RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
The dedication made the newly renovated conference room complete, the name gave it a life.
The Air Education and Training Command third floor conference room was dedicated to a 43-year servant of the Air Force, James Robinson, AETC deputy chief of the resources and requirements division.
Prior to being an analyst in AETC, Mr. Robinson had a 28-year active-duty career as a pilot where he flew combat missions in Vietnam and also trained new pilots in Air Training Command, which later became AETC.
"When I was about to retire from active duty in 1993 I was asked by the then vice commander to come back as a civilian analyst," Mr. Robinson said.
"I agreed, and after about a year I was hired into a program analyst position in what was then AETC/XO [what is now A2/3/10]. My job was primarily to provide program analysis and resource programming expertise for the XO," he said. "One of the special projects I was given by the XO was to look at the current organizational construct and provide recommendations for improving the functioning of the directorate."
Mr. Robinson said one of the principal recommendations he made from his analysis was that resource requirement functions could be consolidated into a single division, instead of being scattered around AETC. The transition from ATC to AETC left many of the functions in different places around the command.
"That recommendation was accepted and I was asked to help facilitate the transition and be part of that new organization," he said. "The new division actually was activated in January 1997 as part of a much larger reorganizational effort across the whole [head quarters] staff."
"He has provided analysis and insight to AETC commanders through such events as the introduction of specialized undergraduate pilot training, [Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission] decisions affecting undergraduate pilot training, bringing on line the T-1 Jayhawk and the T-6 Texan II, the pilot shortfall and most recently production shortfalls," said Roger Olson, an AETC resources and resources division analyst. "Along the way, [Mr. Robinson] developed a program to help his own analysis called flying training resource analysis and programming system. It is a series of 130 inter-related spreadsheets that manipulates the myriad of variables that affect pilot training production and produces possible outcomes."
The dedication ceremony was meant to be a surprise during a typical holiday gathering, which also happened to be Mr. and Mrs. Robinson's 49th wedding anniversary.
"I was very much surprised by the dedication, and very pleased by it. I don't know that I deserve such an honor but that the folks in the division and directorate leadership thought so makes me very proud," Mr. Robinson said. "It was a very special day for me and my wife and a nice anniversary present to top it off."
"It's truly amazing the level of gifted talent and insight Mr. Robinson has brought to this command," said Scott Lockard, AETC resources and requirements division chief. "He has a passion for the job and for ensuring that the decisions are made with factual information and analysis. I'm proud to be associated with him and overjoyed to recognize all he has done with this dedication."