34th SOS pilots automate robot, save Air Force time

Photo By Staff Sgt. Joseph Leveille | U.S. Air Force Capt. Shimon Perez-Conde Gonzalez, a U-28A Draco pilot with the 34th Special Operations Squadron, uses an automated flight authorization order system at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Dec. 21, 2020. Gonzalez created this robot to save Airmen time while filling out flight authorization orders. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joseph P. LeVeille)  

HURLBURT FIELD, FL, UNITED STATES

11.13.2020

Courtesy Story

1st Special Operations Wing

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – The clicking of computer keys and the smell of coffee fills the room as programmers bring Gary to life.
Two pilots with the 34th Special Operations Squadron have started building the robot “Gary” to streamline mundane office tasks and provide Airmen more time to focus on their job.
“I was always curious about the power of automation but I had never seen it in practice and wanted to learn more about it,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Shimon Perez-Conde Gonzalez, a U-28 Draco pilot with the 34th SOS. “When I did some research and saw the software in practice, that’s when it really got my attention.”
Perez-Conde noticed that some tasks in his workplace could be accomplished through automation and did not require human interaction, which sparked the idea of building a robot. After some brainstorming, he submitted his plan into the Air Force Digital Wingman Challenge, won the Best Robot-Team Impact category and earned a funded license to continue automation of “Gary”, an automated robot that eliminates unnecessary time spent on routine office tasks, for one year.
“This robot can do almost any mundane computer task,” said Perez-Conde. “For our job in particular, we fill out flight authorizations, which can be time consuming. We saw an opportunity to speed that process up exponentially.”
“Gary” has the potential to complete these tasks at a speed faster than humanly possible, which would allow more time to be focused on other things.
“We are limited as humans with only so much time,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. John M. Rutherford, the chief of current operations with the 34th SOS. “Time is the biggest factor on success or failure. Cutting down on those mundane tasks gives time back to our Airmen to study, become more proficient at their job or spend more time with family.”
With time being such a big factor in whether or not the mission is successful, “Gary” is a viable option for many offices throughout the Air Force.
“I definitely think ‘Gary’ could be and should be used Air Force wide,” said Perez-Conde. “Other offices need to start implementing automation for repetitive tasks to give time back to their Airmen.”

• Date Taken: 11.13.2020
• Date Posted: 11.19.2020 15:27
• Story ID: 383369
• Location: HURLBURT FIELD, FL, US
• Hometown: MADRID, ES
• Hometown: CABOT, AR, US