Problem-solving challenge benefits participants, warfighters

  • Published
  • By Jim Fisher
  • Kirtland Public Affairs
KIRTLAND, AFB, N.M. --  "Got innovation?" That's a question AFRL New Mexico's John Holbrook is asking Team Kirtland in the lead up to this year's AFRL Commanders Challenge. 

Holbrook is looking for a team of junior members -- military and civilians with less than 10 years of service -- with a passion for innovation. The team he puts together will take on a problem identified as an emerging threat and special interest item for the Secretary of the Air Force.

"The Commanders Challenge will put our team in a rapid prototyping environment to detect and defend Air Force bases from the threats posed by small group 1 and 2 (under 55 pounds) drones," Holbrook said.

According to Holbrook, Kirtland's team will convene for six months, competing against teams from other Air Force Materiel Command bases to arrive at the most innovative solution. Travel to the final competition will be paid for by AFRL.

While the problem-solving exercise looks to be in AFRL's traditional wheelhouse, Holbrook said perspectives are needed from a variety of disciplines. Last year's team included several members from AFRL, including engineers and a physicist, but also counted on contributions from the 377th Security Forces Group, the Distributed Mission Operations Center, the 58th Special Operations Wing. The team included officers and enlisted members, and they tackled a problem centered on countering insider threats.

"Even though we are AFRL, we recognize that we don't have all the answers and that there are smart people elsewhere and we like bring together people from disparate backgrounds. Last year, we had three major commands represented, people from a variety of work histories, and it worked great. We'd love to do it again," he said.

Even though AFRL recognizes the need to pool expertise from across Team Kirtland, the organization also believes that a base with two AFRL directorates should compete in the challenge year-in and year-out, Holbrook said, adding that Kirtland is second only to Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, in terms of the AFRL presence. Still, participation requires a commitment from the volunteers and their work centers.

"Kirtland should have a team," Holbrook said. "But volunteers must obtain their supervisors' approval to take part, and we are essentially borrowing them from their work centers for six months. It's not a trivial undertaking."

The unit is not only making an investment in the volunteers in terms of professional development, but the participants will be contributing to the solution of a problem that will significantly impact the warfighter. According to 2015 challenge team member Staff Sgt. Shawn Diviney, 58th Maintenance Group, the reward more than justifies the sacrifice.

"The experience definitely changed the way I think about things and how I approach problem solving," Diviney said. "The frame of mind you are in when working in an environment where you are doing rapid prototyping--to develop an idea, improve and act on it--you don't really lose that."

Since returning from the challenge, Diviney has worked in the 58th MXG's Air Force Repair Enhancement Program section, where people tackle hard-to-solve maintenance problems with a wide variety of electronic equipment.

"People will bring things to us and they haven't even been able to identify the problem. It helps to have developed the ability to take a step back and come at this from a different angle," Diviney said. "It also helps to have established contacts with people in AFRL who I can bounce things off of. The interagency contact is indispensable. I wouldn't know anyone at AFRL if not for the Commander's Challenge. I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Volunteers must obtain supervisor's approval to participate and submit a short resume by May 6. The submission should include background, education, experience, any other qualifications and a short email indicating interest in the program, according to Holbrook. Teams will be selected by May 20. Send submissions to him at john.holbrook.2@us.af.mil. The challenge will run from June 6 to Dec. 16. For more info, visit www.kirtland.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-160408-021.pdf