Twitter
Facebook
As anyone near the Ramstein Officers’ Club noticed, something different was going on July 22 and 23. Parking lots were full. Tie-clad civilians were out en force. More than 872 people streamed through the club, their bags full of brochures.
Ramstein’s Tech Expo kicked off July 21 with a VIP tour followed by a reception hosted by Lockheed-Martin.
“This is actually the biggest show that we’ve ever had here at Ramstein,” said NCSI’s Shannon Taft, the conference coordinator. “We have over 75 companies that are here, so there’s something for everyone – all the latest and greatest technologies that are out there.”
When doors opened for business July 22, it wasn’t the usual assortment of communications and intelligence folks who attended.
“I saw a great deal of operators, people with bags like yourself, walking through the Expo, finding out what’s going on,” said Col. Tina Harvey, U.S. Air Forces in Europe director of the Communications Directorate. “The more we can provide opportunities to operators, to say ‘here’s the realm of the possible’ with ‘what are your needs?’ we’re going to find areas for partnership between the government and industry.”
Colonel Harvey sees relationships between companies becoming more fluid.
“At some point they may be competitors, they may be collaborators on a particular solution for the government,” she said. “On the technical integration side, that absolutely is happening, because we can’t afford to swap out an entire system.”
She also observed that training is increasingly becoming a primary point of focus:
“Because the government has less ability to do some of the training and technology is moving so fast that our school houses can’t keep up, we’re leveraging a lot more of our industry partners to help provide relevant training for the Airmen who are rolling out, operating and maintaining these technologies.”
The expo itself was hosted by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, an international, non-profit organization in existence since 1946, and represented at the expo by their vice president, Lt. Gen. (ret.) John Dubia. AFCEA focuses on bridging the gap between government requirements and industry capabilities.
But Colonel Harvey notes they also have another focus: “It is a great example of that partnership between the government and industry, in providing opportunities, not just for those who are members of AFCEA, but the members of the community, the students who are getting scholarships to go and study technology-related fields, to help this be a dynamic and growing environment.”
A sense of camaraderie was felt throughout the expo, as members of the KMC interacted with the vendors’ representatives, many of whom were prior service.
Vendors find their prior service employees have the credibility with the government and that they understand government requirements, as well as limitations. They also understand what the business can deliver in terms of opportunities or solutions to those requirements.
“It’s a great translator,” said Colonel Harvey. “That form of presence, having a former military individual working that interface is really helpful. By the same token, you need extra individuals there thinking outside the box.”
