Dr. Winston Bennett Named Among AFRL 2010 Fellows

  • Published
  • By Cynthia Cartee
  • 711th Human Performance Wing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Dr. Winston (Wink) Bennett, of the 711th Human Performance Wing, Human Effectiveness Directorate, has achieved Air Force Research Laboratory's 2010 Fellow status for his pioneering work in training, education, and measurement technologies, as well as his efforts in transitioning research results to the operational military and scientific and commercial communities. His leadership in developing methods permitting the systematic identification of training and education requirements--and the design and evaluation of technology and tolls for addressing those requirements--is a hallmark of his scientific prowess and the basis of many of his contributions. His efforts in this vein have produced some of the most groundbreaking training technology and research findings in the field and serve as a foundation for other researchers and practitioners to follow. Dr. Bennett's work has not only contributed immeasurably to the body of scientific knowledge, but has actually transformed the approach used by the US military and many coalition nations to establish (train), evaluate, and maintain their combat and mission support readiness.

Through his more than 25 years of service in the Air Force research community, Dr. Bennett has achieved international recognition as a leader in education, training, and performance measurement research. He has led the development of numerous research products that have since become part of the operational military community and, as such, significantly improved the mission effectiveness of US and coalition personnel. Among the many examples of his project leadership success is the Mission-Essential Competency methodology, a new way to define and assess training requirements and capabilities for military and civilian occupations. Lauded by the Scientific Advisory Board as an enormous paradigm changer, MEC has reshaped how the military determines the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed for successful mission performance.

Dr. Bennett also led the development and transition of technology for tracking and monitoring human performance within and across operational contexts. These work results, which are undergoing implementation in the form of the AF's new readiness assessment system for combat, have modified the focus of training and adjusted the timelines and activities associated with deployment preparation and postdeployment reconstitution. In addition, Dr. Bennett's research contributions precipitated development of the AF's signature readiness program, Distributed Mission Operations, and were also instrumental in defining the emergent readiness concept known as live-virtual-constructive operations. His work has directly influenced how the military trains and performs in combat and peacetime and has had a demonstrable impact on both the science of psychology and the development and conduct of military training and rehearsal. He is regularly sought as an advisor and a consultant to other government agencies, industry, and academia.