By Sean Green | STRIKEWERX Marketing and Communication Director
BOSSIER CITY, La. — STRIKEWERX, Air Force Global Strike Command’s innovation hub, is seeking solutions to increase digital fluency to help the command make data-driven decisions.
STRIKEWERX, Air Force Global Strike Command’s innovation hub, hosted a Problem Definition Workshop at the Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City, Louisiana, July 11 in order to support Digital Education Training for Enhanced Readiness. DETER is aimed at increasing digital fluency across the AFGSC headquarters staff while instilling a culture of data proficiency among officers.
Connie Carr, chief program analyst of education for the AFGSC Innovation, Analyses and Leadership Development directorate, said DETER is trying to bring data modernization into the command.
“We want to create better knowledge of how we need tasks taken care of across the board in Air Force Global Strike Command, before they make it to the top level,” said Carr. “It would save time and money while making us more efficient.”
The workshop saw subject matter experts from government joined by regional higher education institutions to assist AFGSC with market research for creating a three-tiered curriculum tailored to Airmen’s operational needs.
Dr. Delilah Salazar, associate dean for the College of Business at Louisiana State University Shreveport, said the DETER Problem Definition Workshop created an opportunity for knowledge infusion between individuals in regional higher education and their community partners.
Dr. Kevin Sly, Grambling State University College of Business professor, said his background in the Air Force compelled him to take part in the workshop.
“As a former officer stationed at Barksdale AFB here in Bossier City, La., this felt like coming home. I dealt with the various systems we discussed, and I’m very interested in how this project will work to train the instructors,” said Sly.
The Problem Definition Workshop uses collaboration techniques to have industry, small businesses and academia provide the ideas and technology to combat obstacles faced by the U.S. Air Force.
Paul Spivey, dean of business and information technology at Bossier Parish Community College, said the workshop set the stage to make a real impact.
“The best thing about the Problem Definition Workshop is the ability to bring dynamic people together to think creatively and solve real world problems,” said Spivey.
STRIKEWERX is compiling the workshop input into a Request for Proposal that will be sent to select industry. Ultimately, the awarded vendor will provide a prototype solution for AFGSC.