Peterson Space Observer Nov. 14, 2019

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VOL. 63 NO. 46

T H U R S DAY, N OV. 14 , 2019

SPACE OBSERVER P E T E R S O N

Living the dream

A I R

F O R C E

B A S E

By Griffin Swartzell | 21ST SPACE WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. — Accomplishment takes many different shapes. Senior Airman Paul Karasiewicz, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron fire department driver operator, says his greatest accomplishment is showing up to work every day with a positive attitude. “I know it doesn't seem like a whole lot,” he says, “but it's very hard to have that drive every single day, so I'm making my biggest goal to come to work with high drive and give the best customer service for [Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado] and anyone around us.” The support Karasiewicz and the fire department provide ensures that facilities necessary to the 21st Space Wing’s mission are fire safe, a crucial support task for any military mission. “Doing what we do every day allows them to do what they do every day to keep everyone safe,” he says. Karasiewicz joined the Air Force to provide a good life for his kids and grow into the kind of father they needed. “I found out I was having children at a very young age, and I wanted to give them the best lifestyle I could,” he says.

Karasiewicz’s father had a 24-year career in the Air Force, ultimately retiring as a Master Sergeant. He hopes his children, too, will follow in his and his father’s footsteps. “I've pushed to give my kids the best life that they can have, especially being several states away from them,” he says. “To wake up every single day ready to go, knowing that they're going to thank me one day, that they're going to have an easier lifestyle than I was able to start off with is worth it.” Though he doesn’t get to see his kids as much as he likes, Karasiewicz channels that commitment into his mission and into his customer service attitude. He says he enjoys pulling better-than-expected outcomes from bad situations and seeing the smiles that work puts on the faces of the people he helps. Further, he has a very big family in the form of his section, where he works a 48-hours on, 48-hours off schedule. “We're always together, just as much as we are with our loved ones at home,” he says. “We try to spend time on shift and off shift, and we get to know each other's families. We really are family more than co-workers.”

(U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Andrew Bertain)

Senior Airman Paul Karasiewicz, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron fire department driver operator, gives an interview Oct. 19, 2019, at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado. He says he joined the Air Force to support his children and grow into the father they need in order to give them a better life.

21st SW awards contracts at Space Pitch Day 21ST SPACE WING PUBLIC AFFAIRS

SAN FRANCISCO — On Nov. 5, 2019, the U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) kicked off the first Air Force Space Pitch Day at a San Francisco event, in which the center awarded up to $50 million in contract awards. During this two-day event, small businesses and startups pitched to a specific Air Force Space mission set in hopes of scoring a contract with the Air Force. Three companies, Optivolt Labs, Nou Systems and Omitron were awarded contracts for the 21st Space Wing that added up to approximately $5.5 million for different projects in autonomous senior calibrations, weapon system training simulators and solar power generation and storage. Pitch days are designed as a fast-track program putting companies on one-page contracts and same-day awards with the swipe of a government credit card. This gives small business companies and start-ups access to the military market, and millions in contract awards. It’s a major departure from the lengthy contracting processes. “The Air Force is leveraging modern commercial business practices to enable the rapid development of small business ecosystems that have dual-use cutting edge technologies to enable the fielding of fast, relevant and

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PREVENTING SEASONAL INFLUENZA PAGE 3

affordable solutions that support our Air Force,” said Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, SMC commander and Air Force Program Executive Officer for space. Space Pitch Day is unique due to the internal partnerships between the end user warfighter and small businesses vying for a chance to work with the Air Force, according to Thompson. “The biggest thing that I took away from the event is that the U.S. Air Force is serious about creating competition amongst vendors and other commercial partners, as well as streamlining the way we attack program modernization needs and the implementation of new weapon system capabilities,” said Maj. Alex Wyrick, 721st Operations Group combat development division chief. “By creating a competitive and more agile research and development atmosphere, the Air Force opens itself up to receive more user focused support and timelier return on investments at a fraction of the current large business pricing while also encouraging small businesses and startups that may or may not have any prior government experience to work with the Air Force as a viable first partner.” Through the efforts of the wing’s combat develop-

ment divisions, the wing now has direct access to Small Business Innovation Research funds as well as hundreds of small businesses. “It is vitally important to continue collaborations with agencies outside of the Air Force’s traditional rolodex,” Wyrick said. “It invites competition within the enterprise; our current industry partners do a great job of supporting us, but why not shake things up and partner with new companies that bring untapped talent, innovation and industry resources.” The Space Pitch Day event featured keynote speeches from military leaders, expert panels, and dozens of display booths. The innovative startups had the potential to earn contract awards in critical areas such as innovation in early missile detection and warning, space situational awareness, space communications, space visualization, multi-domain command and control, data mining, operations within electronically contested environments, artificial intelligence, responsive launch systems, space logistics, and protection of critical space assets. Space Pitch Day demonstrates the Air Force’s commitment to building a faster and smarter strategy in technology investments and small, non-traditional partnerships.

NEWS 1-11 | BRIEFS 4 | CLASSIFIED 13 | CROSSWORD 15

TEAM SCHRIEVER RECOGNIZES VETERANS DAY HERITAGE PAGE 7

AIR FORCE SURGEON GENERAL VISITS FRONT RANGE PAGE 8

DENVER BRONCOS HOST SERVICE MEMBERS PAGE 9


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