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Know Your FSO – A Message from the CEO

A few years back I walked into a Lockheed Martin facility and the first thing I saw was a huge TV with a picture of their Facility Security Officer with the caption, KNOW YOUR FSO. I thought that was a pretty good idea, then and now. Please join me in officially welcoming and getting to know Kristine Olsen as our new BGI Facility Security Officer effective 8 November 2021. Kristine is based in our Akron, OH office and is originally from the northern Ohio area. Don’t be surprised if the new office is decked out in all kinds of Ohio State stuff or if Kristine and Chad Darr are dressed in their football jerseys the first week of January. Kristine comes to BGI after a distinguished career as an Army Intelligence Officer in support of Army Special Operations. She spent 12 honorable years serving in this capacity, and was deployed to many locations worldwide in support of our Nation. She along with her husband Parker and two kids decided to make a change to enjoy a more stable family life and has landed at BGI for her next career step. Kristine jumped right into the mix to get through the FSO training requirements, as well as taking advantage of additional training opportunities offered through the Skillbridge transition program (sponsored by the US Chamber of Commerce, Corporate Fellowship Program) as she left active duty. She has worked closely with Dave Carrell, corporate leadership and other Process Area leaders to integrate directly into this critical role. You will begin to see Kristine’s name on more and more correspondence related to Security, ITAR, Insider Threat, and CUI protection. While she is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, I don’t think you will get any correspondence from her in that language.

After distinguished careers at the FBI and BGI, Dave Carrell, our former FSO, is in the process of easing into retirement while exploring other endeavors, including teaching and travel. Dave will continue to support our BGI Security Team while Kristine leads and familiarizes herself with BGI’s people and processes. We will recognize Dave fully when he is further down the road but we would be remiss if we didn’t thank him publicly for his strong support in this transition for Kristine. Thank you Dave.

Security is one of our key pillars here at BGI and having each and every employee become familiar with Kristine and her role makes us a stronger organization. Thank you and join me in welcoming Kristine and her family to the BGI team.

BGI To Attend I/ITSEC 2021!

BGI looks forward to attending the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) from 29 November – 3 December at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. I/ITSEC is the world’s largest modeling, simulation, and training conference and is the catch all for Simulation and Training business. BGI has attended I/ITSEC for the past 24 years and again this year will be there in force with over a dozen employees supporting demonstrations, engaging with customers and executing our own existing program management and business development initiatives.

Each year there is a strong conference theme, this year’s is “Innovating and Accelerating Training:  Adapting to an Unexpected Future.”   This is directly in line with our BGI emphasis of meeting the needs of the customer by thinking outside of the box, integrating operational expertise into program development, and ensuring that military and civilian personnel are comprehensively trained to face the many challenges posed by the continuously changing environments where they operate. This aggressive solution-oriented pursuit stems from the highest levels of DoD leadership and the history of BGI’s desire to be out in front supporting the warfighter.

BGI’s future growth demands that we comprehensively understand the ever-evolving and dynamic environments faced by the warfighter, aligning our core competencies with a robust pipeline. Our Strategic Approach & Vision centers on all aspects of training in many DoD domains and I/ITSEC is the ultimate environment to engage our customers and strategic partners and learn about the changing needs and requirements in the industry. The lessons learned from I/ITSEC will flow to the entire BGI team through each of our programs, projects and pursuits.

“I also anticipate that all BGI attendees will leave this conference with an enhanced perspective and be reenergized to continue with our mission to integrate operational, technical, and engineering expertise to enhance customer capability and add value to aviation, training, defense, and national security programs,” said Phil Dismukes, CEO and Founder

BGI to Attend Air Force Association’s (AFA), Air, Space and Cyber Conference

BGI will attend the Air Force Association’s (AFA) Air, Space & Cyber Conference as a live, in-person event Sept. 20-22 at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md.

A full agenda of speaker presentations and a robust technology exposition will greet thousands of visitors. AFA is working closely with the Department of the Air Force leadership to create a truly memorable event for Airmen, Guardians, and their industry partners in celebration of the 75th Anniversary of AFA’s founding.

AFA’s Air, Space, & Cyber Conference is the leading professional development event for Air Force and Space Force officers, enlisted members, civilians, veterans, and defense industry leaders and representatives. The conference brings together top Air Force and Space Force leadership, industry experts, and government officials to discuss challenges facing the aerospace and cyber communities today and in the future.

This year’s conference celebrates the 75th anniversary of the Air Force Association and offers the opportunity for informative discussions of Air Force and Space Force missions and Warfighter needs. The BGI Team is excited to engage with government and industry partners at AFA to discuss collaborative solutions targeted at positively impacting the mission of Air Force and Space Force Warfighters.

BGI will see you at AFA!

BGI Attending 36th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs – August 23-26, 2021

We are excited to announce that BGI will be attending Space Foundation’s 36th Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado on 23-26 August 2021. Space Symposium brings together government and industry to examine space issues, encourage dialogue, and focus on critical space needs.  BGI will look for insight on near-term and long-term opportunities, to include question and answer sessions and panel discussions. BGI is thrilled to be able to meet and connect with our many government and industry partners in person in a collaborative setting.​  See you in Colorado Springs!

BGI presenting Aviation Data Science capabilities at the Sea-Air-Space Conference and Exposition

BGI is pleased to announce our attendance at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Conference and Exposition at the National Harbor 1-4 August, 2021. The Sea-Air-Space Exposition was “founded in 1965 as a means to bring the U.S. defense industrial base, private-sector U.S. companies and key military decision-makers from the sea services together for an annual innovative, educational, professional event located in the heart of Washington, D.C” (www.seaairspace.org).

In addition to attending the Exposition, BGI will present an overview of our Aircrew Performance Assessment SBIR Phase II technology as part of the Navy Forum for SBIR/STTR Focused Technology (Navy FST) Event at 1300 on Monday in Maryland Hall #3024. See a preview on YouTube.

On Tuesday, stop by the Navy FST Booth at the Main Exhibition Hall #537 to learn more about BGI and our Aviation Data Science capabilities!

BGI is Attending NTSA’s Training & Simulation Industry Symposium

We are excited to announce that BGI will be attending (in person!) NTSA’s Training & Simulation Industry Symposium (TSIS) in Orlando, Florida on 16/17 June 2021. TSIS provides industry an opportunity to network and interact directly with procurement officials for training and simulation products from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Army. BGI will look for insight on near-term and long-term opportunities, to include question and answer sessions and panel discussions. Acquisition strategies, timing, and funding details are also provided during these briefs. BGI is thrilled to be able to meet and connect with our many industry partners in person, after so many months apart due to the COVID pandemic.

BGI Hosts Panel: “Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO): Who You Gonna Call? The Carrier Air Wing”

BGI recently had the distinct honor of hosting The Patuxent Partnership / Association of Naval Aviation Panel entitled “Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO): Who You Gonna Call? The Carrier Air Wing”.  OPNAV N7, VADM Jeffrey Hughes, was the keynote speaker.  Referencing the December 2020 “Tri-Service Maritime Strategy”, VADM Hughes provided an update of the global environment in which our Navy operates and how that environment drives the Navy’s strategy for Distributed Maritime Operations.  Joining VADM Hughes on the panel were RADM John Meier, Commander, Naval Air Forces; RDML Shane Gahagan, Program Executive Officer (PEO) Tactical Aircraft; RDML Carl Chebi, Deputy PEO F-35 Lightning II; and RDML Eric Ruttenberg, Vice Chief Engineer, Naval Information Warfare Systems Command.  Each panel member conveyed how their individual portfolio of products and services contributes to DMO.

The panel was a great opportunity to raise awareness on the strategic thinking of our navy leadership as it pertains to the emerging challenges associated with our Navy’s role in ensuring our national security and economic prosperity in the ever changing global environment; witnessed by the change in tone of our evolving Naval Strategies.  The referenced “Tri-Service Maritime Strategy” shares many of the themes from the Navy’s January 2016/updated in December 2018 “A Design for Maintaining Maritime Superiority”.  One standout difference though is the new strategy is much more demonstrative about China and Russia quest to be the eminent global power and are this nation’s greatest threat.  It also instills a greater sense of urgency in preparing the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corp, and the United States Coast Guard to defend against those threats.  The panel emphasized that key to that readiness and effectiveness is a total force alignment and focus on DMO.

With the understanding that for any strategy to be effective, it must be properly resourced, the panel briefly discussed the impact that the “Tri-Service Maritime Strategy” would have on the budget.  It was stated that though there’s firm alignment between The White House, Congress and The Pentagon on who the threat is, what continues to be debated is the scale and intentions of the threat.  Furthermore, budgets will always be challenging.  As such, all the services will need to continue to balance current readiness vs capacity vs technology/force development.

Adding context to BGI’s Aviation Data Science efforts, was the emphasis by all panel members of the importance of Data Analytics.  Also highlighted in the ‘Tri-Service Maritime Strategy’, the consistent message was naval leadership’s understanding that there is a lot more to learn through data and the Navy needs to be poised for that learning.

Hosting this esteemed panel was a significant opportunity for BGI.  It reinforced the importance and added context to BGI’s mission while allowing our BGI family a better understanding of our role in providing the right products and services to one of our most valued customer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BGI Awarded Indefinite-Delivery, Indefinite-Quantity (IDIQ) Contract in Support of Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD)

BGI, along with 3 other contractors, have each been awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for an estimated aggregate ceiling of $90,000,000, with the companies having an opportunity to compete for individual orders in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division.

These contracts provide for pilot and aircrew curriculum revision and maintenance support, including revision, update and maintenance of curriculum to ensure currency and accuracy of content in support of flight training, education and training services for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Foreign Military Sales customers.

Additionally, these contracts provide for the development of new lessons for curriculum that results from major Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization and Operational Flight Program upgrades to naval aircraft type/model/series in support of fleet replacement squadrons, fleet readiness centers, fleet replacement detachments, and aircraft weapons and tactics schools.

Work will be performed at the contractor’s locations and Navy and Marine Corps installations within the continental U.S., and is expected to be completed in April 2026. No funds are being obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. These contracts were competitively procured via a small business set aside, eight offers from eight vendors were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.

Other awardees include A. Harold and Associates LLC, Carley Corp. and Crew Training International Inc.

2020 BGI Virtual Turkey Trot Run/Walk – VICTORY!

BGI rallied across the nation during the week of Thanksgiving to conduct our 1st Annual BGI Virtual Turkey Trot Run/Walk 5K and it was a huge success.  Over 200 employees, family members and friends completed the event.  BGI conducted a fundraiser in conjunction with the event to support The Gary Sinise Foundation (GSF) where $12,200 was raised and donated to this highly effective & impacting foundation.  Further information about the GSF can be found at www.garysinisefoundation.org.

Naturally with any event where there is a spirit of competition, and we had winners in multiple categories.  These winners received a copy of the Gary Sinise book titled GRATEFUL AMERICAN, A JOURNEY FROM SELF TO SERVICE and a Beats wireless Bluetooth headset.  The female and male winners with times in each category of age were:

 

Under 20                              Sarah Dodson (22:01) & John Kieda (18:16)

20 year olds                        Katie Collins (38:04) & Tanner Dismukes (20:48)

30 year olds                        Nataly Jennings (28:13) & Scott Cook (22:25)

40 year olds                        Liza Meehl (29:52) & Adam Kieda (20:54)

50 year olds                        Denise Ronnow (36:17) & Bill Fitzpatrick (27:53)

60 year olds                        JP Reilly (38:22)

Best Video/Photo            Chris Jergens

 

Overall                                 Sarah Dodson and John Kieda

The event was spearheaded by Nancy Chilton and allowed BGI to pull together during the challenging times of quarantine, build camaraderie in a collaborative, competitive and wellness promoting way and raised funds for our veterans and their families in need.  This event embraced the BGI core values of Leadership, Integrity, Commitment, Excellence and Teamwork in every imaginable way.  One other surprise during the event were the T-shirts that were distributed to those that made the sign-up deadline.  These shirts were manufactured by Authentically American, https://www.authenticallyamericanbrand.us/. At the beginning of the race you have a very nice looking BGI T-shirt. After the event and with just enough exertion, the image of the shirt changed to bring out the core value words as you see in this picture of our CFO, Eric Dodson and the associated video link, https://youtu.be/sLD5iObta-4

We like to say that when BGI rallies for whatever challenge lies ahead, “we sweat out our core values” in every case. This race illustrated this in a very unique, surprising and entertaining way.  Thank you to all participants and congratulations to our winners in each category for such a tremendous display of fun and fortitude! It is not too early to start training for next year’s run.

Happy Labor Day from BGI!

Happy Labor Day from BGI.  BGI supports our customers in a myriad of ways with our work across the country. We do this in excellence. I am honored to hear about the “labor” we accomplish and as such, hope you can join our employee group and take the warranted rest this Labor Day weekend and recharge for the season ahead. BGI operates under one mission with diverse roles across the country. I am sharing an interesting activity of one of our employee groups.

The March AFB MQ-9 BGI employee group directly supports the domestic operations in fighting fires throughout California (CA). The MQ-9s from the 163rd Attack Wing fly around the fires and track the fires’ actual progress.  Near real-time map data is then sent to the CalFire command center so they can allocate their resources to best effect. (This used to be done with ground observers and grease pencils.)  CalFire leadership can also look at the video directly if there is a particularly critical situation. Another use of the data is to overlay snapshots of our video or Synthetic Aperture Radar images over Google Earth imagery to show confirmed destruction of property that can then be used to streamline federal emergency relief funds to those affected.  Our BGI employees launch a significant portion of the aircraft for this mission and have again volunteered to do all aspects the mission as we have in the past. This latest time CA HQ wanted the bulk of the mission, besides Launch and Recovery, to be done by the ANG.  We have 6 BGI employees on State Active Duty supporting this effort.

We are both grateful and proud of our March AFB MQ-9 BGI team for their continued support of training and am excited to highlight this interesting work they do in support of the state of CA.  Well done! Your fellow employees at BGI honor you this Labor Day weekend!

https://www.airforcemag.com/guard-aircraft-watching-california-fires-as-blazes-continue-to-spread/