CTF is ‘nothing new’ for Space and Missiles

  • Published
  • By Deidre Ortiz
  • AEDC/PA
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE, TENN. --  Since late last year, testing at AEDC has been carried out by the recently implemented Combined Test Force (CTF) organizational structure in which government and contractor personnel work side-by-side to complete the Test and Evaluation mission.

According to Lt. Col. Jay Orson, director of the Space and Missiles CTF, this approach has allowed the Complex to move away from being a functional organization and toward a more mission-focused one.

"However, this is nothing new for Space and Missiles," he said. "We've been mission-focused for years. We bring all our mission and functional leads together weekly to ensure we're all on the same page."

"We also prototyped a Space mini-CTF when we stood up the Space Threat Assessment Test (STAT) capability a couple of years ago. It was a small, focused team that was essential in developing and testing the concepts and processes required to run a full-up CTF. It was a major success and helped AEDC pave the way for base-wide implementation."

Because they've been operating in this manner for several years now, the recent switch to CTFs base-wide hasn't been as noticeable to contractor and government personnel working in Space and Missiles.

"The recent AEDC organizational change to implement CTFs has strengthened and helped our team focus on the mission-related aspects of our work," Orson said. "We disbanded the mini-CTF, but this was a minor change because the STAT team was already operating in a combined fashion, with government and ATA workforce working jointly to operate the facility and execute the mission."

With the current contractual transition, Orson added the implementation of CTFs was "definitely the right thing to do at the right time."

"It keeps the team focused on the mission during the transition and makes AEDC look and feel like our brother and sister squadrons at Edwards and Eglin [Air Force Bases]," he said. "For the last two years I have been preaching 'one team, one fight,'  Even with the ongoing transition, I am very proud of how the Space and Missiles CTF has come together to execute and grow our mission. I believe two key reasons workload is growing across AEDC is our recommitment to technical excellence and our customer focus we bring to work every day."

Lt. Col. Orson is leaving AEDC to attend Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. But Col. Tim West, senior materiel leader in the AEDC Test Operations Division, said he has confidence in Orson's replacement, Lt. Col. Jason Armstrong, who came to AEDC from the Pentagon and has served in the F-35 Joint Program Office, the F-22 CTF at Edwards Air Force Base and the 413th Flight Test Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

"I'm very proud of the Space and Missiles CTF," West said. "They have made great progress towards Lt Col Orson's 'one team, one fight' vision. I know they will continue their progress under the leadership of Lt. Col. Jason Armstrong."