the base. “The driving force behind

our legal office award and also Leslie’s individual award is that we have great leadership here on the base and we have a very important mission, so we are all motivated to support our leadership and the mission here,” Barker said. “They’re good examples, so we strive to make sure that we reach their goals and all that’s expected of us.”

Thomas Lombard, an assistant fire chief at Ar-nold AFB, said the train-ing not only better pre-pares the department to respond to calls around the base and mutual aid emergencies, it also bol-sters synergy among members of the crew while giving departmen-tal leaders an opportunity to see them in action.

“It builds teamwork and comradery amongst the crew to get the job done,” he said.

The training began on Feb. 26 and concluded on Feb. 28. During the exer-cises, Arnold firefighters formed teams of two, and each team was tasked with working its way through the simulator. The teams had to tackle the mock living room fire before proceeding forward to the simulated kitchen. As each group worked on the stove fire, the living room fire was relit.

“They had to coor-dinate as a team to go back and extinguish the fire behind them to make sure they still have a safe egress,” Lombard said.

Personnel on the top portion of the simulator battled through heavy smoke and collaborated to get their fire hose into position to combat the below grade blaze.

The simulator was provided to Arnold by the Kentucky Fire Com-mission, which is part of the Kentucky Communi-ty and Technical College System. Lombard said his crew has worked with the KCTCS for the past several years to complete the necessary training.

“They’ve performed with us the last several years, and they’ve done a great job doing so,” he said.

The fires in the simu-lator are created via a propane-driven system. This provides adminis-trators with greater con-trol over the fires and

trainees with improved safety when compared to other live fire training methods.

“Propane allows us to have continuous fires, which means I don’t need additional crews to actu-ally stoke the fire. I don’t need to have four or five people help start the fire and keep it running in that fashion,” Lombard said. “The benefit of pro-pane is we can control the temperatures and, if something’s not working out, we can shut it down. If we were using Class A materials like wood products, or even in the days of hay, you couldn’t really control that fire ex-cept by putting it out. So if something was going wrong, you couldn’t just stop. You had to do an emergency evacuation to reset the burn scenario.”

The smoke that fills the training unit through controlled releases is water-based, making it safer for the firefighters. And while it does not behave quite like smoke would during an actual fire emergency, Lombard said it gives personnel an idea of the obstructive impact smoke has on vi-sion during real structure fires.

Built into the training simulator are other safety features. Lombard said there are push-button components throughout the unit that allow in-structors to immediately stop an exercise. There are also sensors which

control temperatures and provide instructors with greater insight into the situations trainees are facing. The simulator programming can also determine when firefight-ers aren’t working the fire as effectively as they should.

“If there’s a rapid rise in temperature, the in-structor at the panel can shut it off,” Lombard said. “In addition, there’s a computer system that monitors the entire op-eration, so it has some set parameters. If the fire jumps too high or it’s not being put out aggressive-ly enough, it’ll continue the fire fight until the firefighter performs and gets water where they need to on those sen-sors.”

But even with the safety measures and con-trols, Lombard said get-ting through the simu-lator is no easy task as trainees face many of the same challenges they would while responding to real-world situations.

“Once a firefighter dons their gear, they’re wearing an additional 85 pounds of equipment,” Lombard said. “Once they enter the simula-tor, they completely lose visibility inside the structure, so they have to learn to work within that parameter of left-hand or right-hand search pat-terns. They’re also fac-ing the heat of the fire itself. As they enter, the temperature starts to

rise, and even the sweat on their body starts to steam off and evaporate, so it’s definitely an envi-ronmental change from outside to inside.”

More training is on the horizon for the Ar-nold AFB firefighters as they are set to take part in aircraft live fire train-ing later this spring.

The Arnold Air Force Base Legal Office was recently awarded Air Force Materiel Command Small Legal Office of the Quarter for the fourth quarter of 2018. Pictured from left are Ryan Mueller, attorney advisor; Lt. Col. Andrew Barker, staff judge advocate; Leslie McGowan, paralegal specialist; Greg Porter, senior attorney advisor; and Eric Norton, paralegal specialist. Not pictured is Capt. Janet Ashitey, deputy staff judge advocate. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks)

Arnold Air Force Base firefighter Sam Teat works to extinguish a blaze in the “kitchen” area of the live fire simulator recently used by the Arnold AFB Fire and Emergency Services to complete the annually-required live fire training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bradley Hicks)

March 18, 2019 • 7

8 • March 18, 2019

By Tammy CournoyerAir Force’s Personnel Center Airman and Family Sustainment

JOINT BASE SAN A N T O N I O - R A N -DOLPH, Texas (AFNS) – Professionals at Air-man and Family Readi-ness Centers stand readyto support military spouses with achieving their short and long-termemployment goals re-gardless of where theyare stationed.

Employment skills counselors Air Force-wide understand mili-tary spouses face unique challenges in the work force, and they must be prepared to create and maintain a portable ca-reer.

This is where A&FRC counselors excel. They cover the gamut of spouse employ-ment, from referrals for education and training, to the fundamentals of resume writing and in-terviewing, to assisting spouses with finding the perfect-fit job.

“We can help spouses who are just starting out in the work force as well as those who have an es-tablished career path,” said Javonika McCree, a community readiness analyst and employment specialist at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph.

“As a military spouse, you have access to a number of unique re-sources that will help you achieve your edu-

cation and career goals, whether it’s finishing an undergraduate degree, pursuing a training cer-tificate or landing a new job,” McCree added.

Spouse Education and Career Opportunities, or SECO, is an initiative that seeks to strengthen education and career op-portunities for military spouses by providing career exploration tools and resources. SECO offers military spouses comprehensive educa-tion and career support, including career coaches who can help with:

Career exploration – identifying your skills, interests and aptitudes and selecting an interest-ing and rewarding career.

Education, training and licensure – acquir-ing the right education, technical training, li-cense or credential for your career goals.

Employment readi-ness – resources that can help you brush up on current trends, write a resume, network and hone your interviewing skills.

Career connections – opening the door to op-portunities and connec-tions through Military Spouse Employment Partnership, USAJOBS.gov, CareerOneStop and more.

To learn more about SECO, visit https://my-seco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/.

See the April Services calendar on page 10.

Air Force provides employment support for spouses

March 18, 2019 • 9

2019 Engineers Week concludes with inspirational speech from special guestBy Paul KellyAEDC Technical Management Advisory Services

Engineers Week was brought to con-clusion with the Engineers Week Ban-quet Feb. 21 at the University of Ten-nessee Space Institute Dining Hall.

Engineers Week activities were planned and hosted with help from the Tullahoma chapter of the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers and the Tennessee section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronauts, along with volunteers from AEDC, UTSI, the Hands-On Science Center and the Arnold Air Force Base STEM Program.

As part of the banquet, FIRST® Tech Challenge team of area students present-ed their robot and discussed its capabili-ties. Short presentations were made to review the MATHCOUNTS® compe-tition, the Student Design Competition and the Engineer for a Day program.

The speaker for the evening was Lt. Col. Tucker “Cinco” Hamilton, who is the commander of the F-35 Lightning II Integrated Test Force. He is responsible for over 700 men and women and for putting the F-35 through all of its flight tests.

Hamilton gave the audience things to think about in addition to discussing the flight attributes of the F-35. He began his talk with four words for the audience to think about: affinity, ability, opportu-nity and resiliency. He defined each of the words: affinity as a calling, ability as skill, opportunity as being ready to re-spond, and resiliency as never giving up even in the face of adversity.

He spoke to the audience about his grandmother, Olympic gold medalist Betty Robinson, who taught him a lot about never giving up even when life deals you a difficult blow. She was the first woman gold medalist in the modern Olympics, winning gold in the 100-me-ter dash in the 1928 Olympics. In 1931 she was injured in a plane crash and told she would not walk or run again. How-ever, she went on to compete in the 1936

Olympics as part of the 4x100 meter re-lay team that won the gold medal. She had affinity or calling to run, great abil-ity, was ready to respond to the opportu-nity to be in the Olympics, and resilient by not giving up when others told her she couldn’t run again.

Hamilton’s grandmother encouraged him to aspire to be an astronaut. His ca-reer has not yet lead him to space, but he has already put into practice those four words.

Hamilton told the audience that their personal stories are important and to pass them on, even (or especially) sto-ries of failure. He was involved in a mid-air collision with another fighter aircraft over the Gulf Coast. The other pilot lost his life, and Hamilton was lucky to be rescued from the Gulf by fishermen. The incident made him aware of how fragile

life is and how you have to pick yourself up, prioritize your life, and continue on.

In discussing the F-35, he said it was the easiest plane to land that he has flown and it can almost land itself. He discussed the F-35 flight helmet which carries a cost of $400,000. He said that it provides augmented reality, and it gives the pilot situational awareness.

The Test Force puts all three ver-sions of the F-35, a, b, and c through an extensive flight test program with over 30,000 test points. On a typical day, 40 people in four control rooms will moni-tor data from an approximate four-hour flight. Over 500 missions are flown in a typical year.

This group also tests aircraft that will be flown by our allies. One test had to be conducted in Alaska for the Norwegian Air Force. Ice on the runway had to be

cleared, and then a controlled layer of ice put down on the runway, and land-ings and taxiing were executed on the icy runway.

Hamilton also showed videos of pilots experiencing G-loc, which is the loss of consciousness due to G-forces. When a fighter aircraft accelerates vertically, the pilot can experience higher than 9Gs ac-celeration. This will render the pilot un-conscious. When this happens, the plane can become out of control. One of his ex-periences was to be one of the first to fly a fighter (an F-16) with an air collision avoidance system. Today, these systems are typical and are saving pilots’ lives.

He emphasized that everyone should tell their stories, and he brought the talk back to the first four words he started with: affinity, ability, opportunity and re-siliency.

Lt. Col. Tucker Hamilton, the guest speaker of the 2019 Engineers Week Banquet, tells the story of his grandmother Betty Robinson, an Olympic gold medalist. The banquet was Feb. 21 at UTSI for those who participated in the weeklong Engineers Week events. (Courtesy photo by Michael Millraney)

By Kim NelsonCoffee County Stellar Xplorers Team Mentor

Two of the three Stellar Xplor-ers teams from Coffee County Central High School recently placed in the top three positions in the Southeast Region.

Stellar Xplorers is an Air Force Association sponsored program designed to inspire and attract high school students to pursue studies and careers in Sci-ence, Technology, Engineering and Mathematicsthrough a chal-lenging space system design com-petition involving all aspects of system development and opera-tion with a spacecraft and payload focus.

Over 100 teams participated in competitions across the nation this year. The three teams from CCCHS competed throughout the 2018-2019 season, from Sep-tember 2018 to February 2019, and participated in three Practice Rounds, two Qualifying Rounds and the Prestige Round.

This was the third year in a row that the Arnold Air Force Base STEM program and the Ten-nessee Valley Women in Defense Chapter partnered together to sup-port the Stellar Xplorers Program at Coffee County CCCHS.

For the 2018-2019 school year, the CCCHS Air Force Junior ROTC Commander, Col. Mike Angle, U.S. Air Force retired, for-mer Director of Policy, Plans & Programs, Joint Forces Compo-nent Commander SPACE, served

as the team coach. This is the third year Lt. Col. Kim M. Nelson, U.S. Air Force retired, has served as the team mentor. Lt Col Nel-son is the former Chief of AEDC Space and Missile Testing and is the local TN-Valley Chapter WID STEM director. Chad Overcast, former AEDC physicist, also as-sisted the team with the Systems Tool Kit.

As coach, Angle took a new approach this year and had the CCCHS Stellar Xplorers program be a student-led and student-run activity. The 15 students, led by Tabby Syferd, managed the schedule, team responsibili-ties, meetings, and competitions. These students did an outstand-ing job balancing school, activi-ties, and this program. Some of the technical aspects of the STK are beyond the student’s knowl-edge, so Angle and Nelson will be working this summer to develop basic training courseware that can be used each year to train students on STK and basic orbital mechan-ics. This will help balance the workload between the student-led and mentor/coach-led sections during the actual competitions.

The AF STEM Program pro-vided the registration fees for this year’s competition, and the Ten-nessee Valley Chapter of WID provided the high-speed lap-top computers required to run the STK software. If you are inter-ested in helping mentor a team at your school or a CCCHS, please contact the Arnold Air Force Base STEM Director at the Hands-On

Science Center in Tullahoma at (931) 455-8387.

Who can participate?Teams can come from any high school (including home schools), JROTC, CAP, School Clubs, Boy/Girl Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, or any organized youth organiza-tion. Teams consist of an adult team director, usually a teacher, and two to six students. Team mentors with space experience are available in-person or online. Participation is free until after teams have had the opportunity to compete for the first qualify-

ing round. The Program supplies a self-contained academic/educa-tion component accessed online as a curriculum supplement, as well as specific training in the use of system simulation software, Systems Tool Kit. The competi-tion leading up to the finals is- ac-complished from the team’s home location on any Windows-based personal computer.

Teams will be asked for their solutions to a typical space design problem, such as orbit determina-tion, satellite component selec-tion, and launch vehicle planning,

as outlined in a scenario describ-ing the system’s mission and con-straints.

Practice Rounds precede two Qualification Rounds with the QR scores determining which teams advance to either the Pres-tige Round, or the higher scoring Semi-Finals in March. The top teams from the Semi-Finals will receive an all-expense-paid trip the Finals in Colorado in early April.

For further information on the Stellar Xplorers program visit: http://www.stellarxplorers.org.

Local Stellar Xplorers teams place second and third in Southeast Region

Members of the Coffee County Central High School Stellar Xplorers teams celebrate their re-cent recognition as Region Awards Winners for the Southeast Region of the Stellar Xplorers. CCCHS Air Force Junior ROTC Team #2 received second place and CCCHS Air Force Junior ROTC Team #4 received third place. These teams were part of over 100 teams to participate in Stellar Xplorers competitions across the nation this year. (Courtesy photo)

10 • March 18, 2019

See the March Services calendar on page 8.

Tennessee Fisher House president to speak at AEDC Woman’s Club meeting

By Barbara McGuireAEDC Woman’s Club

The AEDC Woman’s Club will hold their next meeting April 4 at the Arnold Lakeside Center and will be welcoming Don Wright from The Tennessee Fisher House in Murfreesboro as the special guest.

Wright is president of the Tennessee Fisher House Foundation, which en-ables family members of veterans to be close to a loved one during hospitaliza-

tion. He will be talking about the Fisher House, the amenities guests receives, sharing many pictures and more.

Those attending will also be intro-duced to this year’s AEDCWC Schol-arship recipients at this meeting. Table donations will be going to The Tennes-see Fisher House in Murfreesboro.

The March program for the AEDC Woman’s Club was presented by Dorene Briggs of Dillard’s of Cool Springs with makeup specialists from Dior. Beautiful spring styles displayed

by AEDCWC ladies walking around the club room. Donations from our members went to the AEDCWC Schol-arship Foundation.

The social hour of the April 4 meet-ing starts at 9:30 a.m., with the business meeting and program beginning at 10 a.m.

Reservations must be made no laterthan noon March 28. Make reservations by calling 931-393-2552 or 931-434-5415.

The AEDCWC meetings are open

to the public and provides the opportu-nity to meet the members and become a member. You don’t need to have mili-tary connections or be involved with Arnold Air Force Base to visit and be-come a member.

For information about the AEDC-WC, call the membership chairman at 931-455-3569.

Disclaimer: This is a private organi-zation which is not part of the Depart-ment of Defense or any of its compo-nents and has no governmental status.

AEDC Woman’s Club members display the latest spring fashions during their March meeting at the Arnold Lakeside Center. Pictured left to right are Joan Hartvigsen, Stephanie Mittuch, Lisa Schroeder, Susan Schultz, Sande Hayes, Susan Harris and Barbie More. (Courtesy photo)

March 18, 2019 • 11

By Kenji Thuloweit412th Test Wing Public Affairs

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) – The 412th Test Wing’s Emerging Tech-nologies Combined Test Force conducted its first autonomy flight test Feb. 26-28.

The team collecteddata on the Testing of Autonomy in Complex Environments system, or TACE.

The TACE system is test middleware developed by Johns Hopkins Univer-sity that sits between an autonomy/artificial intelli-gence computer and an air-craft’s autopilot, according to Capt. Riley Livermore, 412th Test Wing ET CTF Autonomy lead. It moni-tors the commands being sent from the autonomy to the autopilot and then sends back the aircraft state information such as position, speed and orien-tation to the autonomy.

“Today we had an autonomous algorithm commanding the aircraft without any direct hu-man involvement; we call it human ON the loop as opposed to most remotely piloted aircraft that are hu-man IN the loop,” Riley said.

The flight test involved hand launching a Lynx small unmanned aircraft system, or sUAS, made by Swift Radio Planes. The TACE payload itself is not designed for a specific air-craft, but can be used on different aircraft sizes for test, Riley said.

There are two pri-mary functions for TACE. One is called “autonomy watchdog.”

“If a safety-of-flight parameter is violated dur-ing an autonomously com-manded maneuver — aka proximity to other test air-craft, flying out of an air-space boundary, or losing communications with the ground unit — then TACE will stop the commands from the autonomy and force it to remediate and loiter at a pre-determined safety location,” Riley said.

The second function, Live-Virtual-Constructive, is the ability for TACE to allow simulated entities to interact with live aircraft.

“TACE controls what the autonomy computer

sees and therefore can manipulate that informa-tion to allow for simulated entities to influence its decision making,” Riley said. “For example, us-ing TACE, a single live aircraft can fly in forma-tion with a virtual wing-man, with simulated sen-sors, flying in a simulated GPS-denied environment. The beautiful thing about TACE and LVC is that it can stress the autonomous algorithms without jeopar-dizing the safety of flight.”

The three-day flight test demonstrated how the TACE system aboard the Lynx sUAS would turn the aircraft around to its safety area when approaching a virtual border and its abil-ity to track a simulated ve-hicle on the ground with-out human commands.

According to Riley, mastery of an autonomous flying system could be an asset for the warfighter.

“Both the 2018 Nation-al Defense Strategy and the 2019 National Defense Appropriations Act man-date that the services de-velop, test, and implement autonomous and AI sys-tems,” Riley said. “TACE is a crucial first step in pro-viding a safe, rapid and ef-fective tool for evaluating these systems. The current

use case for autonomous systems in the Air Force is as a loyal wingman. The concept there being an au-tonomous wingman who can cooperatively work with and help a manned aircraft through a variety of scenarios.”

The ET CTF will con-duct another autonomous flight test in a couple weeks. Upon successful completion of TACE flight

testing, the unit will be able to declare autonomy test Initial Operation Ca-pability, according to Ri-ley. He added the ET CTF plans this summer on fly-ing autonomy on much larger unmanned systems that can fly up to 250 mph.

“The main features will be our flight tested TACE system that is compatible with an open systems ar-chitecture. This will allow

us to rapidly and safely test unknown autonomy and

AI algorithms developed by third-party vendors.”

Emerging Technologies CTF conducts first autonomous flight test

David Freeman, 412th Test Wing Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force, hand launches a small unmanned aircraft system in the north part of Edwards Air Force Base, California, Feb. 27. The ET CTF conducted its first autonomy flight test Feb. 26-28. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

The 412th Test Wing’s Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force Autonomy test team monitors a small unmanned aircraft system Feb. 27, at Edwards Air Force Base, California, during the ET CTF’s first au-tonomy flight test. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit)

12 • March 18, 2019