Travis Tailwind: Friday, July 21, 2023

AFSVC announces Air Force Art Contest winners

2 Project Arc seeks innovators to solve challenges

TRAVIS TAILWIND

A T-38 Talon assigned to 50th Fighter Training Squadron, Columbus Air Force Base, Miss., sits on the flightline at MacDill AFB, Fla., July 7. Students with the 50th FTS train on advanced aircraft handling, tactical navigation, fluid maneuvering and an increased emphasis in two and four-ship formations.

Travis shoppers can budget smarter with Military Star pay your way plans

Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE — Airmen and their families at Travis can get extra help budgeting for major purchases thanks to Military Star card Pay Your Way plans.

Using the plans, military shoppers can buy now and pay later, with fixed monthly payments at a reduced APR of 9.99%. Payments are available at three price tiers:

n 36 months for purchases from $300 to $499.99.

n 36 months or 48 months for purchases from $500-$999.99.

n 36 months, 48 months or 60 months for purchases more than $1,000.

Pricing minimums apply to the order total.

“Pay Your Way Plans are a smart way to plan your purchases,” said Travis Exchange General Manager Cathie Byrns. “Empowering Travis shoppers to pay off their items over a set timeframe makes it an ideal budgeting tool.”

Pay Your Way plans are available at the Travis BX and at ShopMyExchange.com. Shoppers can visit MyECP.com/ Calculator to estimate the monthly payment on qualifying purchases. Cardmembers may use multiple Pay Your Way plans depending on available credit. Express and fuel locations are excluded.

Other benefits of the Military Star card include:

n 10% on all first-day purchases for new cardholders.

n 5 cents off every gallon of gas at Exchange fuel locations, as well as select Navy Exchange and Marine Corps Exchange locations.

n 10% off at all participating Exchange restaurants.

n Free shipping on ShopMyExchange.com and myNavyExchange.com.

n Unlimited 2% rewards earned on purchases.

n Exclusive cardholder savings throughout the year.

The Military Star card is administered by the Army & Air Force Exchange Service and is accepted at all exchanges and online at ShopMyExchange.com. Department of Defense civilians and retirees are eligible to apply for a card, as are all honorably discharged Veterans who have confirmed their eligibility to shop at ShopMyExchange.com. For more information on Pay Your Way plans or to apply for a card, shoppers can visit their local Exchange or aafes.media/MilStarPA.

TRAVIS TAILWIND

Serving Travis Air Force Base and the surrounding community 1250 Texas St., Fairfield, Calif. 94533 707-425-4646 | Fax 707-425-5924

AFSVC announces 2023 Air Force Art Contest winners

AFIMSC Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIOLACKLAND, Texas — The Air Force Services Center announced the winners of the 2023 Air Force Art Contest July 11.

“With over 1,400 entries this year, the judges had a challenging time deciding the top three in each of the categories,” said Debbie Southee, community programs director at AFSVC.

In addition to 2D art, the services center added a 3D art category to include ceramics, sculpture and glass. The category was very popular, Southee said, so artists can look forward to submitting in that category again next year.

Winners in each category win gift cards valued from $500 to $300, depending on placement.

Congratulations to:

2D Adult Accomplished

First Place - Woman in Prayer by James Powell, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia

Second Place - Horse Whisperer by Air Force retiree Lynn Kibbe

Third Place - Thoughts in the Air by Concetta Franciamore, Aviano Air Base, Italy

2D Adult Novice

First Place - Heritage by David Chapman, Fairchild AFB, Washington

Second Place - Under the Sea by Senior Airman Daisy Gabbard, Eglin AFB, Florida

Third Place - Baby Dylan by Dustin Lane, Eglin AFB

2D Teens ages 13-17

First Place - Maternal Rage by Sky Champlin, Kadena AB, Japan

Second Place - Sage by Morgan Becker, Hill AFB, Utah

Third Place - The Last Castle by Tai Oser, Ramstein AB, Germany

2D Pre-Teens ages 9-12

First Place - Flack Rabbit by Caleb Teague, Whiteman AFB, Missouri

Second Place - Great Horned Owl by Stephen Berry, Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts

Third Place - Jhenna May’s Art by Jhenna May S. Peralta,

Travis Tailwind is a publication produced by the Daily Republic. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any form, in whole or in part, without written permission, is prohibited. Content published in Travis Tailwind is not necessarily the official view of, nor is it endorsed by, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force. The appearance of advertising in the publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or the Daily Republic of the products or services advertised.

Beale AFB, California

2D Youth ages 6-8

First Place - Wildflowers by Evelyn Ricci, Yokota AB, Japan

Second Place - Werewolf Hunter by Sophia Matsuzaki, Kadena AB

Third Place - Foxy Design by Scarlett Morrell, Tyndall AFB, Florida

3D Art Adult Accomplished

First Place - Royal Space Silk Scarf by Lina Zorichak, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida

Second Place - Naked by James Bassett, Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona

Third Place - Eye of the Dragon, by Jessica Morgan, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado

See CONTEST Page 13

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Those off base who wish to receive home delivery of Travis Tailwind may call 707-427-6975.

For information on paid advertising, call 707-425-4646. Correspondence may be sent to: Travis Tailwind/Daily Republic, 1250 Texas St., Fairfield, CA 94533.

Project Arc seeks innovators to solve Air Force challenges

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) —Project Arc, a grassroots initiative started in 2020 to spur innovation within the Department of the Air Force, is accepting applications for its next six-month temporary duty, or TDY, assignment July 17 to Aug. 4. The program is looking for airmen and guardians from all occupations who are obsessed with tech, have a curiosity to tinker and want to solve problems.

“We want people that are passionate

New Military Star cardmembers can save 15% on first-day purchases July 21-27

Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE — New Military Star cardmembers at Travis AFB can save even more this summer with 15% off first-day purchases from July 21 through July 27.

Shoppers who are approved and use their new Military Star account during the week promotion period will receive the discount in place of the usual 10% first-day discount.

“The extra discount is another way for the military community to enjoy the valuable costsaving benefits of Military Star,” said Travis AFB BX General Manager Cathie Byrns. “The card helps military shoppers save while safely building credit.”

Additional benefits for Military Star cardmembers include:

n 5 cents off every gallon of gas at Exchange fuel locations.

n 10% off food purchases at participating Exchange restaurants.

n Rewards program with unlimited 2% rewards earned on purchases. (Rewards exclude the Military Clothing Plan.)

n Free shipping on online orders.

The Military Star card offers fair and flexible terms, including one low APR for everyone, regardless of credit score, and no annual, late or over-limit fees. Active-duty military members are eligible for additional benefits such as a 0%-interest Military Clothing plan for qualifying uniform basics and a reduced-interest deployment plan with no payments.

about science, technology, engineering and math, and joined the military to use those skills to solve warfighter problems,” said Maj. Jason Goins, Project Arc founder.

The TDY is funded by Project Arc and embeds military members and government civilians into operational wings around the world. They will work with pilots, maintainers, logisticians and other technical DAF jobs to apply state-of-the-art technology, experimentation, prototyping and rapid adaptation to help outpace technology used by U.S. adversaries.

“Project Arc provided me the

See ARC Page 15

opportunity to see the other side of the Air Force, the side that allows for agile growth, experimentation, and acceptance of engineering failure,” said Airman First Class Hannah Garwood, project arc engineer. “For me personally, my technical skills broadened due to the variety of subject matter experts and engineers Project Arc brings together. I saw myself grow exponentially in electronic design and implementation, data analytics, 3D printing, network troubleshooting, project management, and most importantly, confidence to speak up.”

The 15% discount applies to purchases made everywhere the Military Star card is accepted, including all exchanges, commissaries and online at ShopMyExchange.com, myNavyExchange.com and ShopCGX.com. Department of Defense civilians and retirees are also eligible to apply for a card. All honorably discharged Veterans who have confirmed their eligibility to shop at ShopMyExchange.com can use their Military Star card discount when shopping the Exchange online.

The first-day discount is dependent upon application approval and will be applied as a credit on the first monthly billing statement. For more information, visit https://aafes. media/MilStarPA.

Matthew Clouse AFWERX

Staff Sgt. Christopher Tam/U.S. Air Force file

Senior Airman William Oskay, 96th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load crew member, uses a power drill to test the capabilities of an ADU-468 as a part of the Project Arc program at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, Sept. 16, 2022. Project Arc is a program that consists of scientists and engineers from across the Air Force working with units to tackle problems and challenges using their knowledge to design new tools, widgets or rework a workflow.

AFRL Airlift Challenge tests AI-based logistics for future operations

Marc Denofio

ROME, N.Y. (AFNS) —

The Air Force Research Laboratory, hosted an Airlift Challenge competition in January 2023. This online competition is helping to advance state-of-the-art planning algorithms for executing airlift operations for the United States Air Force.

Planning the delivery of cargo as part of an airlift operation is a notoriously complex problem. Transportation routes can become inaccessible due to poor weather or other unexpected occurrences. Factors such as airplane speed, carrying capacity and airport maximum-on-ground must also be considered to ensure on-time and efficient delivery. Unforeseen cargo needs may require quick re-plan to meet tight deadlines.

A potential solution may be found at the AFRL Airlift Challenge, an online multi-agent planning competition where competitors create innovative algorithms and solutions to execute a simulated airlift operation.

The competition uses artificial intelligence, or AI, to assist in the design of plans for the aircraft to follow to efficiently deliver cargo. For each airport at which an aircraft stops, the AI provides an “order” designating which cargo to load or unload, as well as the next destination.

“A large demand and tight deadlines make airlift operations difficult to plan even under ideal conditions,” said Dr. Andre Beckus, AFRL machine learning researcher. “Unexpected disruptions only further complicate the problem, potentially introducing major delays and stressing planning software to its limits.”

To identify new solutions, researchers apply their skills and

develop new algorithms that can achieve on-time deliveries while improving efficiencies. A small example scenario is shown in the image.

The AFRL AI Airlift Challenge scenario shows how AI can deliver cargo. Airports are identified with small squares with connecting routes (white lines). Cargo is staged at three airports in the pickup area (green rectangle). Each is designated for delivery at a specific airport in need (yellow circle). The developed algorithm guides four airplanes through the network to pick up and deliver the cargo. The routes undergo random disruptions, requiring aircraft to either wait for the disruption to clear, or follow a different route.

“The Airlift Challenge provides a simulation environment in which artificial intelligence, or AI, agents can interact,” Beckus said. “The algorithms were scored against a set of increasingly complex evaluation scenarios while contending with unexpected events and disruptions.”

The information gathered from this AI challenge and others, such as the AFWERX Expedient Basing Open Innovation Challenge, can assist the USAF in successfully innovating new ways to accomplish traditional mission objectives of air lift operations more efficiently and effectively on small or even larger scale, like the historic Berlin Airlift in 1948.

During the competition, participants submitted AI agents for immediate scoring to see their rank on a real-time leaderboard.

“It was exciting to see researchers around the world be able to access this environment and provide solutions for the given scenarios,” said Adis

See AI Page 9

All trauma can cause PTSD

Ken Cornwell MHS COMMUNICATIONS

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) — Post-traumatic stress disorder is commonly associated with combat-related trauma, but service members may not know that PTSD can also be caused by experiences beyond the battlefield.

PTSD is a physical and mental reaction to a situation or event that was perceived as dangerous, according to behavioral health experts.

“The key is being exposed to a traumatic event,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Larry Kroll, deputy chief of the Defense Health Agency’s behavioral health clinical management team.

“Threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, actual or threatened sexual violence— there are all kinds of traumatic experiences that qualify,” he said. These noncombat-related traumas include car accidents, mass shootings, natural disasters, physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.

The PTSD trigger can vary from person to person. What is traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another.

“A tornado comes and destroys the town you live in. Your neighbor’s house is still standing. Yours is destroyed,” Kroll said. “Both parties could be diagnosed potentially with PTSD.”

The trigger may be through direct exposure to trauma, or even indirect exposure. According to Kroll, indirect exposure could range from situations like a first responder witnessing trauma as part of their job to learning that a relative or close friend was exposed to a trauma.

There are several symptoms

that can lead to a PTSD diagnosis.

n Re-living the event: Service members who experienced a traumatic event may re-live the event in their minds over and over again. They may have nightmares or flashbacks. Reminders of the trauma can be caused by people, places, sounds and smells. These reminders are called “triggers.”

n Avoiding situations that remind you of the event: Service members may avoid the things that remind them of the experience to avoid painful thoughts and feelings.

n Negative thoughts or feelings that worsen after the trauma: You may have changes in thoughts and moods after a trauma. You may blame yourself or feel guilty for having these thoughts. You may separate yourself from others, lose interest in things you like to do, and feel more and more isolated.

n Hyperarousal: You may feel too alert or hyper-aware of your surroundings. You may have trouble sleeping and concentrating. You may feel irritable, overly aggressive, or be easily startled.

It’s important to reach out for help if you experience PTSD symptoms. Treatments like cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure therapy are highly effective and available in most military hospitals and clinics. Newer treatments like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy may help too.

According to Brandi Blue, a licensed clinical social worker at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, these therapies allow for the patient to process their feelings of distress and challenge any unrealistic thoughts that have come

from the trauma.

Service members may have felt reluctant to get help in the past, but Blue said that education in schools and exposure to mental health needs and symptoms on social media, television, and in movies is lessening the stigma.

“We can help you manage it better and deal with it better,” said Kroll. “We just want you to have a better life and a more fulfilling life.”

Kroll sees a difference in younger service members. “I think young soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, and guardians now

are far more comfortable getting mental health support than service members were when I first came in… they’re more comfortable talking about their stuff.”

R esources: The Military Health System has many resources available to help service members, families, or veterans, such as:

The Psychological Health Center of Excellence: The center seeks to improve lives of service members by advancing excellence in military psychological health care research.

Real Warriors Campaign: Real

Warriors encourages members of the military community to seek help for mental health concerns by promoting a culture of support. The campaign features videos, tools, and resources with key information about mental health and how to get help.

inTransition: inTransition is a free, confidential program that offers specialized coaching and assistance for active duty service members, National Guard and Reserve, veterans, and retirees who need access to mental health care.

For a complete list of PTSD and mental health resources, visit the Health.mil information pages.

AFWERX accepts applications for fall fellowship

Matthew Clouse AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY PUBLIC AFFAIRS

WRIGHT-PATTERSON

AIR

FORCE BASE, Ohio

(AFRL) — AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Department of the Air Force and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, is accepting applications for its Traditional fall fellowship program July 17 to Aug. 18.

AFWERX fellowships are designed to cultivate a better understanding of current industry trends, broaden innovation perspectives and expose airmen and guardians to programs with a DAF level impact. The fellowships include a professional development curriculum, allowing

selectees to refine their project management capabilities and expand their skill set.

“The fellowship program has truly been a transformative experience for me,” said Senior Master Sgt. Jason Newborg, AFWERX fellows lead. “It has expanded my perspective on innovation and provided me with valuable insights into how we can enhance and simplify processes within our squadron. Through the program, I have been empowered to explore the integration of artificial intelligence-based methods, leading to significant time savings and increased operational efficiency. The ability to leverage [artificial intelligence] has not only streamlined our workflows but also allowed us to redirect

our valuable human resources to more critical tasks. The fellowship has truly helped me make a tangible difference in our mission and our team’s success.”

The fellowship is open to all ranks of the Air and Space Force, Reserve, Guard and government civilians. Both full-time and parttime positions are available, with fellowships being primarily virtual, making them accessible regardless of location.

Traditional fellows will be assigned to one of AFWERX’s divisions for four months to explore and absorb as much information and experience as possible.

For questions, please contact fellowship directors Craig Buying and Jason Newborg at craig. buying@afwerx.af.mil and jason.

newborg.fellow@afwerx.af.mil.

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 11,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, viswww.afresearchlab.com.

About AFWERX

The innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory brings cutting edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. Employs approximately 215 military, civilian and contractor personnel at six hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4B budget. Since 2019, has executed 4,671 contracts worth more than $2B to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit: www.afwerx. com.

Airman 1st Class Natalie Doan/U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Sarah Hubert, 374th Airlift Wing religious affairs superintendent, wears a virtual reality headset at the Defense and Security Equipment International Japan exhibition in Tokyo, March 16.

US Air Force announces the 12 Outstanding airmen for 2023

Air

Force’s Personnel

Center Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas — Air Force officials have selected the service’s top enlisted members, naming the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2023.

An Air Force selection board at the Air Force’s Personnel Center considered 36 nominees who represented major commands, direct reporting units, field operating agencies and Headquarters Air Force. The board selected the 12 airmen based on superior leadership, job performance and personal achievements.

The 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year (alphabetically, by rank and command of assignment when selected) are:

n Senior Master Sergeant Justin S. Cruz, Air Force Materiel Command – Airman supporting Space Force

n Technical Sergeant Jennel L. Edwards, Air Force Global Strike Command

n Senior Master Sergeant Sedrick F. Evans, Pacific Air Forces

n Technical Sergeant Michelle A. Fernandez, Air Mobility Command

n Master Sergeant Michael A. Galindo, Air Education and Training Command

n Senior Airman Ryan G. Hospelhorn, United States Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa

n Senior Airman Kostiantyn Khymchenko, Air Combat Command

n Technical Sergeant Micaela R. Mahan, Air Force Materiel Command

n Technical Sergeant Kimberly R. Mastrocola, Air Force Special Operations Command

n Senior Airman Dhruva S.

See AIRMEN Page 10

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DHA kicks off dog days of summer, showcases dogs who support overall health

Janet A. Aker MHS COMMUNICATIONS

This week, the Defense Health Agency is celebrating facility dogs assigned to military hospitals across the nation for its “Dog Days of Summer” campaign July 24-28.

DHA will spotlight stories of hard-working dogs dedicated to keeping service members, their families, and hospital staff healthy and happy.

Military hospital facility dogs fulfill many services daily. They provide comfort and a wet nose to patients and wounded warriors recovering from surgery and boost morale among hospital staff. Whether by land, sea, or air, these dogs are always at the ready.

Facility dogs work hard every day at their assigned military hospital, clinic or elsewhere to provide comfort to people they encounter while making their rounds.

Military working dogs keep their handlers and battle buddies safe from bombs and enemies on the frontlines and across the seven seas.

Service dogs help veterans cope with

post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety.

Walter Reed National Military Medical Cen teropens walterreed.TRICARE.mil in Bethes da, Maryland, was the first military hospital to employ facility dogs. They’ve now been around nearly two decades.

MWDs have been used in action since the Civil War. The use of emotional support dogs for veterans has expanded greatly since the first Gulf War.

Explaining the many abilities of military dogs and their true gifts is WRNMMC facili ty dog program manager Amy O’Connor, who offered this quote: “God said I need somebody strong enough to pull sleds and find bombs, yet gentle enough to love babies and lead the blind. Somebody who will spend hours in a hospital bed with a resting head and support ive eyes to lift the spirits of a broken heart. So, God made dog.”

If you’d like to find out more about the value of military dogs, follow us in Julyopens Health. mil as we highlight their amazing abilities.

Jennifer Higgins/MHS file photo

Brooke Army Medical Center facility dog U.S. Army Maj. Budd interacts with soldiers being in-processed in Aug. 2022. Facility dogs are being given honorary commissions or are enlisted in a service as a mark of respect for their value in comforting personnel in need and increasing morale and mental health.

North Korea tests missiles as US nuclear sub sails to South

Bloomberg News

North Korea launched two missiles into waters off its east coast in a show of anger hours after the U.S. brought a submarine capable of firing nuclear ballistic missiles to a port in South Korea for the first time in about four decades.

North Korea fired two, shortrange ballistic missiles early Wednesday from a site near Pyongyang’s international airport at around 3:30 a.m. and 3:46 a.m., South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. The missiles flew about 550 kilometers (340 miles), it said, calling the launches a “grave provocation.”

The missile test escalated tensions on the peninsula after the USS Kentucky, an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, arrived

in the South Korean port of Busan on Tuesday and North Korea detained a U.S. soldier who intentionally walked across the border from the south side of a joint truce village in the Joint Security Area.

The submarine deployment was timed to coincide with the first meeting of a new U.S.-South Korea body that seeks to deter North Korea from deploying its atomic arsenal.

President Yoon Suk Yeol boarded the submarine Wednesday and issued a stern warning to Kim Jong Un about his atomic ambitions, saying the visit of the vessel would help “to ensure that North Korea cannot dream of a nuclear provocation, and sends a clear warning that if it does, it will lead to the end of its regime.”

The Nuclear Consultative Group grew out of a Washington

summit in April between President Joe Biden and his South Korean counterpart Yoon, who has sought to move his country closer to the U.S., including on defense matters.

The group is intended to provide South Korea with a greater say in how America deploys its nuclear umbrella and provide assurances it would be used to retaliate against a North Korean strike.

“Seoul and Washington will need to find the sweet spot when it comes to the visibility of America’s extended deterrent,” said Duyeon Kim, an adjunct senior fellow in Seoul at the Center for a New American Security.

“Too much visibility of strategic assets could actually undermine the deterrent effect while too little could raise questions in Seoul about commitment,” she

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said it was aware of the missile launches by North Korea and was conferring with allies and partners. “While we have assessed that these events do not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launches highlight the destabilizing impact of the DPRK’s illicit weapons program,” the command said in a statement, referring to North Korea by the abbreviation of its formal name.

North Korea has bristled over the U.S. bringing nuclear assets to the region and demanded a halt to any submarine deployments. It has also denounced the Nuclear Consultative Group as a “nuclear war tool.”

“The U.S. should know that its bolstered extended deterrence

system and excessively extended military alliance system, a threatening entity, will only make the DPRK go further away from the negotiating table,” Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Un, said in a statement published Monday by state media.

Pyongyang has fired 22 ballistic missiles so far this year, which included four intercontinental ballistic missiles that could hit the U.S. mainland. Kim Jong Un’s regime launched more than 70 ballistic missiles last year, a record for the state.

The North Korean leader has ignored U.S. calls to return to long-stalled nuclear disarmament talks. But he has been busy modernizing his arsenal of missiles and conducting tests of systems to attack South Korea and Japan.

From Page 4

Delanovic, an AFRL computer scientist. “We look forward to holding more competitions such as this one where we can use the untapped potential of crowd sourcing solutions to warfighter needs.”

AFRL researchers and the winners of the competition had the opportunity to publish a joint paper on the results of the AI Airlift Challenge at the SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing conference April 30 through May 4, in Orlando, Florida.

The winner of the Airlift Challenge, Dr. John Kolen, is an independent researcher from Florida. Dr. Kolen has over 30 years of experience in the industry.

The second-place runner up was a team of researchers from the Raytheon Technologies research center, which included Dr. Abeynaya Gnanasekaran, Dr. Amit Surana, Dr. Kunal Srivastava, Dr. Hongyu (Alice) Zhu and Dr. Yiqing Lin.

An honorable mention went

to students from the University of Florida which included Nickolas Arustamyan, Norman Bukingolts, Dali Grimaux-De camps, Matthew Huynh, Adam Sardouk, and Devin Willis. Their advisors were David Bragg; Florida Applied Research in Engineering and Dr. Kaleb Smith; Senior Data Scientist, NVIDIA AI Tech Center.

These participants altogether uploaded 92 submissions in which they iteratively refined their algorithms.

“We were impressed with the high quality of the solutions submitted by the winners,” Beckus said. “The teams were able to quickly improve their scores in a short amount of time.”

The challenge received interest from 27 registered users on the competition platform, as well as 150 followers on the competition hub. The competition also generated valuable discussion and feedback from participants and allowed the government team to improve the simulator.

To learn more and to register for the next competition, visit https://airliftchallenge.com.

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U.S. blacklists spyware companies, citing security threats

The Washington Post

The Biden administration on Tuesday added the foreign com mercial spyware companies In tellexa and Cytrox to a federal “entity list” that prohibits Amer ican companies from engaging in certain trade activities with them, after determining that the two firms pose a threat to U.S. na tional security and foreign policy interests.

The decision is part of an ongoing effort to address the proliferation and misuse of commercial spyware, according to senior administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to brief reporters on the matter. The move is the most significant since President Biden issued an executive order in March that sets limits on U.S. agencies’ use of spyware and bars the technology’s use when there’s a risk it could be exploited by foreign governments to target Americans or violate human rights.

That action serves as a “strong signal” to entities that use commercial spyware, as well as the surveillance industry as a whole, a senior administration official said.

“This is also an opportunity for private investors to consider the risk” and reevaluate whether to invest and support “such commercial spyware companies

Airmen

From Page 7

governments to target government officials, academics, journalists and others. Hanan Elatr, wife of slain Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, sued NSO Group last month, alleging that the group infected her phone with its spyware to track her late husband.

Poluru, Air National Guard

n Technical Sergeant Theodore M. Sebsibe, Air Force District of Washington

The winners are authorized to wear the Outstanding Airman of the Year Ribbon with the bronze service star device on the ribbon.

whose business practices threaten the security and safety of technology used by citizens around the world, not just here in the United States,” the official added.

The companies added to the entity list include Intellexa S.A. in Greece, Cytrox Holdings Crt in Hungary, Intellexa Limited in Ireland, and Cytrox AD in North Macedonia. They are being penalized for “trafficking in cyber exploits used to gain access to information systems, thereby threatening the privacy and security of individuals and organizations worldwide,” according to an update in the Federal Register.

The move builds on U.S. actions in November 2021, when the Israeli spyware company NSO Group was added to the federal blacklist when it was determined that its phone hacking tool had been used by foreign

Cytrox was founded in 2017, according to the technology investment platform PitchBook. A 2021 Citizen Lab report described it as part of Intellexa, although the exact nature of the relationship between the two companies was described as “murky at best.”

Intellexa was formed as a sort of “Star Alliance of Spyware” to compete with NSO Group, according to the Citizen Lab report. Its founder, Tal Dilian, is a former Israeli intelligence officer and entrepreneur.

Cytrox software was used to hack into the phones of Egyptian politician Ayman Nour, who once ran for his country’s presidency, and the phone of a prominent Egyptian news reporter. The report found that Nour’s phone had been infected simultaneously with NSO Group’s Pegasus software and Cytrox’s own spyware, which is called Predator.

“The targeting of a single

See THREATS Page 11

Exchange celebrates Christmas in July with military-exclusive toy savings

Army & Air Force Exchange Service Public Affairs

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE — Air Force families at Travis don’t have to wait for winter to get holiday deals when they shop with the Army & Air Force Exchange Service this summer.

Through Aug. 3, the Exchange is offering military-exclusive deals on the hottest toys, with instore and online savings up to 50% on brands such as Nerf, Play-Doh, Baby Alive, Marvel, Star Wars and Jakks during its Christmas in July promotion.

Shoppers can also take an additional 10% off all toys when they use their Military Star card.

“Offering exclusive discounts on toys this summer is sure to help military families get a head start on their holiday shopping,” said Travis Exchange General Manager Cathie Byrns. “Just make sure you have a good hiding spot, because these toys are sure to make for a great holiday surprise for the little ones.”

Shoppers can visit the toy section of their Travis Exchange or log on to ShopMyExchange.com to browse Christmas in July toy deals. Shoppers can also visit aafes.media/MilStarPA to learn more about and apply for the Military Star card.

n Senior Airman Jacob T. Tawasha, Air Force Reserve Command

Jose F. Moreno/Tribune Content Agency file President, Joe Biden in February.

Threats

From Page 10

individual with both Pegasus and Predator underscores that the practice of hacking civil society transcends any specific mercenary spyware company,” according to Citizen Lab. “Instead, it is a pattern that we expect will persist as long as autocratic governments are able to obtain sophisticated hacking technology.”

The report’s authors identified an IP address in Saudi Arabia as a possible Predator customer. This, taken together with media reports to the effect that Saudi Arabia cut off NSO Group as a client, “may be an indication

that Saudi Arabia has switched from Pegasus to Predator,” the report said.

The White House has previously stated that foreign governments have used spyware to target U.S. personnel maliciously. After the executive order in March, officials said that the electronic devices of 50 U.S. government workers appeared or were confirmed to have been hacked with commercial malware tools.

The new federal action also comes on the heels of a pledge made by the U.S. and allied nations in March to develop and implement measures aimed at countering commercial spyware abuses.

Puzzles

Tommy Tuberville gets another ally in military fight – Ron DeSantis

Tribune Content Agency

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to day showed support in an inter view for Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s ongoing skirmish over the military’s abortion pol icy.

A Republican presidential contender, DeSantis said the De fense Department should “stand down” its policy of paid leave to service members seeking an abortion.

According to Politico, DeSan tis told radio host Hugh Hewitt said on his first day as president “that policy will go out the win dow.”

“They are using tax dollars. They’re funding abortion tourism, which is not an appropriate thing for the military to be doing,” DeSantis said.

The DOD policies allow service members to request administrative absence for “noncovered reproductive health services,” which includes

elective abortions and IVF, for themselves or to accompany their partners.

The policies also provide transportation allowances to travel to states where

reproductive care is more ex-

Additionally, the new policies would allow service members to wait up to 20 weeks before disclosing their pregnancies.

In response to the DOD policies, Tuberville is blocking the nominations of more than 2,500 military officers, including Air Force Chief of Staff C.Q. Brown, President Biden’s nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Earlier this week, Tuberville sent a letter to Senate leaders he said was signed by more than 5,000 veterans who support his hold on military nominees over abortion.

The letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R- Ky., was sent the same day a liberal group that advocates for veterans released an ad criticizing the hold on Alabama broadcast television stations.

Joe Songer/Tribune Content Agency

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville speaks at SportsMed in Huntsville, Alabama.

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ASSEMBLY OF GOD BAPTIST

First Assembly Of God

of Fairfield

Lead Pastor: C. Eric Lura

•9:15 AM SUNDAY SCHOOL

•10:30 AM * MORNING WORSHIP

•KID’z CHURCH Grades K-5th

•10:00 AM WEDNESDAY SENIOR PRAYER

• 7:00 PM WEDNESDAY NIGHT

Adult Bible Study

Girl’s Club

Royal Rangers Revolution Youth

*Nursery Care Provided

707425-3612

2207 UNION AVE., FAIRFIELD

www.1agff.org

email: info@1agff.org

Live Stream on:

MOUN T CA LVARY BA PTIST CHURCH

Dr. Claybon Lea, Jr. - Senior Pastor

Fairfield Campus

1735 Enterprise Drive, Bldg. 3 Fairfield, CA 94533

Sunday Worship Services

7:00am & 10:00 am Bible Study

Tuesdays at 12 noon (virtual) Suisun Campus

601 Whispering Bay Lane, Suisun City, CA 94585

707-425-1849

www.mcbcfs.org for more information

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First Baptist Church of Vacaville

The All Together Different Church

1127 Davis Street, Vacaville 707-448-6209 www.fbcvv.com

Worship With Us… St. Paul Baptist Church

1405 Kentucky Street

Fair eld, CA 94533

Rev. Dr. Terry Long, Pastor

Sunday

Sunday School: 11:00 a.m.

Morning Worship Service: 12:00 p.m.

Children’s Church: 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday

Prayer Meeting: 6:30-7:00 p.m.

Bible Study: 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Web Site: www.stpaulfair eld.org

Email: stpaulbcfair eld@comcast.net

Church Phone: 707-422-2003

Live stream at: itsallaboutfamilies.org

301 N. Orchard Ave., Vacaville 707.448.5848

SUNDAY

Classes for all ages ..........10:00 am Worship ..............................11:00 am

CORE Bible Studies 12:30 & 5:00 pm (2nd & 4th Sunday)

WEDNESDAY Adult Studies........................2:00 pm

AWANA for Kids ..................6:15 pm

Adult & Youth Studies .........6:30 pm

CATHOLIC

Holy Spirit Parish

1050 North Texas Street Fair eld, CA 94533-0624 707-425-3138

www.holyspiritfair eld.org

Weekend Mass: Saturday • 5:00 pm & 7:00 pm (Spanish)

Sunday • 6:00am (Spanish), 7:30, 9:00, 10:30am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm (Spanish), 7:00pm (Spanish)

Daily: M-F • 7:00am & 9:00am

Saturday • 9:00am; Tues & Fri • 7:00pm (Spanish); Wed • 7:00pm (English) OLPH

Confessions in

English: Saturday • 3:00-4:30pm

Spanish: Tues & Fri • 4:00pm-6:00pm

CHURCH OF

CHRIST

Sunday Morning Worship 10AM

CHURCH of CHRIST Meets at Rockville Cemetery Stone Chapel

4221 Suisun Valley Rd, Fairfield

9:00 a.m. Sunday Morning Bible Study

9:50 a.m. Sunday Morning Worship

5:30 p.m. Sunday Evening Bible Study

7:00 p.m. Wednesday Evening Bible Study

We welcome and encourage you to come and hear the good news of the gospel of Christ, and to learn about eternal salvation for all mankind that is offered through Jesus.

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Bring a heart and mind willing to hear God’s Word and to do His great will...

For more information or directions, please visit our website at www.rockvillecofc.com

Contest

From Page 2

3D Adult Novice

First Place - Geometry Jar by Danial Yockey, Eglin AFB

Second Place - Iris the Dragon by Lillian Larsen, Joint Base-Langley, Virginia

Third Place - The Face of the Climate Crisis by Katherine O’Neil, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina

3D Teens ages 13-17

First Place - Metal Flowers by Sarah Studebaker, Offutt AFB, Nebraska

Second Place - Origami Samurai Helmet by Elise Johnson, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma

Third Place - Royal Flush by Haylee Tipton, Stavanger AB, Norway

3D Pre-Teens ages 9-12

First Place - Kodiak the Pup by Addie Bradford, Eielson AFB, Alaska

Second Place - Punch of Pride by Lillian Campbell, Eglin AFB

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Third Place - Siblings Forever by Olivia Torres, Travis AFB, California

3D Youth ages 6-8

First Place - Dad T-Rex Protecting His Babies by Andrei Tapia, Los Angeles AFB, California

Second Place - Razor by Arrow Lin-Denning, Camp Humphreys U.S. Army Garrison, Republic of Korea

Third Place - My Beautiful Tray by Adelaide Richardson, Fairchild AFB

The AFSVC manages the Air Force’s art and photography contests each year. The center is set to launch the 2023 Air Force Photo Contest Sept. 1. This year’s theme is 101 Days of Summer. Look for more information soon.

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

Vacaville Church of Christ

401 Fir St., Vacaville, CA 95688 (707) 448-5085

Minister: Elliott Williams

Sunday Morning Bible Study

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Look

We of fer:

• Nursery + Children’s Classes

• Youth Ministr ies

• Men’s & Women’s Bible Studie s

• PrimeTimers (Senior s Ministr y)

• In Home Mid-Week Bible Studies

• Celebr ate Recovery

Sean Peters, Lead Pastor 707-446-9838 www.cccv.me Register

The Father’s House 4800 Horse Creek Drive Vacaville, CA 95688 (707) 455-7790

www.tfh.org

Service Times

Sunday: 9am & 11am

Live Stream at tfhvacaville

tfhvacavilletfhvacaville

NON-DENOMINATIONAL

9:30 AM

Sunday Morning Worship

10:30 AM

Sunday Evening Worship

5:00 PM

Wed. Evening Bible Study

7:00 PM www.vacavillecofc.com

If you would like to take a free Bible correspondence course contact: Know Your Bible Program 401 Fir Street • Vacaville, CA 95688 (707) 448-5085

UNITED METHODIST

“To know Him, and to make Him known”

490 Brown Street Vacaville, CA 95688 707-446-8684

Sundays:

Sunday School (9:45 am)

Pastor Jon Kile

192 Bella Vista Road, Vacaville 707-451-2026

Sunday school for all ages is provided during both services.

Visit our website for information on other ministries offered at www.vacavillefaith.org

Worship Service (11:00 am)

Fellowship Lunch (12:30 pm)

Thursdays:

Prayer Meeting (7:00 pm)

Bible studies throughout the week.

Pastor Ben Smith www.vacavillebiblechurch.com office@vacavillebiblechurch.com

Arc

From Page 3

Project Arc currently has 20 people participating in its sixmonth TDY at bases in the U.S. and overseas. Goins says the length of the TDY gives people time to build relationships before solving the problem.

the relationship first and then solving the problem second because what we found is that when it’s transactional, you don’t really get a lot of innovation,” Goins said. “You get a lot of modernization, which is fine, but I think a lot of people can do that. I’m looking for people who want to think about a whole new way of doing something that changes the way

The program measures success by the number of unit commanders that adopt their model through funding or manning resources. According to Goins, Project Arc saved the Air Force $7.5 million and 30,000 manhours through eight successful initiatives in the first two months of 2023. Some of their recent accomplishments include:

-Developing an onboard crane system to load and unload cargo in the KC-135 Stratotanker. The crane system eliminates the need for a forklift or scissor truck and

can be stored in the aircraft within one cargo pallet position and assembled by two crew members in 30 minutes or less.

-Constructing a removal tool for the F-16 Fighting Falcon finger brace, a part that connects the wing to the body of the aircraft. Maintenance requires a complete replacement of the wing when a finger brace is damaged, costing roughly $1 million. The removal tool eliminates recurring causes of damage, saving roughly $9 million annually.

-Working with the Grand

Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota, contracting office to develop tools in the programming software that automatically redacts sensitive information on contracts and tracks their status through completion, a process that could take up to three hours per contract. Contracting officials are now able to expedite the timeline for contract approvals while maintaining security protocols.

To apply or learn more about Project Arc, email ProjectArc@ us.af.mil.

U.S. Air Force photo

First Lt. Andrew Foor, Project Arc engineer, welds together supporting parts for the hardening of a low-cost threat emitter Oct. 18, 2022, at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. Foor, an electrical engineer by trade, worked with his teammate to help Luke AFB modernize its ranges with emerging, highimpact technologies.