The Air Force Security Forces Center Concepts and Innovations Branch, or Defender Spark, is a new program for the SF center at Joint Base San Antonio – Lackland, Texas.
Who We Are:
The Concepts and Innovation Branch is staffed by three civilian personnel, three Enlisted personnel and four business process consultants through government contract. The military personnel bring recent operational experience to the effort to identify and pursue innovative solutions to challenges within the career field. With a combination of SF and military experience, the team has refined the processes for engaging in the innovation ecosystem and in SF governance.
What We Do:
Inform Security Forces leaders of the changes needed to keep pace with the SF career field needs. We identify and deliver emergent and future solutions to minimize capability gaps while addressing both Air Force and Security Force’s needs. We engage and collaborate with innovation organizations throughout DoD, industry, and with the many “Spark” cells across the enterprise.
To effectively funnel innovations through development, scaling, and potential fielding, our branch employs channeled or targeted processes. Targeted innovations are defined as top-down, concerted efforts to find or develop solutions to solve SF requirements in the near and intermediate terms. Channeled innovations are defined as the bottom-up, individual, unit, MAJCOM, or industry recommended innovations to improve SF operations.
Governance:
Defender Spark was created through the guidance of DAFI 31-118_DAFGM 2022-01, Security Forces Standards and Procedures. The branch is a function within AFSFC and operates as the innovation hub for the SF career field and responsible for maintaining awareness of unit level innovation efforts. Units and MAJCOMs should inform Defender Spark of their innovation engagements and sponsorships of industry solution providers prior to signing MOUs and/or contracts. This enables Defender Spark to resolve, share, and facilitate innovation efforts across the SF career field.
C&I Channel:
We host a monthly sync designed for SF MAJCOM/Squadron representatives to attend and collaborate on innovation projects. In addition, a file section is provided where all bases are encouraged to list/showcase their projects into the SF Projects file to reduce redundancies and encourage collaboration of efforts. To request access to the AFSFC Defender Spark channel please contact the team via their workflow at AFSFC.S5F.Innovation@us.af.mil. We will provide you with a Microsoft teams link to get established. SF Innovations syncs are always scheduled for the second Thursday of each month @ 1200 CST.
How You Can Help:
Our job is to collaborate and synchronize Security Forces innovation efforts across the enterprise by helping Defenders better understand the innovation ecosystem. Your ideas are important, and we would love to hear from you. Please send your ideas and requests for information to AFSFC.S5F.Innovation@us.af.mil. Also, let us know if your squadron is willing to be a test site for one of our new innovations.
Additional Information (DoD CAC holders only):
DoD CAC holders can find additional information regarding the Air Force Security Forces Center Concepts and Innovation branch on SMARTNet at:
https://usaf.dps.mil/teams/SMARTNet/SitePages/Concept-%26-Inovations.aspx.
Through this website users can read about recent success stories and view information from symposiums and expos attended by team members. You can also find links to AFWERX, Vision, and Vulcan-SOF. Finally, you will find an innovation submission coversheet unit personnel can fill out and send to the C & I team to pitch their innovation or evolution ideas.
How To Contact Team Members:
Team Contact/Org Box: AFSFC.S5F.innovation@us.af.mil
(Current as of May 2023)