• Gen. Arnold Bunch Jr. assumed leadership of the Air Force Materiel Command during a ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force May 31.
• Updates on key Air Force aircraft, systems and technology were on the agenda at the fourth annual Life Cycle Industry Days hosted by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center June 19-21. Attendees heard from and interacted with senior leaders and experts about issues facing the Air Force fleet and current and future requirements. A variety of interactive panel discussions on topics such as agile development operations, supply chain management, innovation and readiness were open to attendees as well.
• The 75th anniversary of D-Day was commemorated June 6 at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force with a host of activities and D-Day and World War II veterans participating. A wreath-laying ceremony in the museum’s Memorial Park, preceded by a flyover of a pair of C-47 transport aircraft, kicked off the remembrance of the sacrifices made on June 6, 1944, in Normandy, France, site of the largest amphibious assault in history.
• Dr. Mark Esper chose Wright-Patterson AFB as his first Air Force base to visit as Secretary of Defense Oct. 4-5. The new secretary of Defense engaged Airmen and commanders during a whirlwind visit, including discussions with Gen. Arnold Bunch Jr., AFMC commander, and visits to the National Air and Space Intelligence Center and National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
• Col. Parker Wright, commander of the National Air and Space Intelligence Center, hosted the center’s first-ever induction ceremony Oct. 25 in honor of NASIC’s newest chief scientist Duane Harrison. Harrison became only the eighth person to fill the role in NASIC’s 102-year history. As chief scientist, Harrison is responsible for guiding the 4,000-person center’s analytic production mission, ensuring timely delivery of relevant intelligence to Air Force and joint operation warfighters, acquisition and force modernization communities, and senior defense and intelligence community policymaking customers.
• The team behind the Air Force’s Transition Accelerator hosted its first-ever Demo Day pitch event April 5, featuring a group of eight technology companies pitching their innovative solutions to real Air Force problems to a live audience. The event was the highlight of 10 weeks of effort with eight Small Business Innovation Research companies from AFRL.
• Air Force Research Laboratory’s junior scientists and engineers showcased their state-of-the-art research and sought mentors from industry, academia and government partners at AFRL’s Advanced Science & Technology Symposium, May 29. This event was hosted by the AFRL Junior Force Council in collaboration with the Wright Brothers Institute.
• Nearly 600 people attended the 14th annual Dayton Defense Wright Dialogue with Industry event July 16-18. The event provided AFRL leaders, scientists and engineers an opportunity to engage with not only Ohio companies but industry representatives from across the nation as well.
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