Team Keesler takes part in AETC Symposium`

Published Jan. 27, 2011
By Susan Griggs
81st Training Wing Public Affairs

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The 81st Training Wing and 2nd Air Force headquarters sent a contingent of 128 enlisted members, officers and civilians to the 2011 Air Education and Training Command Symposium, Jan. 20-21 in San Antonio, Texas.

The fifth annual event, cosponsored with the Alamo Chapter of the Air Force Association, showcased the most innovative technological advances in Air Force training.

More than 3,500 Airmen, civilians, civic leaders, sister-service members and foreign officials were offered an opportunity to participate in 113 seminars with topics ranging from information overload to installation energy security and from ice storm recovery
operations to humanitarian missions.

The exposition hall featured presentations from the 81st Training Wing, 2nd Air Force, 68 other military booths and 66 vendor and sponsor exhibits.

Guest speakers included Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, U.S. Southern Command Commander Gen. Douglas Fraser and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Roy.

A general officer panel included Gen. Edward Rice Jr., AETC commander; Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog, 2nd Air Force commander; Lt. Gen. Allen Peck, Air University commander;
Maj. Gen. Mark Solo, 19th Air Force commander; Maj. Gen. Jack Ramsaur, AETC mobilization assistant, and Brig. Gen. Baylan Ayyar, Air Force Recruiting Service commander.

Chief Master Sgt. Linus Jordan, 2nd Air Force command chief, was one of five speakers on AETC's command chief panel.

Keesler claimed several awards.

The 81st Force Support Squadron won the inaugural award recognizing the top Heartlink program for military spouses in the command. The 81st Training Support Squadron received a plaque as runner-up in the command's third annual Learning Innovation Award program after winning top honors last year.

Lt. Col. Janet Pattison, 81st TRSS commander, said a fused deposition modeling
system has improved training aid fidelity by 100 percent with realistic equipment reproductions. The machine saved $625,000 in man-hours through digital manufacturing instead of hand crafting and saved $200,000 in outsourcing costs by being able to make the training aids in-house. Other tools highlighted were the multi-cam numeric control router, embedded programming systems and a new powder-coat paint booth.

Master Sgt. Daryl Bagley, previously the noncommissioned officer in charge of plans and integration for the 81st Logistics Readiness Squadron, won the Lance P. Sijan Leadership Award. He was recently assigned to United States Air Forces in Europe at
Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

"There were multiple training seminars each hour and you could choose the topic of interest, broadening the learning experience," said Capt. Jason Williams, 81st Security Forces Squadron. "It was a great networking tool, meeting new people from different bases and career fields and reconnecting with old friends I haven't seen in years."

"I was able to spend some time with AETC and defense contractor software developers," noted Staff Sgt. Dustin Beach, 81st TRSS. "I took away some great ideas and examples on how to keep the 81st TRSS on the cutting edge of technology."

Staff Sgt. Tammi Fish, 81st Medical Support Squadron, pointed out, "It's not very often that we get to hear the Chief Master Sergeant and the Secretary of the Air Force brief. I was very impressed with all of the seminars and key speakers -- it was definitely an
inspiring and rewarding experience."