CIC, BPCC partner to give Global Strike Airmen cutting-edge coding skills
The Striker Airmen Coders showcase their projects to Air Force Global Strike Command staff in March 2023 at STRIKEWERX in the Cyber Innovation Center, Bossier City, Louisiana. (Sean Green/STRIKEWERX)
By Sean Green | CIC Communications Director
BOSSIER CITY, La. — The Cyber Innovation Center (CIC) is partnering with Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) to build software and data skills among Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Airmen.
AFGSC devised the Striker Airmen Coder (SAC) program as an effort to equip Airmen with cutting-edge coding skills and foster innovation within the Air Force. The SAC program provides Airmen with immersive training in software development and data analytics, empowering them to create impactful solutions for AFGSC. CIC will administer the program with curriculum from BPCC.
“This will mark the seventh year of SAC, and we are excited to leverage the expertise of BPCC to build the next generation of data-capable warfighters,” said CIC President Kevin Nolten. “The SAC program results in solutions to day-to-day problems for Airmen and I look forward to how this collaboration with BPCC will continue to deliver force-changing results.”
“BPCC is honored to partner with the CIC in developing the next generation of tech talent,” said Quentin Calhoun, dean of business and information technology at BPCC. “Our faculty will play a pivotal role in mentoring and guiding Airmen as they work on software development and data analysis projects. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing students with practical, in-demand skills.”
The most recent SAC efforts saw a team of four Airmen develop an app that provides users with a real-time look at resource availability. The app seeks to decrease man hours in the inquiry, order, retrieval, and inventory process while strengthening agile decision-making. “We have a good proof of concept and hope we can stand up this solution to take back to our unit,” said Senior Airman Gabriel Stokes. “This program is a great resource…it strengthens a skill set that is going to be needed more as we move forward.”
SAC Airmen are selected through an aptitude test before undergoing a coding and data analytics immersive boot camp for three months. They will then spend a further three months working with BPCC to execute their projects as junior developers.
“I feel great about [it]. This will help leadership be able to see the data and make decisions more quickly,” said Airman First Class Brandon Estrada-Herrera.
Calhoun added that giving Airmen the opportunity to apply their coding skills to real-world challenges strengthens their ability to deliver mission-critical capabilities, saying, “The SAC program is a testament to the Air Force’s dedication to innovation and investing in the skills of its Airmen positions AFGSC for continued success in the digital age.”
The program will culminate with SAC Airmen presenting their software prototype to AFGSC stakeholders and CIC project managers in December.
About the Cyber Innovation Center
Cyber Innovation Center (CIC), located in Bossier City, Louisiana, is the anchor of the 3,000-acre National Cyber Research Park and serves as the catalyst for the development and expansion of a knowledge-based workforce throughout the region. As a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation, CIC fosters collaboration among its partners and accelerates technology, research, and development. One of its primary missions is to develop a sustainable knowledge-based workforce that can support the growing needs of government, industry, and academic partners.