Tesseract’s Mid-Year Newsletter

Welcome to the August 2023 issue of our newsletter!

We know that everyone's phone or computer is packed with updates. In an effort to keep you up-to-date with the most relevant information, and so nothing gets lost in your feed, we are publishing this newsletter. Here you will see highlights from our team, ideas from Airmen, and other resources to keep you informed about the Air Force innovation ecosystem.

If you have been following us for a while now, you know we take a unique approach compared to most other military organizations to share our message. Now, this newsletter approach is an experiment: if you have any feedback, ideas, or want to tell us we are on the right track, please let us know! We are here to serve Airmen and connect you to the right resources.

You last heard from us in December of 2022, with a wrap-up of our Airmen’s accomplishments and a promise of more to come in 2023. Over the past seven months, we have continued to make strides towards implementing Airmen ideas and pushing the boundaries of possible, together.

Iterate and Sustain: ToC Strategy Update

In 2023, we have focused on sustaining the momentum behind Theory of Constraints education, communication, and generation. In partnership with Goldratt Consulting we have hosted six #ToC facilitator courses, and sent out 25 graduates to champion ToC in their units. We have also turned our sights on injecting ToC into professional military education, teaching at Air Combat Command’s July maintenance production superintendent course. This education is critical to empowering Airmen to apply Theory of Constraints principles in their organizations.

Through the publishing of four case studies, we continue to endeavor to communicate ToC results to the field and show Airmen what is possible. Recent case studies highlight Little Rock Air Force Base, Holloman Air Force Base, Tinker Air Force Base, and FE Warren Air Force Base. We are dedicated to consistently producing these case studies as a resource for the field and you can access them from a CAC enabled device on Avolve.

Utilizing Tesseract’s organic slingshot capability, we have generated events from the Fresno to the Memphis ANG, helping them to apply Theory of Constraints to their everyday operations. These events have yielded organic, Airmen-driven success, which is the true benchmark of sustainability.

Tesseract Summit

We were thrilled to host many of you at the inaugural Tesseract Summit! This event kicked off on 7 August and consisted of three days of all things Tesseract, hosted at the NCR’s Mark Center. The intent of this summit was to connect you to relationships and resources; empower all Airmen, regardless of rank; and implement ToC, while fostering a culture of innovation within the Air Force to accelerate and sustain improvement initiatives.

We heard from A4’s Mr. Daniel Fri, discussing the foundation of who Tesseract is, and what we do. Then, Dr. Efrat Goldratt took the stage and spoke about the #rulesofflow and the impact flow has on readiness. Day one consisted of further main stage events by our Goldratt partners and some of our very own Tesseract members, showcasing the continued power of partnering with industry.?

On day two, conference attendees participated in Theory of Constraints AFIT courses, or chose hands-on wargaming and design thinking workshops, along with a panel on the state of the Tesseract Liaison Officers (LNOs) network.?

Summit day three consisted of panels and briefings with our A4L senior leadership. The morning kicked off with a panel on scaling innovation featuring Ms. Kim Brown, Col James Hartle and Mr. Brian Malby, and wrapped up with a passionate call to action by Major General Linda Hurry as she kicked off Aether Sprint 2024.?

BYOA Cohorts

We are thrilled to share an important update about a recent initiative that Tesseract and SAF/MG embarked upon, known as Cohort Zero of "Build Your Own Adventure", conducted at RAF Lakenheath for teams from both Mildenhall and Lakenheath. There have now been two iterations of this event, with a second cohort kicking off at Luke AFB in mid-August.?

This hands-on workshop was designed to provide a strong foundation in Scrum and Design Thinking for participants. Yet, our ambitions went beyond these core principles. The core objective was to empower participants with the capability to turn concepts into viable project plans, culminating in the formulation of comprehensive Plans of Actions and Milestones (POAMs).

Tesseract and SAF/MG helmed this initiative, bolstered by the invaluable backing of sponsors who are strong advocates of robust project management methodologies. AFWERX's Refinery was among these key supporters.

The twin goals of our initiative are, firstly, to facilitate the creation of innovative solutions and evolve them into minimal viable products. The second is to augment efficiency by escalating throughput and minimizing work in process. For these improvements, we have turned to the Theory of Constraints and the principles of continuous process improvement as our guiding lights.

Moreover, we are delighted to recognize three newly certified facilitators: Georgia Riggs, Kris Lopez, and Christopher Anderson. They will now spearhead future cohorts for SAF/MG and Tesseract, in alignment with our Liaison Officer (LNO) community strategy.

Mobility Guardian ‘23

Tesseract and Project ARC Engineer TSgt Brandon Swenson supported TSgt Jacob Sullivan in the testing of Jet Dash ISO Mobility Guardian at Andersen AFB, Guam. Jet Dash is a mobile AGE ordering and delivery application pioneered by TSgt Sullivan from McChord AFB, Washington. It was just over a year ago that Jacob briefed CMSAF Bass on the concept of Jet Dash where he was given the “go-do” and partnered with Tesseract to make it a reality. This test demonstrated the core functionality of Jet Dash by having a maintainer request AGE from a mobile device on the flightline and track the AGE driver through the delivery providing real time estimates of when they can begin certain tasks. We are proud of TSgt Sullivan’s accomplishment thus far and look forward to future tests with AMC!

During this event TSgt Brandon Swenson was also able to test out his invention the SABR box which provides a low cost low footprint networking and compute capability to frontline Airmen. Brandon was able to partner with the 621st CRW to deploy a local TAK server syncing with their home base of McGuire and continue operations in a simulated external comm-out environment. Along with this accomplishment, TSgt Swenson was able to utilize MPU5 mesh radios to stream live feed from the ODIN camera system to any device on the network, providing near real-time surveillance to the TOC and SF Airmen.

It Takes a Village…Spotlight on LNOs

Our LNO network has been hard at work during the first half of 2023 and their accomplishments are no small feat. We hope the highlights below encourage you to see the power of possible within your own units:

LNO Christopher Anderson from RAF Mildenhall spearheaded an effort to bring in-ear bone conduction hearing protection to everyone in the field. His solution includes in-ear bone conduction headsets, over-the-ear headsets, and a sound reduction control module, all of which satisfy double hearing protection requirements. AFI re-writes are in work to further support this endeavor.

LNO Justin O’Brien was awarded patent approval for his invention of mobile cooling devices. This marks a powerful precedent for future Airmen who aspire to be inventors, as they will receive financial benefits in accordance with updated DoD Instruction on patent compensation. This progress would not have been possible without the extensive support network surrounding Project Acclimate.

LNO Derrick Brooke approached us with the goal of creating a Senior Enlisted Dashboard which would be able to track Faces to Spaces. He desired to develop a low-code solution, and through collaboration with LNO Nathaniel Pahlow Project Oracle was born. Oracle now provides a user-friendly dashboard that analyzes and synchronizes manning data to inform decision-making.

LNO Nathan Denn championed the development of LogHud, a tool that employs ILS-S data to generate base metrics, IPE metrics, and data visualization charts. These products in turn enable instantaneous trend analysis and real-time analytics to inform accurate and timely decision making in the field.

LNOs Nicholas Eppert and Lucas Luszack continued to propel the momentum of Project Let’s Go Cargeaux when they were awarded numerous accolades from the Louisville Engineering Design & Innovation Showcase and Deloitte. Their software generates optimized plans for pallet build up and quicker cargo movement.

LNOs Michael Cox and Jeffery Bernier were no strangers to overcoming adversity, seeing their design of a standard hose for external tank defueling finally come to fruition which will revolutionize how the force approaches defueling operations. Their efforts, which began in 2019, inspire us and remind us that although the road to “yes” is often long, it is worthwhile!

LNOs Aaron Garcia, Adam Funderburgh, Jackson Wynn, and Brandon Swenson, along with teammates Desire Mungroo and Roger Jackson, spearheaded Project Madagascar. Together these Airmen developed a mobile application for Asset Management that utilizes QR codes and creates the ability to process transactions at the point of execution.

Are you interested in joining our LNO Network? Connect with us on our helpdesk page or Click here to become an LNO today!

Tesser Highlights

This summer, Major General Linda Hurry authorized the digitization of cargo documentation, allowing the integration of modern, digital cargo documentation tools into your unit. Her authorization was especially exciting for projects like Kinetic Cargo and RAWHIDE, both of which aim to accelerate the cargo processing and transportation processes. We look forward to what the future of mobility looks like in light of this new guidance.

Ongoing collaboration with Project Arc has yielded fruit in the maintenance world. SSgt Ryan Amador has been spearheading the creation and education behind an effort to build four-way communication cables for both fighter and heavy platforms. The applicable MDSs are currently the F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35, KC-135, U-2, and A-10. This four-way cable enables up to three personnel to communicate with the pilot, enhancing training opportunities, troubleshooting effectiveness, and other real-world applications.

In addition to comm cable efforts, Project Arc has worked with SrA Zachary Soles for the development of an independent, mobile information management system. This product aims at ensuring seamless information flow in a disconnected environment. Whether it’s maintainers disconnected from the MIS on a TDY, supply troops paper managing kit inventory on a deployment, or defenders running surveillance in a remote location, the Scalable Airman Bootstrap Resource (SABR) allows data to flow uninterrupted back to NIPRnet upon return to home station.

One application of SABR being piloted at Andersen Air Force Base is Jet Dash. Jet Dash is in the early research and development stages, with the goal of streamlining the requesting and delivery process of Aerospace Ground Equipment on the flightline. The potential of Jet Dash is exciting, and we will continue to share updates as it is tested throughout AMC.

Growing a Network of Innovation Partners

As the field has faithfully continued to bring ideas and projects to Tesseract, codifying partnerships with outside agencies to grow our capacity has been crucial. This year we are excited to engage in partnership with Project Mercury Innovators Forum, which focuses on instilling an innovation culture, competency, and community. We have also partnered with the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN) to harness the creativity and expertise of student engineers and entrepreneurs from universities across the country. Additionally, we entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with BESPIN, who will come alongside us to accelerate Airmen innovations securely through their c-ATO environment and hosting on Air Force Cloud One.

In addition to joining with industry partners for the future of innovation, we have also entered into cooperative research and development agreements with education partners. The University of Alaska - Fairbanks is exploring infrastructure analysis and defense for unmanned aerial systems, while the University of Dayton is analyzing the future of incorporating ToC into metrics that inform our decision-making.

We’re confident these partnerships will propel bold solutions to the real problems faced by our Airmen and Guardians.??

Revival of the Podcasts

We knew your listening ears were ready, so if you haven’t already, queue up this year’s podcasts on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. If you’re looking to learn from the past to predict the future of innovation, tune into our February episode featuring Dr. Heather Venable discussing how history sheds light on the present state of innovation. Itching to go back to your Sheppard roots? Tune into our June podcast to hear Brigadier General Lyle Drew discuss investing in and empowering Airmen to reach their full potential. And if you’re in the mood for overcoming, hit “play” on July’s episode featuring C-17 pilot Major Kyle “Gouge” McAlpin, where he shares the challenges of transitioning solutions between Air Force domains, and across the broader DoD. For the best updates, make sure you follow us wherever you listen!??

Tesseract on the Road at Dover AFB:

As we round the corner of 2023, we are putting a focus on bringing Tesseract to you. We began “Tesseract on the Road” at Dover Air Force Base in July, spending two days with the 436th Mission Generation Group. Over the course of these two days, we were thrilled to speak with Airmen on the ground, discussing concerns and putting eyes on grassroots innovations developed by Airmen just like you! We also had the opportunity to meet with 436th MGG leadership and the Dover Logistics Officer Association – First State Chapter, giving a Tesseract 101 brief and building connections across all ranks.?

We have set our sights on the East Coast for the first few iterations of this event, so keep an eye out for where we will be headed next. Announcements will be made in the LNO Community Slack channel. We can’t wait to see you!

Aether Sprint Update

While our Aether Sprint finalists may have made their debut on the stage at #LOA2023, their work didn’t stop there. Since March, Project Kinetic Cargo has taken PACAF by storm. Brigadier General Linda Hurry’s approval for the digitization of cargo transportation enabled the full capacity of Kinetic Cargo to be utilized. Not only are both hardware and software platforms approved and available, but the majority of PACAF has allocated funding to outfit their units with these products.

Project A-PRT or Automated Passenger Reservation Tool, has progressed with valuable partnership from RhyBus, helping to sustain and tune the A-PRT. This application is available for use now on Sharepoint. In the future, the team is looking to team with one of our industry partners to continue advancing the user interface and capabilities of A-PRT.

Project Modernize Aircraft Jacking has partnered with the RSO to navigate the acquisitions process and coordinate for approval from the SPO. Units are currently able to procure jack sets internally, while the team continues to drive policy change that will enable these units to be sustainably acquired and supported.

The Shape Shifters team is hoping to advance their project with development of a first-iteration product at Eglin AFB. This would be a major step forward in meeting the Office of the Secretary of Defense’s requirement for optimizing warehouse space within the Air Force logistics enterprise and mirror digital twinning efforts in the U.S. Navy.

While these exciting innovations continue toward implementation we look forward to all of the amazing ideas that will be submitted for Aether Sprint 2024! Team submissions are due no later than 22 September.

See the challenge questions and click the image to submit for team applications:

LOA 2023

We don’t know about you, but we had a blast at the Logistics Officer Association Symposium in March! The only thing better than St. Louis’ famous fried ravioli was getting to meet so many of you and hear from outstanding leaders in our community. Not to mention, watch amazing Airmen showcase their Aether Sprint projects on the symposium’s main stage. We were blown away by their professionalism and passion for their innovations and humbled to walk alongside them in making these ideas a reality. We hope they inspire you to dream big as you brainstorm ideas for Aether Sprint 2024, debuting soon.

We were thrilled to workshop and teach hundreds of you during LOA’s academic sessions and connect with you over evening networking events. Whether you crushed it at bead games in our TOC Battle Lab or walked through TOC practicum in our advanced course, we were motivated by your enthusiasm to take this knowledge back to your teams and love hearing the amazing ways TOC is being implemented in the field by you.??

Thank you!

We are grateful for your continued spirit of innovation and support for Tesseract. Stay inspired, friends. Your Tesseract Team