The Air Force makers combating COVID-19
By Staff Sgt. Jordyn Fetter, AFWERX Public Affairs
Over the past few years, there’s been a growing community of Airmen who are looking for ways to contribute to the mission in new and unique ways.
These innovators — often called intrapreneurs — identify with causes beyond their prescribed career fields and tasks tied to it. They spend their days with their eyes and ears open to opportunities, driven by the question “How can we make this better?”
COVID-19 caught all of us by storm, but these Airmen were ready to act.
The following highlights are just a few teams across the Air Force who are using this challenge as an opportunity to build the personal protective equipment and supplies needed to protect their communities.
JBA sparks innovation for COVID-19 facemasks
Where: Joint Base Andrews, Maryland
“The SparkX Cell is a place for Airmen to brainstorm new ideas or solutions to problems in the Air Force. We saw an emerging need for facemasks and began working a prototype on March 6. Though our production capacity is limited, we knew we could support our community of first responders, security forces, fire and basically your people who come in contact with a lot of people.”
Maj. Vincent Giacomino, 11th Wing SparkX Cell chief innovation officer
Innovation Team at Charleston Tackles COVID-19 Challenge
Where: Charleston AFB, South Carolina
“I think it’s a good example of the things we can do in empowering Airmen. Being able to produce on short notice with guidance from the [Food and Drug Administration] and our medical group isn’t something we normally have the ability to do, but we have a group of really motivated folks that work hard to make it a reality at the local level.”
Capt. Christian Brechbuhl, 16th Airlift Squadron instructor pilot and Joint Base Charleston’s director of innovation
Edwards AFB Community Combines Teamwork, Innovation, Effort to Fabricate Cloth Masks
Where: Edwards AFB, California
“A big part of the repair process requires us to be very proficient at sewing. Because of this, my team is figuring out a way to produce mass quantities of masks to try and help do our part for the Test Wing community.”
- Senior Master Sgt. Brian Holme, 412th OSS Aircrew Flight Equipment Superintendent
Collaborative manufacturing: Sparking innovation against COVID-19
Where: Robins AFB, Georgia
“The idea was born when a couple of concerned Airmen approached us and asked if we could help design some personal protective equipment because of the depletion of [personal protective equipment] throughout the country.”
- Lt. Col. Jay Vizcarra, 461st Air Control Wing innovation chief
Printing to protect: 3D printed face shields help joint fight against COVID-19
Where: Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii
“Getting anything approved for use in a clinical setting is never easy. They pulled experts together in infectious disease, emergency medicine, biomedical engineering and innovation to create this face shield. The team work and dedication that our Airmen have demonstrated in undertaking this mission is amazing, and the joint effort on island between the branches is incredible to see in action during this time.”
U.S. Air Force Col. Kara Gormont, 15th Medical Group commander
62nd OSS produces masks to reduce spread of COVID-19
Where: McChord AFB, Washington
“It’s a team effort, we want to get them to the people who need them. I think we’ll knock out about 200 a day as long as there’s material available.”
Cedrick del Castillo, 62nd OSS AFE technician and fabrication shop foreman
Special Instruments Training course instructors 3D-print medical supplies
Where: Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas
“If we can use our skills to help, we plan to do so. We want to do everything we can to help.”
Master Sgt. Manuel Campo, 312th TRS SPINSTRA flight chief
Airmen use 3-D printing to overcome Face Shield shortage in West Virginia
Where: McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, West Virginia
“Any impact that we can have to help our state and nation cope with this pandemic is worth every ounce of effort we put into it. I am honored to be in a position where I can use the knowledge, skills, and resources provided to me through my career in the National Guard to help our local community, our state, and our nation.”
Tech. Sgt. Alan Pasel, 130th Maintenance Squadron aircraft metals technology specialist
Want to get involved?
If you aren’t yet connected to your local Spark Cell or any efforts working to combat COVID-19, we’ve collected a bunch of resources on our website for you to pull from.
Check it out: https://www.afwerx.af.mil/coronavirus-gov.html
