Advancedcapabilitiesearnsaerospaceexcellence
bySamuelKingJr. 96thTestWingPublicAffairs
EGLINAIRFORCEBASE,Fla.—The AmericanInstituteofAeronauticsandAstronauticsrecentlyselectedthe40thFlight Test Squadron’sAdvancedCapabilitiesDivisionthe 2024AerospaceExcellence Award.
Thisrelativelynew96th Test Wingunitthat beganinApril2023,isresponsibleforartificial intelligenceandautonomy-basedexperimental aircraftsatEglin.
“This awardis a culminationoftireless hoursbyacollaborationofmilitary, government,industry, andacademic partners. Togethertheteamhasachievedremarkable accomplishmentsinsuch a shorttime, and I couldnotbeprouder,” saidMaj.Ross Elder, AdvancedCapabilitiesDivisionChief “This divisionistrulyleadingtheprojects that will carry theAir Forceintothefuture, andthis isjust thebeginning.”
TheAIAA awardedthe unitforitsmilestone worklastyearwiththeXQ-58A Valkyrieand thefirst-everAI-enabled,high-performance, uncrewedairvehicleflight.
Usingneuralnetworksdevelopedand trainedthroughreinforcementlearning, the
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AXQ-58 ValkyrielaunchesforatestmissionAug.22at Eglin AirForceBase,Fla.Themission successfullytestedcomponentsthatgreatly reducetheriskoflargescalecrewedanduncrewed autonomoussystems.
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Photo/2ndLt.RebeccaAbordo
DAFannounces2023athletesoftheyear
byDebbieAragon AFIMSCPublicAffairs
JOINT BASESANANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas–ASpaceSystemsCommand handballplayerandanAir MobilityCommandtriathletewererecentlyannouncedas the 2023Department oftheAir Force Athletes ofthe Year.
CongratulationstoCapt.Andrew Donlin,SSC’sResilientGlobalCapabilities Branch deputy chiefinElSegundo, California,and1stLt.RoseSmith,the436thHealthcare OperationsSquadron’s ResourceManagementFlightcommanderatDover Air Force Base, Delaware
“Ourmajorcommandsandfieldcommands submittedtheirbestandourteamtook theevaluationprocessveryseriously,” saidMaj.TiffanyLewis, DAF FitnessandSports Division chiefattheAir ForceServicesCenter
“It wasextremelydifficult choosingour DAF-levelwinners butI’mconfidentwegot itrightwithCaptainDonlinandLieutenant Smith.Althoughallofthe packageswe receivedwereincrediblystrong, theiraccomplishmentsrepresentedthe athleticcommunityandDAFin a wayfewotherscan,” shesaid.
FemaleAthleteofthe Year
Smith,whoisalsoAMC’s FemaleAthleteofthe Year, excelledduringnumeroustriathloncompetitions in2023.
IntheRockHallTriathlon inMaryland, shefinishedfirstinheragegroupand93rd overall,earningheraspot inthe2023/2024USATriathlonNationalChampionships.
Overthesummer, she wasrated165thamong4,532femaletriathletesandearned a BronzeAll WorldAthleteStatus in heragegroupafterfinishing35of56intheIronman70.3Musselman.
Afewmonthslater, Smith wasinChattanooga, Tennessee, where she qualifiedfor the2024Ironman WorldChampionships. Inthesamemonth, shedid the Waterman’s Triathlon FestivalRelay andreceivedfivedifferenttriathlon cluboffers beforedecidingon TeamZoot,thelargesttriathlonorganizationinthe U.S.
She roundedoutthe awardperiodwithOctober’s MarineCorpsMarathon in Washington D.C., where shefinished 5,348inafield ofmorethan230,000.
Smithattributedher success tothepeoplewho surroundher.
“OneofmybestfriendsinDover, JessicaHeckman, challenged metodoahalfIronmanthisyear, then as wepushedeachother wefiguredwemay aswelldo a fullsince we arehalftrained,” shesaid.“I’ve hadsomanywonderfulpeoplearoundmehelping mesucceedthoughthat Ihave thismindsetof‘howcouldInotdogreat things.’”
Smith alsobelieves beinganenduranceathletecarriesover toher abilitytobe a resilientAirman.
“Whatmakesusdifferent isourabilitytotoleratepainanddiscomfort, becauseI canpushthroughphysicallyhardthings, it makes alotofother challengesseemeasier tomanage,” shesaid.“Forexample, myIronmantookme13hoursand25 minutes. About4hoursin,everything wasalreadysore. Incomparison,completing tasksIdon’t want todo, butneedtogetdoneareeasytomentallyjustify.”
Endurancesportshave also taughtherdiscipline, shesaid.
“Onedoesn’tjust wakeuponedayanddecidetodoanIronman. You needtotrain formonthsinadvance, which couldmeanearly mornings, two-a-daysandgivingup certainhabitsthatdon’tserve the biggergoal. Havingincreaseddiscipline hasalsoallowedmeto changemymindsettogettheworkdone because Iunderstandlong-term payoff.”
Smith,whojoinedtheAir ForceReservein2015asanenlistedAirman waysknewshe wantedtobeanofficerandstarted herbachelor’sdegreeprogramwhen shelearnedabouthealthcareadministrationofficers. Shestartedtriathlontraining duringCOVIDabout2yearsbeforeherfirstracein2021.
“Isayallthistoshowthat waitingforwhatyou wantisworthit,butalsodon’t foronedreamtofinishtostartanew one,” shesaid. “Also, believeinyourselfwhen othersdon’t, and if thosearoundyou don’tbelieveinyoufindabetter wouldn’tbewhereIamwithouttheencouragementfrommany pe alsorememberthereweretimeswhere peopledoubtedmypathbecausethei tionofwhat waspossible waslimited. The humanbodyiscapableof iblethingsifgiven theopportunity.”
Outsideofherpassionfortriathlons, SmithcoachedDover’sMedicalGroupvolleyballteamto a championshipwin, bikedmorethan500milesacrossIow ForceCycling TeamtopromotetheAir Forcemission, raisedmoreth theAir ForceAssociation’s WoundedAirmen andGuardiansProgramwith teammates, andledathree-personteamina26.2milerucktohonorth alsoraisingmorethan$1,000fortheMilitary Friends Foundation.
Male Athleteofthe Year
Duringthe awardperiod, Donlin led the Men’s USANationalHandbal theirfirstandsecondvictorieseverintheInternationalHandball WorldChampionships. Healsoledhis clubteam,theCalHeat,toagoldmedal CaliforniaCupand wasselectedasthetournament’smostvaluable
Additionally, thecaptainled TeamUSAinthe PanAmericanGames ColoradoSprings, Colorado, helpingtheteamearnaspotinthe2023 Games, aprimaryqualifyingcompetitionfortheSummerOlympics leadingscorerinboththequalifierandgameswithatotalof21goals
DonlincontinuedasleadingscorerattheNationalChampionship goals, leadinghisCalHeatteamtofirstoutof20teamsatthe2023USA tionalChampionship. Becauseofthewin, his teamrepresented the AmericanandCaribbeanClubChampionshipswheretheyearnedgold, selectedfortheAll-Tournament Team.
Lookingathisathleticsuccess, heattributesitinlargeparttothe peoplearoundhim.
“Family, friends, militaryleadership, coaches, teammates, medicalstaffandother … withoutthemIwouldn’tbeableto continuecompeting andtrainingatahighle hesaid.
Healsobelievesalwaysbeingreadytotakeadvantageofopportunitieswhenthey’re presentedcontributedaswell.
“SomanyoftheopportunitiesI’vehad in myathleticcareerhavebeen andrighttimemoments.’ A lotofthathastodowithcoacheswhohavebel andtakena chanceonme, buttheother partof itisbeingprepared mentallytostep up whenyournumberiscalled,” Donlinsaid.
Aswithmanycareersor past timesthatrequirefocus, commitment hardwork,resiliencyplaysakeyfactorinbothmilitaryserviceandathletic
“Resiliencycanmeanalotofdifferentthingsto different people circumstancesbutformeit’saboutbeingabletostayonthe pathtowardmygoalsand myteam’sgoalsevenwhenit’sdifficult,” hesaid.“Thetwobiggestthings meinthearea of resiliency inmysportand lifehave beenknowingthe‘why’behind whatI’mdoingaswellashavingagreatsupport systemaroundme
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rceReservein2015asanenlistedAirman, saidshealrbachelor’sdegreeprogramwhen Shestartedtriathlontraining
ntisworthit,butalsodon’t wait believeinyourselfwhen n’tbelieveinyoufindabetter community.I peoplein mylife, but I ubtedmypathbecausetheir percephumanbodyiscapableof somanyincred-
hedDover’sMedicalGroupvolleybikedmorethan500milesacrossIowawiththeAir
sedmorethan$15,000for andGuardiansProgramwith her cycling andledathree-personteamina26.2milerucktohonorthefallen while undation.
USANationalHandball Teamto theirfirstandsecondvictorieseverintheInternationalHandball FederationMen’s ubteam,theCalHeat,toagoldmedal inthe sselectedasthetournament’smostvaluable player. nAmericanGames Qualifier in lpingtheteamearnaspotinthe2023 PanAmerican aprimaryqualifyingcompetitionfortheSummerOlympics. He was alsothe leadingscorerinboththequalifierandgameswithatotalof21goals. DonlincontinuedasleadingscorerattheNationalChampionship gamewith eight leadinghisCalHeatteamtofirstoutof20teamsatthe2023USA Handball Nathe U.S. attheNorth AmericanandCaribbeanClubChampionshipswheretheyearnedgold, andhe was heattributesitinlargeparttothe supportfrom medicalstaffandothers andtrainingatahighlevel,”
sbeingreadytotakeadvantageofopportunitieswhenthey’re
myathleticcareerhavebeen ‘rightplace tofthathastodowithcoacheswhohavebelieved inme itisbeingprepared physicallyand commitment andjustplain rk,resiliencyplaysakeyfactorinbothmilitaryserviceandathletic prowess. people, depending ontheir pathtowardmygoalsand hesaid.“Thetwobiggestthings thathelped beenknowingthe‘why’behind systemaroundme.”
(Above)Capt.AndrewDonlin,the2023DepartmentoftheAirForce MaleAthleteofthe Year,competesinahandballmatchduringthe 2022 WorldGamesinBirmingham,Alabama.
(Left)FirstLt.RoseB.Smith,436thMedicalGroup resourcemanagementflightcommander,carriesherbicycleatDoverAirForce Base,Delaware,Feb.6.Smith,anavidrunnerandcyclist,was recentlynamed2023DepartmentoftheAirForceFemaleAthleteof the YearandAirMobilityCommandFemaleAthleteofthe Year.
FirstLt.RoseB.Smith,436th MedicalGroup resourcemanagementflightcommander, poseswithherbicycleatDover AirForceBase,Delaware,Feb. 6.Smith,anavidrunnerandcyclist,was recentlynamed2023 DepartmentoftheAi r Fo rce FemaleAthleteofthe Yearas wellasAirMobility Command FemaleAthleteofthe Year.
PhotobyMauricioCampino
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PhotoCourtesyofHandball Today
PhotobyMauricioCampino
otheraircrafttotestthepods Thiswillprovidetrainingforouraircrewsandmaintenanceteamsonservicing andinspectingthepodsonthewings, which willenhance thecapabilitiesoftheKC-46.”
WARPsaremountedontheaircraft’swings, allowing theKC-46torefueltwo aircraftsimultaneously.
“Decreasingtheamountoftimereceiversspendrefuelingisimportant,” saidMasterSgt. Kyle VanderWagen,Air ForceOperational TestandEvaluationCenter deputytestdirector. “WARPsshouldallowusoffloadfuel twiceasfasttoprobeanddrogueequippedreceivers, whichallowsthemtogetbacktotheirprimarymission quicker.”
OnMarch19, 2024,the344thAirRefuelingSquadronflewitsfirstairrefuelingflightutilizingthe WARPs, wheretheyrefueledtwo U.S. NavyF/A-18Hornetsoutof NavalAirStation JointReserveBase Fort Worth, Texas. OnMarch20,the349thARSrepeatedthetaskwithMarine AV-8HarriersfromMarineCorpsAirStationCherry Point,NorthCarolina.
“We’vebeen waitingforawhiletogetstartedonusing WARPs,” saidAirman1stClassCordNakaahiki,344th ARSboomoperator. “Usingthenewsystemfeltjustlike ourusualpracticeonsimulators, which madeusingthe realthingprettystraightforward. To beoutthereflying themhasbeenexcitingandrewarding.”
DuringtheIOT&E,theKC-46willrefuel U.S. Navy and U.S. Marineairframesthatreceivefuelutilizing theirprobeanddroguesystems.
“The WARPsareanoptionalcapabilitythat wasincludedintheoriginaldesignof theKC-46, so there is verylittle differencein handling characteristicsofthe aircraft,” saidCapt. Taylor Johnson,344thARSKC-46 Chiefpilot.“Thebig challengeismakingsureaircrews areproperlytrainedandunderstandtheadditionalconsiderationswith WARPsinstalledontheaircraft,sothey canproperlyexecutemissions.”
Thistestingphaseconcentratesonperformingoperationalevaluationsandtrainingexercisestoensureproficiencyamongaircrewsandmaintenanceteamswiththe newsystem.
“TeamMcConnellhasbeenaninvaluablepartnerduringIOT&Eandweareextremelythankfulfortheirdedicationandsupport,” said VanderWagen.
The22ndARWwillcontinueevaluatingthe WARPsin thefollowingmonthstoimprovetheKC-46’sefficiency andflexibility. Throughtheseefforts, the22ndARWis demonstratingitscommitmenttoexcellenceandleadershipinaerialrefueling.
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WARP
enlistedintheAir Force.”
Followingintheirfamilies’footsteps wasnevertheintentforeithersister. Itwouldn’tbeuntillater inlifethat Smithand Torreswould make thedecisiontoenlist. ForSmith,shedecided afterobtaining anassociate degreeininformationtechnology attheageof 21 thatshe needed more stabilityinherlife. Itwouldbeduringthe peakofCovid-19that Torresfelt a change wasneeded.Asoftoday, both sisters arethefirstintheirfamily toserveinthe U.S. Air Force.
“It’sfunnywhenpeopleaskthequestion,“Why did you join?” said Staff Sgt. KeishnelSmith, 53rd TestSupportSquadron clientsystemstechnician.“Theythinkohyeah, it’s definitelythefamilyhistory, butinallreality, wejustneededstability. However, it’s an honortosay thatmydadis in theArmy. BeingabletosaythatIserved alongsidehimfillsmewith pride. Mysonisalreadytellingmethathe wantstojointhearmy because he loveshisGrandpa so much.”
Withtheinspirationrunningdowntoevenmoregenerations, thesisters receivednewsin2021that wouldadjusttheircareerpaths:abraintumor wasfoundintheirfather, Carlos Torres.
“It wasdevastatingwhenwefoundout,” saidKarla Torres “Atfirstthe
doctoronlygavehimafewmonthstolive, butaftergettingasecondopinion thatdoctorsaidthattheycouldoperateandgivehimtreatment.After a successfulfirstoperation,he wastumorfree, butnotcancerfree. Ourfather continuestohaveagoodattitudeandtriestobeaspositiveaspossible.”
Carlos wasstationedat Tyndall, so thesistersappliedforhumanitarian ordersafterreceivingthenews, givingthemtheopportunityto allbestationedatthesameinstallationtogether.
“It wasactuallymyhusbandwhofoundoutabout[Humanitarianorders] whentalkingtohisfirst[sergeant],” saidSmith.“Weappliedtogetsentto Tyndallandamonthlaterwewerepackingtomove Havingthat chanceto bearoundfamily wassuchablessing Beingabletohavemysisterandmy kidsspendqualitytimewiththeirgrandparents wasinvaluable.”
Unfortunately, ayearafterbeingstationedtogetherCarlos Torreswould be relocatedfortreatmentpurposes. Asoftoday, Carlosiscurrentlyundergoing treatmentand isset toretire fromthe U.S. Armyafter20yearsofservice.
The Torresfamilyhasalongdedicationtomilitaryservicerangingfrom theSpanishAmerican Wartocurrentday. The Torres sisters expressed thatthey wanttocontinuetobuildupontheirfamilieslegacyandare thankfulfortheresourcesprovided.
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AEROSPACE
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teamdemonstratedautonomyalgorithmscontrollingan uncrewedXQ-58Atoperform aviation, navigation, and air-to-aircombatoperations.
To accomplishthatfeat,theteamdevelopedsafetyprotocolsandconstructedanautonomydevelopmentframeworktodiscover, design,developanddeployautonomyenabledsystemsoncrewedanduncrewedplatforms.
Thefirstdemonstration wasaproofofconceptthat allowedforfurthertesting tobeginfortheAir Forceand mostrecentlythe U.S. MarineCorps.
TheXQ-58programisonlyapieceoftheACD’smission.
Theteam’sportfolioincludesCollaborative Combat Aircraftdevelopment,human-machineteaming, rapid tacticalautonomyandartificialintelligence, digital test environments, andmulti-domainoperations.
Ofnote, thedivisionistheexecutingtestorganization forthe ViperExperimentationandNext-genOperations Model–AutonomyFlying Testbedprogram,designed andfundedtoacceleratetestingofautonomysoftwareon crewedF-16aircraft.
ATHLETES
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Inadditiontohisworkonthehandballcourt,thecaptain servesastheelectedrepresentativeoftheMen’sNational Teamon TeamUSAHandball’sAthleteAdvisoryCouncil, representingandadvocatingfornationalteamathletesto theboardofdirectors.
Duringthe awardperiod, he alsoprovidedaninstruction clinictomorethan100studentsataColoradoSprings middleschooltointroducethemtothe sport.
“I’mthankful foreveryonewhohas supportedme,” Donlinsaid,“andfeelextremelyblessedtogettowearthetwo bestuniformsintheworldandrepresentourgreatcountry andwhatitstandsforonandoffthecourt.”
(Editor’sNote:Donlin wasrecentlyselectedasoneof twoAmericanmaleathletesfortheInternationalHandball Federation’sBeachHandballShowcaseatthe Paris OlympicGamesthissummer. Theshowcaseisviewedas thenextstepinmakingbeachhandballanofficialsportin futuregames.
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