First Anniversary: 711th Human Performance Wing Looks Back, Looks Forward

  • Published
  • By Jay Marquart
  • 711 Human Performance Wing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, OHIO --  On March 25, 2009, the Air Force Research Laboratory's 711th Human Performance Wing (711 HPW) celebrated its first anniversary, embracing a challenging mission: Advance human performance in air, space, and cyberspace through research, education, and consultation. Fulfilling this mission required the HPW to achieve several objectives. 

Structurally, the Wing organized itself upon a "university model" for conducting education and research, while drawing on its diverse scientific and medical professional staff to provide support and consultation to the operational Air Force. 

Organizationally, the Wing combined its three main units--the Human Effectiveness Directorate, the USAF School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM), and the Human Performance Integration Directorate (HP)-- to capitalize on their strengths. A fourth unit, the Air Force Institute for Operational Health, was disestablished concurrent with Wing stand-up, and integrated into USAFSAM. USAFSAM and HP were realigned from the 311th Human Systems Wing, Brooks City Base Texas, and will relocate to Wright-Patterson in 2011. 

The HPW is coordinating all of these changes with the Navy Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory (NAMRL), also moving to Wright-Patterson from Pensacola, Florida. 

To accommodate these units at Wright-Patterson, the 711 HPW is working with the 88th Air Base Wing and the Army Corps of Engineers to build a nearly 700,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility. Construction progress on the Major General Harry G. Armstrong Complex at Eighth Street and Hobson Way in Area B is currently running 2 percent ahead of schedule, with 14 days of slack on the project's critical path. Work on a USAFSAM student dormitory in Area C is also underway, with funds approved for a student activity center nearby.
 
According to 711 HPW director Mr. Thomas S. Wells , as of the Wing's first anniversary, supporting staff organizations at every level have been established and all positions have been filled. Additionally, the missions and visions of the 711 HPW's mission units have been realigned to optimize the synergy within the Wing and to take advantage of external collaborations. 

The organization has also developed--and continues refining--a comprehensive set of processes that enable the Wing to function smoothly as a single, well-coordinated entity. 

Ultimately, nearly 1,000 employees in San Antonio, Texas and Mesa, Arizona will have to decide whether to relocate to Dayton. Wing leadership has cooperated with the Dayton Development Coalition in hosting "Meet the Dayton Community" days to ensure that these individuals have the information needed to make informed moving decisions. Retaining current employees is essential to minimizing BRAC-related mission disruption, Mr. Wells said, and it appears the Wing may exceed the 10- to 15-percent BRAC relocation rates traditionally seen. 

When Air Force leaders approved creation of the 711 HPW, they envisioned a center of excellence for human performance that could solve tough problems by leveraging expertise across the spectrum of science, aerospace medicine, and human systems integration. 

The Wing is already delivering on that promise. Mr. Wells proudly points to the 711 HPW's role in a current program requested by the AF Chief of Staff calling for a rapid increase in the number of trained operators for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), thus enabling more UAV orbits in Iraq and Afghanistan as directed by the Secretary of Defense. The 711 HPW, with members from each mission unit, has a leading role in screening, qualifying, and training operators, and will assess the effectiveness of the new expedited training test program.
 
Going into its second year, the Wing's agenda looks even more aggressive, Mr. Wells said. Tasks will include convening a joint Services forum of human performance research organizations to identify new collaboration opportunities, as well as completing acquisition of a centrifuge and research altitude chamber for the new complex. 

Final decisions for unit moves to Wright-Patterson, while sustaining operations during the transition, must also be made. Additionally, the Wing will conduct a strategic alignment and deployment effort to ensure that each group in the 1,900-person organization focuses on the right priorities in order to achieve the Wing's vision of being the world leader for human performance. 

Wells also anticipates the Air Force will identify new complex human performance challenges for the Wing, and he plans to visit the Wing's MAJCOM customers.