so we have a variety of opportunities
available through the Air Force Test
Center . Um , I manage the talent
acquisition program for Edwards ,
Arnold and Egland , and Edwards is more
focused on the flight test initiative
For myself . I have some personal
experience with that . I used to be an
aircraft mechanic , so I got to see the
flight test perspective from the front
line . I guess you could say so . I get
to see how what we do here directly
relates to the four fighter , really ,
And I think what we do is amazing . And
we're really looking for a lot of our
our young engineers throughout their
watching right now to really think
about Air Force civilian service as a
career opportunity . I started off in
aircraft maintenance , but I moved . I
was able to move around , and here I am
doing recruiting so you can come in and
there's other opportunities available
once you're in . If you're looking for
information , you want to go to Air
Force civilian careers . Excuse me , a
F civilian careers dot com that is , uh ,
A as an Alfa Fs and Frank civilian
careers dot com . And there you can
find a lot of information on our paid
internship programs and our
opportunities such as engineers , uh ,
civil engineering information
technology , um , aircraft maintenance ,
you name it . Financial management . We
really have a lot of opportunities
available out there for anybody who's
interested in joining our team . I
think it's really interesting to note
to you talked about your experience as
a maintainer , but you were talking
about We're recruiting everybody from
maintainers to PhD level
employment as well . It covers a broad
spectrum . Correct ? Yes . So depending
on the position , obviously the the
requirements will be different . The
only requirement is to be an Air Force .
Excuse me , a U S . Citizen . Other
than that , the position itself will
determine the specific requirements .
So for a lot of our positions , you are
going to require a degree . But for
many other positions were really
seeking out former military members ,
especially on the aircraft maintenance
side . But if you don't have aircraft
are former military aircraft
maintenance experience , you could , uh ,
we're looking for and P s , uh , A and
P graduates , which is your airframe
and powerplant . Schools were looking
for financial budgeting analyst through
all the levels that you mentioned ,
whether it's a master's degree and Ph .
D . And even for Masters degrees and
our our graduate students , we have
some paid internships that benefits you
as well . Um , internships themselves .
There's a lot of information to him .
If you go to the A f civilian Careers
website , you can grab all that
information there . But yeah , there
there is different levels on how you
can enter our workforce , and I think
it's probably an accurate description ,
sir , and you can correct me if I'm
wrong , but in Air Force Material
Command as a whole , I mean , the
civilian service Air force of in
service , so vital to what you do way
couldn't do it without the Big Airman
as we refer Thio to everybody . So So a
lot of folks , when they hear Airman ,
they think of an airman rank . But I'll
tell you when I say airman , I mean
every airman on the base . Not just
once that were a uniforms , but this
gentleman is wearing a uniformed right
next to me on its his civilian uniform .
And I love Airman that wear civilian
clothes is their uniforms . But we also
have contractors that are on the big
airman team in the mission partner
aspect . Ah , lot of folks may not
realize , uh , that there are careers
enlisted careers in the Air Force and
the space force there , Officer careers
in the Air Force and the Space Force .
But there are also very well defined
and very well opened , uh , careers in
all the civilian ranks for Big Airman
as well . Uh , so , uh , Justin , if
you want to talk to a couple career
past or a couple options you have you
already mentioned aircraft maintenance ,
but any other ones you want to throw
out that people might not associate
with the Space Force or the Air Force
for civilians ? Well , definitely .
Information technology is really big .
We're definitely looking at those
skills they have . Ah , great
opportunity , Thio , move up and and be
a partisan Cem programs that we have
coming down the line . Uh , financial
management is something that you don't
normally associate with . Aircraft and
aviation were definitely seeking those
skill sets as well civil engineering
architectures , which , you know , you
don't associate that , but , um , civil
engineering is one of our focus is
right now . Um uh , really , Those are
probably the three biggest that are not
directly associated with aircraft there
are tell you there are a couple other
career fields that are very important
to me , running an installation that
are almost exclusively civilian . And
they fall into what we call base
operations in support . Eso all the
folks that maintain the buildings and
create the buildings and the roads and
the sewers and power . All those All
those trades , folks , uh , that we
would refer a civil engineers , but it
isn't necessarily engineering . It
could be trades work as well . Uh ,
there's also another part of running an
installation , which is a kind of like
a small city as well . Every city has
health care to , right ? And so we have
a lot of civilians that are that are
technologically savvy , that are
civilians in in the medical groups
across the Air Force . And there are
other examples along those lines as
well . Yeah , definitely . We're
looking for , uh , med med experience .
And one thing that I wanna highlight is
right now with the Air Force , we have
been adapting to the cove in 19
Pandemic , and with that , we're doing
a lot of teleworking , which ah , year
ago , this wasn't really that big of an
option . But now a lot of us are
getting these flexible work schedules
and thes flexible ways of still doing
our job . So for a lot of people out
there that are thinking about joining
the Air Force , or excuse me , the Air
Force civilian service , that that's a
really big key . I get to spend a lot
more time with my family , and I'm
still doing the same job that I was
doing before . And I think that we're
gonna be sticking with this long term
because the data points are showing
were actually really effective doing it .
So I really want to throw that out
there as well . Yeah , s . So I'm going
to interrupt you here , Justin . We're
about to see it over this guys . But
speaking about long term , there's a
There's a B 52 . What are the long term
asset that is for the Air Force . And
here it comes , making a little noise
for us along the flatline . If that
doesn't make you excited to be in the
Air Force or part of the Air Force or
live in this valley , I literally don't
know what will what a glorious sound
and sight . That was my plane . That
was a bomber mechanic . You were a bomb
mechanic , Ugo Bank . If your knuckles
and got grease under the fingernails .
Yeah . Also made me wanna move up .
Yeah , I understand . So awesome . Just
if we really appreciate your time and
if I think you'll be joining us again
tomorrow so we could talk more about
opportunities , But thanks for coming
out today . We appreciate Yes , Thank
you for having me appreciate it . So
that was Justin . Anthony , um , from
the Air Force Civilian Service talent
acquisition . As you saw there , we got
the great shot of the B 52 .
Stratofortress never gets old , does it ?
It does not know . It really doesn't .
I tell you there there are a lot of
things that happen at at the center of
the aerospace testing universe , which
is Edwards , but really the large
community around it , uh , that that a
super exciting and super meaningful .
Um , I remember one of my previous
assignments here . I was , I was I
walked out of my office and I and I it
was just after sunset on the ground .
But the son had just set below the
horizon . So the clouds were still lit .
And I was looking at an N F one of four
that has some amazing history in and of
itself , on it in the foreground and in
the background . Ah , missile launch
had just happened out of Vandenberg Air
Force Base . And so the smoke plume was
up in the sunlight . And that contrast
of the Joshua trees across the street ,
the nice cool evening air , a little
breeze and the aerospace valley Uh ,
the N f 104 with all its history and
Iraqi going off out of Vandenberg ,
really Just even thinking about that
picture gives me chills today . And
that is just one of those moments
seared in my memory about how special
this place and the people that are here
are . And so we're going to keep the
recruiting theme going . As Lieutenant
Colonel Charles Barton , he's the
commander of the three 69th Recruiting
Squadron has come up and join us , sir .
Welcome . Thank you very much . Thank
you for having me . How are you both
doing today ? We're very good . So I
gotta ask you question right away with
a name like Charles Kind of , like with
a name like Matthew . What do you go by ,
C B C B . All right , All right .
That's good . That's that's great . You
could just call me , sir . How is that ?
All right . I appreciate that . C b .
I'm thrilled you're here . And thanks
for making it from A T . C . And the
Recruiting squadron . Now , we just got
done talking to a civilian recruiter
about If you're interested in becoming
a big a civilian airman , what do you
do ? And then , just as if we had
planned it , we now can talk about
active duty recruiting . That's that is
your lane and your technical specialty .
Before you get there , talk to talk to
us real quick about your background .
Including the kind of wings on your
chest . Yes , sir . First of all , born
and raised in Charleston , South
Carolina , 2001 . Graduate of the Air
Force Academy . So , Colonel Spalding ,
actually , my college roommate , if you
can believe that E s . So it was kind
of crazy to run into him here today ,
but I fly the r c 1 35 on the knave on
the R . C 1 35 by trade . Uh , done
that , Uh , since I came into the
military and that most recently I
assumed command of the three 69th
Recruiting Squadron based on it and
seeing where I've got 80 Amazing and
Airman and civilians focusing on listed ,
uh , list of the sessions right now .
Fantastic . So So if I am we talked
about If you wanna be a civilian in the
Air Force , how do you do that ? But if
you wanna be , ah , uniformed wearing
person like either one of us in the Air
Force , how did they get a hold of you ?
And what's the process like ? Well ,
it's very simple process and we the
thing that will let everyone knows that
the Air Force's recruiting people for
not just simply the Air Force but the
Space Force's well . And we're looking
for qualified applicants between the
ages of 17 and 39 who meet obviously
the medical requirements and the
physical requirements . Uh , the best
way to go about the numerous ways to go
about . You could just walk into your
local neighborhood Air Force Recruiters
office , gain some information and talk
with them about what it is that you're
looking to do and obviously in keeping
up with the technological age , the
various acts out there you have the A
my happy where you could actually log
on to the APP , create a profile you
can type in your zip code . You can
find the nearest Air Force recruiter ,
uh , thio based off of where you live
and what's great about that as many
recruiters you'll find or within five
minutes or an hour away and there
either in our metropolitan areas or in
our rural areas as well . And you can
talk with the recruiter based off of
what it is that you're interested in
your doing , and we're looking for
people who are . Obviously the Air
Force is all about flying . We're
looking to fly , fight and win . So
Jobs focusing on aircraft mechanic
people could actually either fly to
plan to become aircraft . Mechanics
were looking for people who become
linguist . We're looking for people who
work in the medical feel , the legal
field , so variety of fields that are
out there for anyone interested to join
in the Air Force or the space force's
well . So please , please , if you're
interested , if you know anyone who's
interested , do not delay . We are
hiring and we're ready . Toe . Have you
suit up ? Join the blue . Yeah , One of
the things I'm super proud of about
education and Training Command is that
we never flinch . During the pandemic ,
we kept basic military training going .
We kept recruiting going because the
machine can't stop . There are things
that are more important than that fight ,
and one of them is making sure that we
keep the pipeline open to recruit folks
into the Air Force . And that's really
been a foundational initiative after
General Webb is fighting through this
pandemic and keeping the exception in
training and education pipelines open .
And I really wanted to foot stomp what
you said , sir , about the AIM high app .
It's really a one stop shop for all
things recruiting and some great
features to like . You can actually let
your family see a little bit of your
Air Force basic military training
experience through pictures in the APP .
But it's also really a portal to
recruiters . I mean , it's it's such a
valuable tool to what you do , but I
think a lot of people , um maybe don't
understand , you know , how do I become
an officer , perhaps in the Air Force
vice . I don't want to just enlist . So
how is that process ? Different . Okay ,
well , there , uh , multiple other
means in order to become an officer .
Obviously , if you have the Air Force
Academy with the ROTC to sort of
reserve officer training corps What ?
You tend to find that our colleges
throughout this beautiful country And
then there's obviously officer Training
school based there at Maxwell Air Force
Base , Alabama . So , one of the
minimum requirements outside of the
medical , your meeting , the medical in
the physical requirements is having a
bachelor's degree . So again , you
speak with some of our recruiters .
They will point in the right direction
in order to make that happen . And even
more so for those people who are
looking to become , uh , doctors and
nurses . Uh , we have a commissioning
program for people in the medical side
of the house . We have recruiters are
based within the group that covers our
squadron . The three 72nd recruiting
Group will be more than happy to point
in the right direction . If you're
looking to become a nurse or a doctor ,
anything in that career field as well ,
we also directly assesses the term .
But we direct , he says , People with
law degrees to become , ah , judge
Advocate General's . We also have a
director session program through the
recruiting squadrons for chaplains and
chaplain corps as well . So if you have
an advanced degree and you think , Well ,
I'm not I don't think what I want to do
is go be an airman and turn a wrench ,
which is a great thing and a great way
to to join the Air Force . If you want
to do something else , I suspect we
have something available to you and the
recruiting , recruiting squadrons and
and air education Training Commander A
great place toe t do that . Uh , if you
don't mind CBL when a pivot real quick
to something that , uh , I'm gonna I'm
gonna throw it out on the table right
now . One of the things that is near
and dear to my heart is a senior leader
in the Air Force and somebody that's
been in the Air Force for going into my
third decade now . I grew up in a small
town in Idaho and and the Air Force
sent me to Texas and then Korea and
then Alaska and Arizona . And along the
way I gained a tremendous , uh ,
respect and admiration for and really
understanding that I didn't know . I
I'm It was missing on the diversity of
location , experience , background on
and other facets there . If you want to
talk to what our recruiting looks like
in diverse ways , I know the folks
would appreciate hearing that . Yes ,
sir . And the thing I will say ,
obviously with our previous chief of
staff , indicated that having a diverse
force is important to being able to be
strong when it comes to combat . And we
are most definitely hiring everyone .
That does not matter who you are , what
you look like , what your skin color is .
If you're a man or a woman , the Air
Force and Space Force would definitely
higher end . We you have people in the
senior leaders of the Pentagon . Senior
levels of the Pentagon have taken the
look and figured out . Yes , we need to
focus on underrepresented groups and
minorities and women in order to get
more focused into the plains , get more
folks in various career fields . The
best mirror , Uh , what it is in our
society . Looks like from a demographic
standpoint . And so you see him a lot
of initiatives that have come forward
with that with , uh , aim high
diversity . Uh , push . You're seeing
another programs out there called Geo
inspired Go inspire where we're taking
general officers and having them go
speak with youth and youth influencers
and underrepresented groups talk with
them about the various opportunities
that are out there and the Air Force
and there's a whole litany of other
programs are out there . At the end of
the day , the Air Force and the
military largely recognized the
importance of having a diverse
workforce . That , not Onley mirrors
are the demographics here in the United
States , but at the same time having
that diverse workforce will better
enable us to get out there in the fly ,
fight and win because from a diverse
workforce , diverse group of people ,
we have people with a diverse
background . Diverse binds us who all
bring something different to the table
with the ultimate goal of helping us to
remain superior in the air . I'll tell
you the one thing that I think is ah
unique competitive attribute of our
nation and specifically our service in
our department is , uh we recognize
performance , and it doesn't matter
where you come from or what you look
like . Or even what's your first
language was or your religion . And you
might be a naturalized citizen to , uh ,
it's It's that that , uh , contribution
and your performance is what really
matters . And I know CB agrees with me
in this statement . When I've been on
teams that are a whole bunch of folks
from the same background in the same
thought and maybe the same gender and
all those things , that team gets
crushed every time by the team that has
the diversity of experience in the
diversity of background and the culture
that allows us to recruit that folks in
and then encourage those folks to
contribute and remain is really a
unique thing in the Air Force . And I
bet you had the same experience . I
we're gonna try . We're going to try
something 2020 here . We're gonna try .
We're going to try to bring in
technical Sergeant Mike , No . Oh ,
wait . We don't have him yet . We're
trying writing in certain groups maker
from Bakersfield . Um , but we don't
have him yet , but we're gonna try We
thought we had him for a second , but
But they're gonna let me know when
that's all right . This is test and a
successful test sometimes results and
do it again , Right ? So no problem .
Yeah , you're in a great place , fan .
I'll tell you , I'm happy to be a beta
tester . I love it all the time . So
back to the question , CB when you talk
about how inclusive we are with those
of different thoughts and different
backgrounds in your experience , well ,
from my experience . So I've I've been
in situations where I'm the only one in
the room that looks like me , and I've
been in situations where , uh , I've
been in the room where everybody looks
like me and every combination you can
think of their off at the end of the
day . Uh , I definitely believe that
it's all about dignity and respect ,
treating one another with dignity and
respect and remembering that ,
especially if you wear the uniform of
the United States Air Force or the
Space Force or any of our other
branches of the military . We're all
here to fight the same mission . We're
all here to try to keep this country
safe . And just remember that
regardless of whether or not someone
comes from a very rich background or
their background is poor black , white ,
Asian , Latino man woman LGBT , what
have you ? What matters is that you
treat them with dignity and respect and
you listen to them and that they listen
to you and you work for your
differences in order to succeed . If
you can work to your differences and
succeed and listen and learn , that
goes a long way in helping to overcome
some of the problems . Unfortunately ,
we're seeing here in the country right
now and the things that we can do it in
order to keep this Air Force strong ,
keep this country strong and move
forward . Yeah , I tell you a great
example . It's It's a little bit
dramatized , but there is a fantastic
movie that I think is very appropriate
right now that that really hits home
resonates with me . CB if if you have
another example to , I'll take it . But
Hidden figures is a great example , and
it's a great example for many reasons ,
right ? For those of you that haven't
watched it , I highly encourage you to
watch the movie . It's just a good
movie about a very exciting period in
American history , from the space
perspective , but a very troubling
period in American history from race
relations . And so watching those to
emerge in reality and the hidden
figures movie is a great learning
experience and a great thing to watch .
And I will tell you , as a senior
leader in today's Air Force and a
leader period in the nation , the thing
that I learned and the lesson not just
from that movie but from from lessons
like that is if if the if the if the
character played by Kevin Costner had
not had the brains and the talent ,
those women that were his calculators ,
that all also happened to be black , uh ,
and African Americans . If he hadn't
had that female group to provide the
additional talent to his white male
engineers , we wouldn't have made it to
the moon . And that lesson of inclusion
and that lesson of taking everyone in
there where they can contribute best .
It helped the space race . It's helping
us today , and I think that's a queer
guiding light As we move forward in the
service . Aziz , you recruit as we lead
and as we all contribute to the
competition for America . Alright , I'm
being told that we're going to try to
bring in Tech . Sergeant Mike Grunts ,
maker from Bakersfield . Alright , Test
point number two . Can you hear us ,
sir ? Ha ha ha . I can . There might be
a little bit of a delay , but I can
hear you . Well , you're on here . And ,
of course , Colonel Barton is here with
us . The commander of the 3 69
recruited squadron . But tell us a
little bit about your mission out in
Bakersfield . And if applicants are
interested in joining the Air Force and
Bakersfield , how can they do it ? Yeah ,
absolutely . So I've been out here for
about three years doing enlisted
accessions recruiting with , ah , a
couple of my counterparts . Ah ,
technical Sergeant King and Sergeant
Bonner down at the Bakersfield
recruiting office . And , yeah , if
anyone's interested in joining , the
easiest thing they could do is hop on
their phone . Look up the Air Force
recruiter in the area . They'll get our
office phone number and give us a call .
And I'm real curious . And me and
General Heidger talked about this
earlier this morning But you know about
some of the benefits that are available
For those who are interested in joining
the Air Force , what are some of the ,
you know , maybe those top line
benefits , um , for a career in the
United States Air Force .
You know , I think a lot of the
benefits are kind of well known amongst
people that all the health benefits and
paying advancement opportunities and
all that . Um , and that's something a
recruiter could really talk at length
with anyone's interested about . But I
know for me personally , I just found a
lot of benefit in the work that I did
and how rewarding it was , you know ,
getting to see all the planes fly
overhead today . I used to do
maintenance on those , and it was
always really rewarding when you saw
him take off and land because you know
that the work that you did made that
happen on there's so many rewarding
career fields in the Air Force like
that . So for me , that was a big
benefit . Just seeing your hard work
actually paying off , and then all the
educational benefits and pay and
medical coverage is kind of icing on
the cake . Yeah . Sergeant groups
Marker . Uh , Brigadier General Matt .
Hi , Graham . The commander at Edwards .
Thanks for joining us . Uh , I'll tell
you one of the things that I found
fascinating about joining the Air Force .
Uh , I'm not gonna ask how old you are ,
but probably about that long ago are
the places that I've been and seen .
And Ben Station . You wanna talk a
couple about your highlights there and
and maybe things that surprised you .
Sergeant Brett Speicher , Did you hear
General High yours question . I
think you asked how long ago . Oh . How
long ago did I joined the Air Force ?
That's a good question , too , but way .
Go ahead .
I'm sorry . A little bit of a delay .
We're tripping over each other . I
joined about 10 years ago when I was 24 .
So coming out of high school , I tried
out the civilian job market a little
bit , went to junior college and then
decided I wanted to do something else
to do a little bit of traveling and
kind of get a career started . And in
the last 10 years , where is the Air
Force sent ? Yeah , stations . And
maybe a couple of Capstone TV . Wiser
deployments . Oh , man , it's
been outstanding . I spent the first
six years of my career out of Cannon
Air Force Base as a part of Air Force
Special Operations Command . So I got
to go on three deployments , um , all
to Afghanistan and then going to and
from I got to see all parts of the
world . Bermuda , Portugal , Greece ,
Romania Ah , Germany , England . A
couple of times , Iceland
Looks like we may have frozen up there .
Just started out at here in Southern
California has been great . Well ,
sorry , Gretz Michael , We want to say
thank you for your time and we're gonna
let you get back Thio doing your job
out there and recruiting the airman we
need for tomorrow . Alright , Thank you
guys so much for having me . Alright ,
Thank you . And Carl Barton as we get
ready Thio , wrap up this segment . We
really want to say thank you . And
again , maybe if you could just touch
on it again if if someone's interested
in reaching out , how can they do that ?
Is , uh , to piggyback off of with
Sergeant Gretch . Marker said you can
obviously look online . A lot of people
are familiar with Google , you can take
advantage of technology , used the aim
high app and , uh , typing your zip
code . You get in contact with your
local recruiter or you could just go by
one of the , uh , recruiting offices .
They're just walking and talked with
the recruiter will provide your top
notch customer service and help you to
achieve your dreams , whether it be in
the Air Force into space for So if
you're looking to join , don't delay .
We're ready . We're hiring . So thank
you . Thank you very much , sir . Aim
high app . Download it now . Right in
the app store a Z get a shot there of
the C 17 coming back to Edwards .
Yeah , it's Ah , It's been a big
mainstay of the show s so far . You're
gonna see a lot of it tomorrow as well .
I think one of the things that a lot of
people don't realize about two c 17 is
that , like many Air Force airplanes ,
we designed them around a mission not
just in the what is in the art of the
possible , but what do we need it to
Dio and ? And the C 17 is large enough
and can lift enough that you could
drive a main battle tank into the C 17
and fly it nonstop to where it's needed
in combat . And that was one of the
driving factors for the size and the
range and the air refueling capability
of the C 17 . Another important driving
factor in the size and capability to
see 17 is that we have the ability toe
to fold the rotor blades on many U . S .
Army helicopters and also carry one of
those directly where it's needed Now .
Full disclosure . We don't typically
transport large armor or or other
aircraft on C seventeens , but if we
need to , we can , uh they are often
the movement of people and more
critical supplies , and a lot of folks
don't realize they also move a lot of
our fuel around the areas of
responsibility around the world . You
know that that airplane right there can
carry more fuel than the heaviest F 16
I've ever flown , and it doesn't need
that much fuel to get where it's going .
So instead of taking gas at some of its
locations down range , it will actually
leave gas at some of its locations down
rage and that minimizes the number of
times we have to buy gas from the local
economy and or potentially run fuel
trucks over some less than friendly
territory . So C 17 is a great airplane .
It's been a great asset for the United
States and many international partners
as well . And we're delighted now to be
joined on set by perhaps , I don't know ,
one of the most important people in the
4 12 test wing . The vice commander ,
Colonel Laz Gordon , sir . How are you ?
How you doing ? How you doing ? This is
good . Good . And , uh , six degrees of
separation . But we met when you were
working for AF works . I don't know if
you remember that from Air Education
Training Command , but and , uh , I see
you're wearing orange today , so that
seems to have been a theme today . So
it is . It absolutely is , uh , Dave
Van Hoy gave us the lecture on on
Orange and Edwards on . Then I'll let
I'll let the audience decide who's at a
uniform , and so tell us a little bit
about your background , sir . You you
kind of have ah , unique background and
some really great operational
experience . that you bring here to the
table ? Yeah , you bet . So again , I
go by Laz . That's my call sign . First
name is really Randy , but I like to
tell folks that I've had this Forrest
Gump like career in the Air Force . So
one of the things I really enjoyed
about serving in the Air Force is that
you can have a variety of different
career paths . Everyone gets wrapped
around the axle about being a pilot or
just doing one thing . But in reality
there's just a lot of different things
that you could do . And so my career is
kind of testament to that . So I've
flown a lot of different airplanes . I
got a chance to go toe academia and get
a PhD . I got a chance to serve as a
presidential fellow . I worked a lot of
cool stuff in DARPA , right ? And it's
been a fascinating career , and all
that is just one Air Force career
that's available to anybody , which is
really spectacular . So people think of
the military and we kind of get
typecast in the one way of being . But
in reality , they're just a number of
things you can do you know , while
you're serving here . So all those
careers , all those different things
they've always taught me something on
I've learned and had a chance to meet
folks that have just really humbled me
and have just been really impressed to
serve with , uh And to me , that's
really one of the cool things , really
is just the folks that we get to serve
with every day and with the theme of
this Aerospace Valley Air Show Hybrid
edition , if you will being the stem
aspect , tell us a little bit about
your educational background , including
the fact that you have a PhD and how
that helped you operationally and
assignments such as When you're in the
window , pay con theater in our Pacific
theater . You bet . So one of my
previous bosses used to say that we are
the Air Force , so we have all of the
cool domains , so we have , you know ,
cyber and we have air . We used to have
space , but now we have Space Force
right , which is an offshoot from the
Air Force , and there's there's a lot
of close ties with that . So because
all of our domains are brand new
relatively speaking , right ? I mean ,
man has fought on C and fought on land
for forever . But the airplane is only
something roughly a little over a
century old cyber and space even
younger than that s o . Because of that ,
we are in extraordinarily technical
service . Uh , the on leeway you
operating those domains is by actually
having riel competence across those
things . So at the Air Force Academy ,
um , I got a chance to study aerospace
engineering . Uh , for me , the reason
why I did that is I was always in love
with airplanes , fascinated by
airplanes . I would ride on big
airliners when I was a young kid , and
I look outside right at take off , and
I see all this cloud kind of form over
the wing , and I'd wonder how something
that big could get airborne and even
mawr . I wondered how an engine really
operated , right ? Like , how would you
just take normal air somehow light it
on fire ? And at the end of it , you
had all this additional thrust to be
able to get an airplane that big . So I
always liked the idea of the technology
and understanding the technology , but
I always understood the poetry of it
all the art , the artisan of it . All
right . And so I really wanted to learn
both sides of that . So I studied
aerospace engineering . I studied
propulsion . Um , I studied mathematics
on , and I got those for my undergrad
and for my , uh , master's degree . Uh ,
but then because of the poet in me , um ,
the PhD is a liberal arts PhD . Um , I
wanted the ability to understand the
technical side of it , But then I also
wanted the ability to be able to
communicate the why , uh , to be able
to mesh those two . So some people are
left brain and other people are right
brained , and I tend the think of
myself as corpus callosum . Right ? So
I'm right in the middle being able to
look at both sides of it , and I think
it's interesting today And not to say
that the airman of yesteryear never
wondered about the why , but it seems
like , as every day goes on is every
year goes on . We really strive to
understand the why . Yeah , yeah . I
could not agree more with you there ,
Dan . I'll tell you one of the things
that , uh , the Air Force has done it
for a very long time . The army coined
a phrase about 10 years ago called
Mission Command . But Colonel Gordon ,
I have been doing that since the time
we're lieutenants , right . You become
an aircraft commander the first time
you go solo in pilot training . Right
now , you're not always the aircraft
commander . You're not always the
mission commander . But you understand
what it's like to be on point . Take
the information you have available and
make those decisions , uh , and to make
good decisions in in a line with the
other folks that are also
simultaneously making decisions , you
have to understand the higher
headquarters intent that higher
headquarters intent , maybe the four
ship flight lead . Or maybe the chief
of staff of the Air Force of the
Secretary of Defense . And so
understanding intent is really
understanding and being able to answer .
Okay , I know you what you need me to
do . But why ? And that decision space
is really important . And I tell you ,
when I read , accelerate change or lose .
And General Brown is pretty clear . We
should never abbreviate that or he'll
come hunt us down uh , it has a
different residence with me . But last .
What do you think when you think about
that or the national defense strategy ?
Thio test to the Y . Yeah , the why is
on . But this happened to me in my
previous job when I got assigned to a
place called Pacific Command and when I
was there for those not familiar , Uh ,
it's a little bit of , ah , hardship
tour . It's in Hawaii . Eso you're in
this command , but you look and you
have pretty much everything from India
all the way over to the coast of
California . So it is a ginormous
almost over 50% of the earth's surface .
And it just so happens that that
geographic area , um , has what we call
that the time near pure rival nation's
places like China . Places like Russia ,
places like North Korea , even a little
bit , you know , some some interactions ,
if you will . With with Iran and what I
will always remember . From day one , I
walked in all eager , ready to learn
what it meant to be a Pacific command
and to be an officer there . And , uh ,
if you've ever seen that show king of
the Hill , the cartoon king of the Hill
and Hanks , Granddad . Or , you know ,
he's about this tall and like , like
real burley and just , you know , just
beady little eyes , Whatever . We had a
guy , uh , at Pacific Command that
looked exactly that way , and he
grabbed me , literally grabbed me right
by the scuff of my flight suit and kind
of gave me the If you haven't served in
the military before , 1989 you have no
idea what it means to go up against a
pure nation that is competitive . That
has a reason and a lot of technology
and money behind that . And really ,
what he was saying is that guys , in my
generation , we grew up in a world in
which it was counterinsurgency , which
going after terrorists , whatever . But
that's a lot of different state than
the old Cold War days . Ronald Reagan ,
days of Soviet Union versus the United
States . So when I think of accelerate
change , what I think about is that we
are in a dead knock set kind of
competition where if we don't do it ,
that doesn't prevent the adversary from
doing the same thing . So if we don't
compete . We lose , right ? We get
behind and further and further away .
And what are we looking at , sir ?
That's a NASA aircraft there . So that
is one of the few fighter aircrafts .
An F 18 ? Yeah , that's fun by NASA it
zone aerospace research vehicle there .
I don't have any Horna time last . I
don't know if that's in your resume or
not . I let him talk about it . The I
don't really know much about the horn
and other than a primarily used by the
Navy , and I know that they're coming
out with a new variant like they called
the Super Hornet . Yeah , you bet . So
the Hornet is about the closest
equivalent in the Air Force to what we
have in the F 16 . It is a multi role .
Can do anything right ? Kind of
platform . Beautiful , beautiful
airplane . I got a chance to fly it
with the Navy at the Navy Test Pilot
school for a couple of hours . And what
really impressed me about the airplane
is that it flies exquisitely when it's
slow speed . It is such a beautiful
handling airplane when you're at what
we call high angle of attack and at
very , very low speeds . I made the
mistake once of getting into a dogfight
against an F 18 . We were training
together and the Eagle is a very
beautiful airplane . Flies well , but
really not so much slow speed . But
that's where the F 18 is really ,
really good . So at a certain point in
the dogfight , I just forgot that
because I was so amazed at how well it
maneuvered behind me . And even though
he totally gun me , uh , it was worth
it just to watch an airplane just
maneuvered that beautifully slow . So
when I got a chance to fly it , that's
what I really wanted to try . Practice .
And that's that is the beauty of the
careers . And especially , sir , the
opportunities here at Edwards Toe kind
of being that testing and evaluation
and fly different variants . And we
mentioned before , I know you've flown
a approximately 40 different aircraft .
But , sir , we had Colonel Barton on
about from recruiting just a little bit
ago , and I wanted to ask you about
diversity and specifically talking
about the red Tails Tuskegee Airmen's
Legacy . Um , their story is pretty
well chronicled , but what do you think
that legacy talks to it to today's air
Force . Yeah , I tend to think of
diversity , uh , from a lot of
different perspectives . Right there is
the obvious one , which is skin color .
That's the one that everyone kind of
gloms onto because it's the one that we
can visually understand . But you think
in terms of diversity , of thought ,
diversity of background , all those
things are kind of what make a force
really , really strong . There's a lot
of a lot of good research and a lot of
good evidence that shows if you don't
have diverse teams , you're gonna lose ,
right ? So reference the previous
discussion of accelerate change . We
need that , uh , in our force today ,
um , specifically to the Tuskegee
Airman and kind of what that means to
me personally , uh , when I was a kid ,
the HBO Siri's came out , uh , starring
Laurence Fishburne or whatever it is
basically this chronicle of the
Tuskegee Airman story , which I thought
was a really beautiful telling of it .
Because if I look and I go well , what
what does it mean to be African
American ? Uh , in America ? What does
it mean to be an officer in that way ,
Uh , one theme I see consistent
consistently all the way through is
that you make a way where there is no
way right period dot And so when I
think of the Tuskegee Airman , I think
of a group of folks who wanted to serve
their nation , uh , and had to fight it
on two fronts . They had to fight the
World War two front like every other
person that served in the military at
that time . But then they also had to
fight their own nation . Um , just for
the honor and the privilege to be able
to fight and die for their nation . Um ,
but they were considered less than
human subhuman . So when I think about
them and I I got a chance to meet two
of them . One of them was at the time
General Benjamin Davis , which at the
time he was Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin
Davis , the commander of the Tuskegee
Airman on when I met him , both of them .
I'll tell the second story as well .
But when I met him , it was this really
hot day , much hotter than what it was .
Right Now we're all sweating were in
our service dress Uh , and when I'm
looking at him , he's walking around ,
and by this point , he's very frail ,
very much into the his nineties or so .
But he took the time toe walk to every
single one of us and shake our hand and
say Thank you , which , coming from a
man like that , that really means a lot .
So that story one story to was the
other one that I met was Lee Archer ,
who is the only African American ace .
Eso he shot down five measure Schmitz
in World War Two . He shot down three
of them in one day , which really as a
fighter pilot . That makes me super
jealous of the fact that he got three
in one day . And here I am , serving 22
years . I haven't seen one yet . Um ,
but what he told me was a little bit of
an extension of what Benjamin Davis
said . I got a chance to fly with him .
We went flying in a sale , playing at
the Air Force Academy . One of the
greatest flights I ever took in my
entire life was to get a chance to fly
with the rial Tuskegee Airman and at
the end of all of it . When there
weren't any crowds around , it was just
he and I just kind of looking at one
another . He said , thank you . And
what I was thinking was he was saying ,
thank you for the flight , um , and
what he really meant And he went into
deeper detail . He was saying , Thank
you , right for being where you are ,
Because the fact that you are there
validates everything that we suffered
and sacrificed for . And he would tell
stories of driving past the Air Force
Academy when he was a younger man and
realizing that there were no or very ,
very few African American cadets
sitting up there eso when he told me
that , uh , it was it was like a
lightning bolt from the sky because
essentially what he was doing is he was
passing the baton from his generation
toe mine to be able to carry that
heritage forward , to be able to
represent well , uh , and toe lead ,
right ? And so , between that story
with Ben Davis and then that story with
Lee Archer , I've always taken that is
like a personal mission to continuously
represent and be examples and role
model for other people in the same way
that they were role models for me ,
right ? And I couldn't be more related
that our newest trainer is the Red Hawk ,
right ? And it has a red tail because
it's a great legacy . Great homage , if
you will , to our Air Force history
that we have now embraced it at the Air
Force Academy . Now it's now Ben Davis
Airfield , which it wasn't before . It
was just the Air Force Academy airfield ,
and now it's named after the Tuskegee
Airman . So So when I look at all of
that and especially when I kind of
contrast that against kind of how we're
having this dialogue in society
nowadays , uh , it makes me very , very
proud to be a part of an organization
that wants to embrace that heritage and
to be a part of it . And it is really ,
actively , really wrestling with that
and looking for the right answers , as
opposed to just avoiding it . Yeah , so
let me let me pile a couple things on
about the e t seven . Uh , the Red Hawk .
I find it an amazing mash up of where
the Air Force is going and recognizing
the greatness about the Air Force's
past . I love Red Tail story . I love
the p 51 that the red tails flu and
their legacy and their history is , is
super exciting toe all airman
independent of of what you're you're
racing your CRETE is . But the fact
that the Secretary Barrett has , as
declared , that that is the first in
the East Siri's so little e t seven
with digital engineering digital design
in it , I think that pull from the past
with the where we going in the future
and accelerating change in that
direction is really just amazing
alignment of history that we get to be
a part of on the test center ,
literally about 100 ft from 100 yards
from where we're sitting right now is
where the E t seven is going to do a
large majority of its testing . And so
I wanted to pull up . As we've talked
throughout the broadcast about stem ,
we've gotta be roll package of some of
the classes and how they were delivered .
So I kind of wanted to give you an
opportunity to kind of talk through as
you see , some of the classes . But we
had Airman from all across Edwards you
actually providing these lessons and
they were some pretty educational
lessons . They were amazing . I did not
get a chance to watch it all . But I
tell you , the ones that I did tune in
on eso as I did see this one and that
lady was talking about dark matter and
black holes . It's just amazing stuff
that that that you , if you are , if
you tuned in any throughout the week ,
Monday through Thursday , you got some
great exposure to things We the classes
were targeted , uh , in the morning at
elementary school , then middle school
in high school . And then another thing ,
pushing on the theme that the Air Force ,
the Department of Defense , takes
diversity of background and diversity
very , very seriously . We had 1/4 hour
for in Spanish for our our Latin X
communities and say , Hey , the Air
Force is here for you and we you want
your contributions and technology as
well . We had a couple of , uh ,
superstars on Edwards Air Force Base .
Alberto Blanco and , uh , lead a van
Hoy that were the leads for that
throughout the week . Tremendous stuff
and a tremendous opportunity to expose
folks . Thio the science , technology ,
engineering and math principles Last .
I'm sure you watched a little bit .
What did you get out of it ? Yeah .
What ? What it reminded me of was , uh ,
in high school or junior high or
whatever . When you're taught science ,
technology , engineering , mathematics
Here's the classic critique , right .
The critique is why do I need this
right ? What's it for ? Um , and I
would tend to think that's because of
the method in which how we teach it on
people kind of lose how stem has really
impact to their daily lives . What I
got out of watching those shows was ,
um there's a research component .
There's the science , there's the
mathematics behind it . But then what I
really , really got was there's really
application day to day how this makes a
difference . Um , people here at
Edwards I mean , this is what kind of
drew me a bit too . Test was the idea
that there's always something cool out
there from a science , you know , stem
whatever kind of standpoint and that
here you would actually get a chance to
have hands on with it that you could
actually physically touch it , and you
could see how it kind of goes . I mean ,
we were talking before about , you know ,
the art and the science of stem and
combining those together , which is
what drove me academically . Um , I've
always looked at it as every time I fly
an airplane . Yeah , it's its's
something that really is stirring .
It's it's very emotional . I mean ,
even now I still get excited just being
on a flight line and looking at
airplanes . Traditionally , when you
come to an air show , that's what
everyone comes for . They come for the
loud noises , they come for the fast
airplanes . Um , what we're trying to
do with this one is still provide that ,
but then also give you a peek behind
the curtain of everything that happens
to make all that come together from a
science standpoint , all the math , but
make it really and make it engaging ,
right ? Something that people can
really understand and get excited about .
Yeah , so great stuff , sir . We
certainly appreciate your time today
and your perspective on all things
including , you know , diversity on the
red tails and their historically , uh ,
legacy . But didn't General Davidson .
They renamed the Academy Airfield did
recently ? Yeah , they absolutely did .
So it was . It was really nice toc that
because again , that's where I flew
with a Tuskegee airman in a sail plane
way back in the late 19 nineties or so
eso to see that the Air Force Academy
has embraced that and , you know , of
visionary of aviation , right ? And
Benjamin Davis that we have now
appropriately recognized that I think
is really good , especially for our Air
Force Academy cadets . I mean , that's
your first exposure to the U . S . Air
Force as a cadet . So toe instill that
when people are still young eso that
it's just a part of who they are as
airman and we embrace all of our
histories . That's that's really that's
really significant . Thanks so much .
We certainly appreciate it . Yeah , and
as last walks off screen here , I'll
tell him very publicly . Thanks .
Thanks for being my wingman . And And
folks , when you look at us , you see
some aspect of the diversity that's in
the front office at many organizations
across the Air Force . But if you look
at our resumes in our backgrounds ,
that type of background of education
and exposure and life pass are also
very , very important . And and and the
synergy that I get because he is on my
right hand and I think he benefits the
same for my different look in different
walk through life are tremendous . And
that is very deep in our culture . At
Edwards . It's very deep in our culture
in the Air Force and and the Department
of Defense in general . It's such a ah
warfighting imperative toe have that
diversity of thought , and and it's
exciting to see the changes and the
initiatives that are coming forward and
that arenas , we have , ah , new guests
joining us here . And it's Dr David
Smith , the director of Air Force
production and flight test facility at
Clan 42 in Palmdale . How are you , sir ?
Outstanding . This is just a Knauss ,
um , opportunity to spend a little time
with you all today . I mean , what
better to do than to be around aircraft ?
Absolutely . Just I could not agree
more . I'll tell you , uh , there is no
human in the valley and maybe on the
planet . More excited to have seen the
B 52 do all its fly buys and and take
off Atlantic today than , uh than
somebody with a little bit of B 52 time
in his background . That this gentleman
right here . So it was good to see that
iron in the air . And I know both of us .
I wish we could have been on it , but
we gotta talk instead . So gesture .
Welcome . So will this be a good forum
to talk about recalling ? And , you
know , you're you're always open . If
you're willing to sit behind me , maybe
we'll go through the courses together .
I'd love it . Yeah , that would be
fantastic . In a minute . You know ,
that's what's so interesting about
service , though , right ? Like
obviously you served . I served . And
it still runs deep within you . This
this'll lifetime of service . That's
that's what makes what we do . So great .
So I would offer interesting that you
say that as I agree . Totally . But I
think especially in aviators , that we
actually establish a romance with
airplanes . Uh , there is a jet out
their old Stearman assessing a
somewhere that we draw legacy from and
our hearts committed to it like it is
to a loved one in our family . And , uh ,
you know , I didn't want to be 52 out
of flight school , but when I learned
about the buff and started flying the
buff that romance emerged on that
legacy is something I'm very proud to
be a part of . Now I may have Children
flying the B 52 20 or 30 years we'll
see . So let's
talk a little bit about Plant 42
because it has a unique place in the
Edwards ecosystem . So what is it that
happens at Plant 42 ? So ,
you know , I'm gonna take a little
different journey to answer your
question . I'm gonna talk about B 50
twos . Okay , so we've got a legacy
platform that's been around here
forever . But we keep improving it ,
and through the demands put on that
legacy platform and the good things
it's done . We've identified national
needs for new systems , new
capabilities . Plant 42 mirrors that
on the production side . So my job at
planned 42 is to set conditions for
success for our excellent defense
contractor partners , our mission
partners out there along with our R and
D mission run by organizations like
NASA . Uh , that legacy of success can
be traced back to systems well before
the B 52 was put on the drawing board .
Plant 40 two's history is is long
lived . We have the first jet hangar
in the air forces in Inventory a plant
42 and we build the capabilities not
only for yesterday but for tomorrow .
So the most advanced systems air
produced there , along with our legacy
systems being improved , developed ,
modernized that the war fighter has the
best possible tools . To do that , we
have about a 56 156
5600 acre facility
with several 1000 personnel ,
both Department of Defense and
contractors setting conditions for that
success . There's a little bit of
cocktail trivia that you all know the
answer to already is how many
aircraft has the Air Force actually
built ? And the answer . That question
is not . We don't build airplanes , we
contract build airplanes . We contract
ID for the Wright Flyer , and that's
what we're doing today . And there's a
hidden blessing in there that is not
Department of Defense . But is this
thing called the Constitution way ?
Empower commerce , so a Justin
reasonable price and adjust in
reasonable profit to our defense
contractors , makes the nation's strong ,
makes our industrial base strong and
makes the Air Force strong . And I
wanted to ask , you know , you talked
about the legacy of , ah platform ,
like the B 52 in all its grace and
glory . But I actually wanted to ask
you about the fifth generation work
that was done with the F 22 the F 30
fives and how Plant 42 contributed to
that . Well , we're still actively
involved now . The F 22 used to do its
depot maintenance of Plant 42 . It
doesn't anymore , but it was done there
for some time . And , of course , the
initial production of all these systems ,
or at least subsystems . They're done
right there were building the mid body
for the F 35 Plant 42 today .
Interestingly , that's being done by
Northrop as sub to the prime contractor ,
which is Lockheed . It's interesting
that our defense contractors can work
so very closely together , which I know
years ago was a great concern as there
were multiple mergers and acquisitions
in aerospace industry in total , that
would the defense industrial base
suffer due to over
investment versus divestment of the
aerospace industrial bags . It has done
great things in partnership together to
produce combat capability for our war
fighters . And those are just two
examples of systems . Have 35 F 22
awesome systems that we touch every day
down there . But there's things going
on there today , producing and
maintaining capability like B two Depot
maintenance . Is there the venerable
YouTube's depot maintenance ? Is there
multiple other programs ? And if you
just go back in time a tiny bit . The
space shuttles were built there . UH ,
S R 71 integration happened down there .
There's been remarkable programs
executed at the plant I would offer We
probably have more routes tied to
Collier Award winning programs than any
other installation on Earth . And we've
used stem as the theme of this
2020 Aerospace Valley air Show this
hybrid edition . And it's really Day
five of that as we've had stem
activities all week , and we talked
about it throughout the broadcast . Um ,
but one of the aspects that we talked
about a little bit earlier was hiring .
Um , and so there's there's a need for
skilled workers in the stem Marino at
Plant 42 . Absolutely so what we're
fostering down there , and it's an
entirely stolen idea . I
took it . I'm not displeased . I
took it from a little company called
Tesla . So what we are instilling is a
farm team mentality . Utilizing stem is
the basis for how we're going to
perform . So the pros , that's ,
that's us . You have made the pros when
you're part of our team and that that's
a big team . That's contractors .
That's government civilians . That's
active duty . That's multiple support
agencies out there at the plant and
back here in the legacy roots of
Edwards Air Force Base . So that's the
pros now to do the pros effectively .
I've got to grow people through Triple
A , so I need that farm team mentality .
That's my four year brick and mortar
universities , but I need a double A to
feed my Triple A . That's my two year
junior colleges , my community college
programs . I need that singlet
programas well , my trade schools in
high school , my stem programs touching
people at that level . But all those
things don't happen if I don't have a
pony league in a Little League going
all the way back to T Ball . So I make
a direct , realistic connection
between a great school stem
program , like as an example Starbase ,
which , which I just think is amazing
to the fact that we get a senior
technical , brilliant mind on the books
at Plant 42 . Delivering combat
capability right now Tell you
the foot stomp science , technology ,
engineering and math . That's Ah ,
that's available and present on display
at Plant 42 as part of the larger
aerospace Valley ecosystem . If you are
Ah , hardcore scientist , NASA is a
place you can go , and plant 42 is a
huge place . Sofia . The Boeing 7 47
that is doing amazing research right
now is hardcore science Plant 42
technology . Our mission partners
literally . Dr . Smith and my mission
partners that plant 42 right now are
absolutely recruiting folks that are
technologically savvy that maybe , uh ,
single a or double a level of education ,
and they're good with that and we want
him to contribute that way . But then
you get into engineers , engineers all
over the place at the primes .
Engineers in the Air Force engineers in
the leadership and math math is the
language that just wraps it all
together and will soon , I think , lead
in artificial intelligence , data
mining and Data Analytics . And then
there's a leadership thing that
permeates all that as well . Uh , and I
think Plant 42 is an exceptional
example because it includes Big Airman
and includes all facets of stem another .
I'm going to give you this one , as as
we kind of wrap it up for today's
broadcast gesture . We've talked about
Big Airman , but we haven't talked
about one other facet of airman that
you also are a member of . So if you
throw in the T f I perspective real
quick for us and how you pivoted from
active duty Air Force civilian and then
the third leg , that'd be a great
contribution for this broadcast . So
there's a lot of different ways to
serve and serving on active duty . I
loved with all my heart and you give me
a broad shot at doing that again . I'm
gonna take the shot right . I've loved
civil service , being able to become to
change this uniformed , the one that
looked a lot like what General Heidger
is wearing , the one that looks a lot
like what I'm obviously wearing . Uh ,
but a weekend a month . I get to look a
lot like general hunger . Ah , lot . So
ah , lot . So I'm the air component
commander for California's guard , the
Cal Guard . I'm in a what's called
title 32 capacity . Which means I'm not
a federal asset . I'm a state asset . A
lot of people don't realize the guard
is really a state organization that can
be federalized versus a federal
organization that does a lot of work in
the state . So my airman , my
soldiers and sailors in the cow guard ,
where one of the few states that
actually has a maritime component as
well right now are heavily deployed in
support of wildfires , have been doing
work at co vid food banks and are
making a difference every day in
getting this state and this nation
through a very real crisis . Thank you
for that plug , sir . It's not a plug
gesture . I think total forces is very
important for a way that our nation
competes . Uh , science , technology ,
engineering and math doesn't work if we
don't have the folks in the front line
contributing as they can and serving as
they are interested and willing to do
so . So thanks . Thanks for staying in
uniforms on that weekend . A month when
you're not working for me . Uh , Dr
Smith , we certainly appreciate you
stopping by , uh , today on the
broadcast and , uh , great stuff .
Thank you very much . So can I throw in
one more quick comment ? Let's do it .
So we talk a lot about the technology .
The jets . That's that's amazing . It's
cool , but I've got airman on duty . 24
7 . They're carrying a gun . They're
protecting that installation . They're
standing by a hose , ready to put out a
fire on a major national defense asset .
They are always there . They're always
ready . They're rarely thanked . I
wanna publicly praised them for what
they do and let me pile on that .
Thanks . Not just to the airman that
work for Dr Smith at Plant 42 but also
to all the airman , uh , that support
this installation installations across
the world in the department of the Air
Force that are on duty 24 73 65 . They
didn't go tell the work when when the
pandemic hit , they stayed on the front
line and they kept the installation
safe and a very special shout out as I
clear off for the day to those that are
defending the installations and
providing the 24 73 65 support in
combat and in harm's way . But what a
great day we're wrapping up here , day
one . I mean , we saw a lot of iron .
We talked with a lot of great guests
today with a lot of great perspectives
on sir , for closing comments from you .
I really just really want to reiterate .
Like how this air show is Thean result ,
maybe looks like the airplanes in the
sky , but it really starts with stem .
It does that really starts with stem
they even before the pandemic hit us
and and forced us to potentially look
at pivoting to the hybrid option . The
number one priority of unopened house
at an air show is toe . Have those ah
ha moments or that I remember when I
was a kid and moments and you get that
when you can take people to air points
on the flight line on when that , uh ,
when that looked to be impossible ,
instead of saying , Well , Rolex or
we'll kick the can a year or two from
now , the team around me and the team
that has literally just executed a
first ever event the last two hours
said , You know what , boss ? I think I
think we can still fly . I think
there's a way to do this . And instead
of bringing the people on the base to
the air show , let's take that air show
to the people on the primary thing we
wanted to keep in that is we wanted to
connect airplanes , technology , the
Air Force on NASA to science ,
technology , engineering and math and
really , really dig deep down in the
educational areas . And and hopefully ,
if you're watching a day and you're
thinking , I wonder what I'm gonna do
when I graduate from high school ,
graduate from college or or when I get
older , what I'm gonna do , I hope that
something has inspired you this week .
Thio do a little bit Maura your math
class . Or maybe consider taking that
physics class or or a little bit Maurin .
A technical field . I remember vividly
a za 1/5 grader when I had a teacher
that really inspired me toe Think math
was cool . Uh , my classmates didn't ,
but she sure convinced me it was . And
I don't know if that was the single
seat for me or not , but it was
certainly very important . And so I
hope something this week for you , the
students and literally the leaders and
the technologies of tomorrow saw in the
Monday through Thursday sessions and
and then Capstone by what we did today
in the last two hours . I hope it
resonates with you , and I hope there's
still that that opportunity and then ,
ah , pivot real fast to a bunch of
gratitude . What we have just
experienced Dan from our seats right
now was the first , uh , and the first
is not unusual Edwards . So I think
it's very appropriate that we have just
literally watched the first two hours
ever of a hybrid air show on , And that
is impossible without a whole bunch of
people that have worked tirelessly
during the pandemic . To make this
happen on it isn't just focus on the
team here at Edwards . It's folks in
San Antonio exposed to Hill . It's
folks at Wright Patterson at our higher
headquarters , Air Force Material
Command , and there's a whole slew of
folks that worked tirelessly for us and
on our behalf in the Pentagon , in the
national capital Region as well . So
thank you to all of you that helped
make it happen today . I appreciate all
the involvement from the air crew , the
folks that generated the sorties , the
folks that control the sorties tow our
partners in the FAA that helped us
control it to the cameramen that were
out on the sites and most importantly
to the people that have watched and
participated the tens of thousands of
you . And now , as of today , hundreds
of thousands that have been able to
participated in this hybrid air show
from the center of the aerospace
testing universe . And so that's going
to give us a wrap on day one . But
don't fear we have a second day coming
up will be on the air 10 30 Pacific
time tomorrow on all the platforms that
you stream today . So the guest list is
long . We thank them all special thanks
to you , General Hydra . For for riding
copilot with me . Or maybe I rode
copilot with you . I don't know how
this you are . Definitely control the
airplane and I just had a heck lot you
along the way a special shout out to
our second audiovisual squadron crew .
Fantastic images all day long . Thank
you . Sergeant Harris , our floor
director , Mike Rayner , our director ,
our entire crew . I'm Dan Hawkins from
E . T . C . Public Affairs . So long
we'll talk to you tomorrow from the
center of the aerospace testing
universe .