Eight Airmen innovation ideas selected to pitch at AFGSC S3 event

By Sean Green | STRIKEWERX Director of Marketing and Communication

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Eight ideas from five different Air Force Global Strike Command wings have been selected to compete at the Command’s STRIKEWERX Spark Sprint (S3) Innovation Event.

S3 is AFGSC’s effort to identify the most innovative ideas from across the command. Senior leaders from the command and Cyber Innovation Center in Bossier City, La., will judge the contenders and declare two winners for the command.  These top two ideas from S3 will go on to represent AFGSC at the Headquarters Air Force level.

The 2022 S3 selects are listed by name, wing, base, and idea title:

  • MSgt. David Bunn, 509 BW, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Transformed Entry Authorization List (TEAL) System

  • Maj. Alexander Hess, 509 BW, Whiteman Air Force Base, SkySchedule – Automated Squadron Scheduling

  • TSgt. Jon Longoria, 509 BW, Whiteman Air Force Base, Global Operations Asset & Talent Service (GOATS)

  • Lt. Col. Joshua Allen, 2 BW, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, Reusable Training Joint Direct Attack Munitions Tail Kits

  • Capt. Matthew Matuszak, 91 MW, Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Mobile Shielded Coding Enclosure and Modernized Classified Item Tracking

  • MSgt. Asua Rose, 5 BW, Minot Air Force Base, Security Forces Squadron Wellness App

  • TSgt Timothy Kenney, 28 BW, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, Tow Operations Collision Avoidance System

AFGSC will invite all wing finalists to the STRIKEWERX Innovation Hub at the CIC to prepare for the event. After receiving professional pitch coaching and practice, they will present their solutions to the judges and spectators.

Each finalist will have three minutes to explain the challenge and pitch their solution. They then have two minutes to answer questions from the judges.

This year’s S3 will be held Oct. 20 from 1-3 p.m. Central time and streamed live on AFGSC’s YouTube channel.

AFGSC Chief Scientist, Dr. Donna Senft, is sponsoring S3 and worked with AFGSC A9 Studies, Analyses, Assessments and Lessons Learned Directorate, AFGSC A1 Manpower and Personnel directorate and all AFGSC Spark Cells to identify the best ideas for this year’s event.

Global Strike Command has a strong set of contenders for S3 again this year,” Senft said. “The quality of these innovation ideas shows that innovation culture is really taking hold within the command.”

The Command will announce live at the event which two finalists will represent the command at the 2023 Air Force Spark Tank competition. Spark Tank is an annual competition where Airmen pitch innovative ideas on solve operational challenges to Air Force leaders and a panel of industry experts.

For more information, visit https://www.afgsc.af.mil/2022-STRIKEWERX-Spark-Sprint/.

Cyber Innovation Center