Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center hosted a virtual Big Data Summit June 15 -17, 2021. The summit shared best practices and updated enterprise stakeholders on AFIMSC's data management strategy, vision and ongoing efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Malcolm McClendon).AFIMSC accelerates change across enterprise with Big Data
                        
                        
                        The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center hosted a virtual Big Data Summit June 15-17, 2021. The summit shared best practices and updated enterprise stakeholders on AFIMSC's data management strategy, vision and ongoing efforts. (U.S. Air Force photo by Malcolm McClendon)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

AFIMSC accelerates change across the enterprise with Big DataPublished June 22, 2021
                    
                    By Malcolm McClendon
                    
                    
                    Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Public Affairs
            **JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) --**The **Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center** is improving data-driven decision making processes across the Air and Space Forces. The center hosted a virtual Big Data Summit June 15-17 to share its data management strategy, vision and ongoing efforts with key stakeholders.
“It’s no surprise that in the last two to three years, the way we use and how much we rely on data has exploded exponentially across our enterprise, so it’s incumbent upon us to get together and take a look at where we are and where we want to go,” said **Maj. Gen. Tom Wilcox**, AFIMSC commander. “By taking an enterprise approach, we can have standards to our data management and make real-time, relevant information accessible to our Air and Space Force decision-makers.”
The summit’s namesake, Big Data, refers to processes that help interpret the large volumes of information gathered and stored in the modern day IT environment. AFIMSC’s Data and Analytics Working Group has been on the forefront of the Department of the Air Force’s Big Data movement since its beginning, **Eileen Vidrine**, Department of Air Force chief data officer, explained during her opening remarks.
“Two years ago, the Chief Data Office was brand new. We needed somebody to partner with to show the value of data and be part of this ‘digital transformation’,” Vidrine said. “It was AFIMSC that had the vision and drive to make data available, accurate and actionable to every installation commander across the department.”
AFIMSC was one of the first agencies to utilize the Visible, Accessible, Understandable, Linked and Trusted, or VAULT, data platform visualization tools to build its Installation Health Assessment, saving the Air Force months of work and providing consolidated data analysis to commanders about their installations’ health.
“With AFIMSC’s continued partnership, more than 3,000 Airmen log on daily to VAULT to use and leverage data at the speed of relevancy,” Vidrine added.
Col. Ernest Vasquez, Secretary of the Air Force Chief Data Office senior director and chief architect, noted there is still more work to do to consolidate the large volumes of information across the Air Force and make it into usable data.
“There’s lots of data out there in the form of emails, presentations, spreadsheets, reports, texts, etc.,” Vasquez said. “We’re trying to get it in one place and make it available to all commanders, and we want to make sure the data is relevant and good quality, so we need to look at how we ingest data.”
To achieve this, AFIMSC and the Chief Data Office are looking to industry to incorporate best practices to develop and refine Big Data platforms.
“There are tools Fortune 20 companies have been using for a while and we want to follow suit,” Vasquez said. “Even with our added security protocols, we’re figuring out how we can bring them on board and make sure they are safe and secure.”
In addition to AFIMSC’s data consolidation efforts, the summit included updates on Enterprise-IT-as-a-Service, CDO Cyperspace, Basing and Logistics Analytics Data Environment, and IT strategies from AFIMSC’s primary subordinate units.
Michael Osborn, AFIMSC’s chief information officer, shared his vision for the agency’s data strategy: support DoD and Air Force data efforts, establish AFIMSC data governance structure, advocate for AFIMSC data sharing, support data-aware organizations, and provide Airmen tactical advantage through data.
The three-day summit concluded with breakout sessions including a data analytics working group, governance of civil engineering IT and the VAULT platform, data literacy and future capabilities.
“These initiatives and efforts are aligned with DoD and Air Force IT and cybersecurity strategies,” said Marc Vandeveer, AFIMSC’s chief innovation officer. “And now with these tools, we’re ready to take the next steps to align data sources to help our action officers across the enterprise make informed and confident decisions.”FS 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



AFMC 



Air Force Materiel Command 



AFIMSC 



Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center 



Big Data 



data management 



strategy Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil