News United States Air Force
 AFIMSC announces 2021 Innovation Rodeo finalistsPublished Jan. 13, 2021
                        
                        By Shannon Carabajal
                        
                        
                        Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Public Affairs Public Affairs
                **JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) --**
                The**Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center** announced finalists for the 2021 AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo.
The AFIMSC leadership team and Ventures Innovation Office staff picked eight finalists out of more than 370 submissions to compete for a share of $1 million in funding and resources to pursue their ideas.
Conducted virtually this year due to COVID-19, the 2021 AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo takes place Feb. 5.
“The pandemic has changed things for us this year, but we will keep innovating and looking for ideas that will improve the way the Air Force delivers installation and mission support capabilities and support our families,” said Marc Vandeveer, AFIMSC chief innovation officer.
Finalists will spend a week learning from leading innovators and honing their pitches before trying to convince a board of senior Air Force installation and mission support leaders that their idea is the best.
The theme of this year’s Innovation Rodeo is “Base of the Future,” a broad topic with endless mission support-centric possibilities, Vandeveer said. Through the competition, Airmen can help shape how installations can look and function in the future.
“Installation and mission support Airmen are resilient problem solvers. Since the pandemic forced the Air Force to adjust to a new normal, they’ve shown they are able to adapt and innovate to keep delivering crucial support to military families while maintaining readiness at our installations,” he said. “We’re excited to hear more from the finalists next month, and look forward to working with them to build the base of the future.”
The top ideas are:**DBIDS Scanner Auto-Ping Script**

Submitted by Staff Sgt. Jordon Varnier, 30th Security Forces Squadron, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

Idea: Use a Defense Biometrics Identification System scanner auto-ping script to eliminate the need to physically go to every installation gate for accountability.**MIPR Processing Solution**

Submitted by Dan Gibson, AFIMSC Resources Directorate, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas

Idea: Use robotic process automation, or bots, to streamline and improve the military interdepartmental purchase request process and address system limitations and auditability challenges.**21st Century Air Force Facility Management - 3D Structural Scanner**

Submitted by Scott McClure, 611th Civil Engineer Squadron, JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and Master Sgt. Luke Rogan, 775th CES, Hill AFB, Utah

Idea: Incorporate the use of high-resolution 360-degree cameras and 3D scanners into Air Force civil engineering. These technologies integrate seamlessly with cloud-based solutions to create entirely new, visual-spatial facility management techniques that can be used in space utilization, facility assessments, housing inspections and fire and safety inspections.**Agility for Firefighters**

Submitted by Joseph Suddarth, 96th CES, Eglin AFB, Florida

Idea: Cost-effectively standardize fire departments across Air Force installations with an innovation that has been researched, developed, tested and evaluated by the fire and emergency services flight at Eglin AFB.**Advanced Disaster Management System - Virtual Reality Command and Control Exercise Reformation**

Submitted by Joseph Suddarth, 96th CES, Eglin AFB

Idea: Invest in a single platform that offers challenging, true-to-life scenarios that provides multi-discipline training for response. The platform would capture the ability to train on all hazards anytime, anywhere without disrupting daily operations.**The 'SMART' Locker - 24/7 Mail Access for Airmen in AF Dorms**

Submitted by Airman 1st Class Ricardo Morales, 461st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Robins AFB, Georgia

Idea: A smart locker providing Airmen at base dorms with a 24/7 accessible mail locker that would eliminate repeated visits to the base post office, which has limited operating hours, and reduce the time it takes Airmen to receive packages.**Resource Management Unusual Activity Heat Seeker – Artificial Intelligence Enabled**

Submitted by Daniel McDermott, AFIMSC Resources Directorate, JB San Antonio-Lackland

Idea: Use artificial intelligence to monitor volatility in the Automated Budget Interactive Data Environment System, or ABIDES, appropriated fund updates for unusual activity using historical and implied volatility values. AI can reduce human error and improve speed and quality of APF resource management reporting.**eCitation System for Base Security Forces**

Submitted by 1st Lt. Tyler Moore, 366th Security Forces Squadron, Mountain Home AFB, Idaho

Idea: An eCitation system for security forces Airmen that would substantially cut processing time and increase the confidence of inexperienced defenders who haven't issued many citations. The system would mirror similar programs run by civilian police departments.
For more information about the AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo, email **AFIMSC.Innovation@us.af**.LR 



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