Joint Base San Antonio > News > News - Tag innovation

AFIMSC provides Air Force with innovative post-COVID workspace options
September 1, 2020 — The Air Force Civil Engineer Center and the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Ventures innovation office are developing a viable plan that will optimize telework operations for the enterprise... MORE

Combat medical innovations carry over to COVID-19 care
July 28, 2020 — When the pandemic struck the United States, the combat joint trauma system, made up of a panel of physicians, quickly took form to gather data on COVID-positive patients in the Military Health System... MORE

Navy Lt. Cmdr. T. Blake Van Brunt collects a sample for a COVID-19 test aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort, May 1, 2020. All personnel aboard the ship were tested as the Comfort transited the Atlantic Ocean, returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, following its mission in New York City in support of the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts.

AFSFC launches software to monitor health of Military Working Dogs
July 17, 2020 — The Air Force Security Forces Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland has officially launched the Kennel Health Assessment 2.0 project to ascertain the holistic state of all of the kennels across the U.S. Air Force and ensure the well-being of all Military Working Dogs... MORE

Vanda, a military working dog, or MWD, trainee assigned to the 341st Training Squadron, runs through a tunnel during obedience training Nov. 17, 2016, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The course is designed to improve agility, reaction time and stamina in the military working dogs as part of their training.

AETC Spark Tank 2021 submission window open through Oct. 16
July 16, 2020 — Air Education and Training Command’s Spark Tank 2021 submission window is now open and Airmen with innovative ideas that can help the U.S. Air Force sustain a competitive advantage are welcome to submit. From now until midnight Oct. 16, 2020, all AETC Airmen are encouraged to submit ideas they believe may make significant impacts on Air Force missions within six to 24 months. ... MORE

black graphic with light bulb and Airmen holding up trophy

Air Force Recruiting Service releases Aim High mobile app
June 18, 2020 — To help better communicate, inform and inspire new recruits and with embedded tools to guide them into the right Total Force career path, the Air Force Recruiting Service’s Innovation team launched the “Aim High” mobile phone application June 15. ... MORE

AFRS Innovators prepare for a briefing on the Aim High mobile application

RPA Training Next transforming pipeline to competency-based construct
June 4, 2020 — Air Education and Training Command is integrating modern technology and innovative strategies in an effort to transform how remotely piloted aircraft pilots and sensor operators are developed through the RPA Training Next initiative... MORE

two Airmen sit in front of multiple monitors in dark room

Air University, Arizona State University partner to transform Air Force’s online PME
May 21, 2020 — Air Force students recently crossed a digital threshold by logging in to a new, custom Squadron Officer School portal made possible by an innovative collaboration... MORE

Air University partnered with Arizona State University, one of America’s leading public research universities with advanced learning and support systems, to transform the distance learning experience for Air Force officers and civilians worldwide. This is the first time a U.S. military service utilized a civilian university partner to enable the delivery of officer PME.

AFIMSC innovation project receives $3 million award
March 13, 2020 — The Air Force presented a $3 million Small Business Innovation Research program award to an Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center innovation project March 12... MORE

Ethan Jacobs, unmanned aerial system engineer, launches a UAS during a field test Sept. 4 at Camp Bullis, Texas. The UAS was equipped with Light Detection and Ranging, multi-spectral sensors and machine-learning algorithms to map, survey and inventory habitat for the golden-cheeked warbler. The field test will help the Air Force determine if UAS technology can characterize habitat better, faster and cheaper than current methods.

Child care app wins AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo
February 10, 2020 — An idea to centralize and streamline the subletting of short-term slots at military child development centers won the 2020 Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Innovation Rodeo Feb. 7 in San Antonio... MORE

Maj. Jacque Vasta presents her idea for a child care app to senior leaders during the 2020 Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Innovation Rodeo, Feb. 7, 2020, in San Antonio.

AFPC hosts inaugural innovation symposium
February 3, 2020 — The Air Force’s Personnel Center’s new Innovation Cell hosted an inaugural innovation symposium Jan. 15-16 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. The event featured guest speakers, presentations and an expo, and also served as the platform to launch an internal idea crowdsourcing campaign called “Wild Ideas.”... MORE

A photograph of uniformed members talking about innovation

AFMC seeks innovative ideas with new campaign
January 17, 2020 — Submit innovative ideas and solutions to improve the AFMC mission through the U.S Air Force Ideation Platform, or Ideascale, now through September 2020... MORE

AFIMSC announces 2020 Innovation Rodeo finalists
January 10, 2020 — Eight finalists for the 2020 AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo were selected out of 143 submissions and nearly 2,000 online votes to compete for a share of $1 million in funding and resources to implement their ideas. One finalist is from the Air Force Civil Engineer Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland... MORE

AFIMSC announced finalists for the 2020 AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo on Jan. 9.

NCOs gain school attendance flexibility from EPME self-registration platform
December 30, 2019 — The Air Force’s Personnel Center has created a new scheduling system that allows noncommissioned officers to choose when they attend the NCO Academy, Senior NCO Academy and Chief Leadership Course... MORE

Graphic depicting math equations and news headline for the new Enlisted Professional Military Education self-registration scheduling system

AFIMSC innovation streamlines comptroller tasking process
December 9, 2019 — After three years of brainstorming and research, Linda Alcala and her finance operations team have found a way to simplify management of Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Resources Directorate tasks to installation comptroller squadrons. ... MORE

Linda Alcala and her finance operations team launch an innovative tool today that will simplify management of AFIMSC Resources Directorate tasks to installation comptroller squadrons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Ed Shannon)

AFIMSC announces topics for I-WEPTAC 2020
November 12, 2019 — The topics have been selected and the chairpersons will be on board this month. What remains is determining who will fill the ranks of the four Mission Area Working Groups charged with tackling some of the Air Force’s biggest Agile Combat Support challenges at the 4th Annual Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference in April 2020. ... MORE

AFIMSC Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference 2020 graphic

AFIMSC seeks ideas for Innovation Rodeo
November 1, 2019 — The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center kicked off its second annual Innovation Rodeo with a call-for-topics campaign Nov. 1. ... MORE

The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center kicks off its second annual Innovation Rodeo with a call-for-topics campaign Nov. 1.

Innovation, scalability and data the focus as PTN 2.0 begins
February 28, 2019 — Innovation, ability to scale rapidly and use of big data to drive decision-making are the three focus areas for the second iteration of Pilot Training Next 2.0, now underway in Austin... MORE

2nd Lt. Seth Murphy-Sweet, Pilot Training Next student, takes a 3D vision test prior to virtual reality flying training at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, Feb. 5, 2019. Like the first version of PTN, the second iteration is working in a strong collaboration with AFWERX’s Austin hub at the Capital Factory, gaining conduits into industry that help the PTN team work solutions to issues they encounter as they develop the program. (U.S. Air Force photo by Sean M. Worrell)

AFIMSC Innovation Office seeks game-changing ideas
December 17, 2018 — The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Innovation Office launches a program in the new year to help Airmen implement their innovative ideas. The campaign, open Jan. 1-31, 2019, gives military and civilian members of mission support groups worldwide a chance to fund their ideas and partner with innovation experts... MORE

2018 Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference attendees read about one of the four mission area working group chairmen who led a team to think innovatively in tackling one of the Air Force’s toughest agile combat support challenges during the San Antonio event out-brief. The May 16 out-brief presented proposed solutions to about 1,000 senior Air Force leaders and members of the installation and mission support community. (U.S. Air Force photo by Armando Perez)

Pilot instructor training "embraces change" through virtual reality
October 22, 2018 — Pilot Instructor Training Next is using virtual reality simulators and 360-degree video headsets integrated into the syllabi, helping enable overall Air Education and Training Command effort to leverage emerging technology across the training enterprise... MORE

Lt. Col. Derek McCafferty (left) and Maj. Erik Jones, 99th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilots, prepare for a virtual flying training sortie Oct. 9, 2018, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The 99th FTS, along with the 560th FTS, have integrated virtual reality simulators into the pilot instructor training syllabus as part of an overall strategic effort to leverage emerging technology across the training enterprise.

12th FTW continues heritage of aviation innovation
September 5, 2018 — Innovators from the 12th Flying Training Wing showcased the latest adaptations in pilot training for veteran aviators at the Parr Club at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Aug. 27... MORE

Capt. Jay Moore, a 560th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, helps demonstrate a virtual reality simulator Aug. 27, 2018 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph.