By Debbie Gregory.

The U.S. Air Force announced the award of three Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Launch Service Agreements to Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, and United Launch Alliance.

The $500 million award to Blue Origin will be for development of the New Glenn Launch System. The $792 million award to Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems is for development of the OmegA Launch System. The $967 million award to United Launch Alliance will be for development of the Vulcan Centaur Launch System.

The Defense Department has the option to narrow it to two companies no later than 2020 that will then compete for future launches.

Blue Origin was awarded for the preliminary work and will build its New Glenn Launch System.

Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems will manufacture its OmegA Launch System.

United Launch Alliance, which is a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing, will develop its Vulcan Centaur Launch System.

With the Congressional mandate to transition away from reliance on foreign rocket propulsion systems, and the planned Delta IV retirement, the Air Force developed an acquisition strategy to accelerate National Security Space launch requirements.

“Our launch program is a great example of how we are fielding tomorrow’s Air Force faster and smarter,” said Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson in a statement. “We’re making the most of the authorities Congress gave us, and we will no longer be reliant on the Russian-built RD-180 rocket engine.”

“Leveraging domestic commercial space launch systems is good for the Air Force, and a revitalized commercial launch industry is good for the taxpayer,” Wilson added.

While the prototypes are being developed, the Air Force will continue to competitively award commercial launch services contracts to providers who demonstrate the capability to design, produce, qualify and deliver launch systems and provide the mission assurance support required to deliver National Security Space satellites to orbit.

“I’m excited to announce these creative partnerships that directly support the Air Force’s strategy to drive innovation and leverage commercial industry,” said Dr. William Roper, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. “These awards are a leap forward in space launch capabilities, ensuring continued U.S. dominance in space,” Roper added.

By Debbie Gregory.

When servicemembers shed their uniforms for civilian clothing, the desire to serve often remains. It’s not uncommon for veterans to seek careers that allow them to leave a meaningful and positive impact on the people and teams they are responsible for.

As today’s employers face challenges in hiring and retaining talent, they would be wise to take advantage of the talents skills and experience military veterans bring to the table.

Employers who go the extra mile to understand the impacts of the military transition will be at a greater advantage over those who don’t.

Servicemembers who are leaving the military go through the federal “Transition GPS (Goals, Plans, Success)” program, which is designed to prepare them for life in the civilian world, but the program, which runs from 7-10 days, can fall short. Private sector employers, just by recognizing that there is still a lot of transitioning to be done, can aid in the process.

Too many options can be overwhelming for transitioning servicemembers. Employers should keep in mind that for a veteran who had limited choices in the military and is now faced with a completely blank, wide-open landscape in front of them, choice can be paralyzing.

Remember that every veteran is an individual first and foremost, and they have different goals and dreams. But like most of is, they want to be accepted, liked and appreciated.

If you ask a question about their time in the military, be prepared for the answer. Or if they prefer not to talk about what they experienced, be respectful of that.

Keep in mind that committing your time, family, career and sometimes your life to serve your country requires a certain character. The person who serves believes it is the right thing to do, strives to serve others more than him or herself and chooses to celebrate the group success over individual recognition.

By Debbie Gregory.

The 2018 Military Influencer Conference hosted in Orlando was the setting for the announcement of the three finalists of the StreetShares Foundation Veteran Small Business Award – Food & Beverage Edition.

More than 100 veterans and military spouses applied for the award before the field was wittled down to 14 finalists. Then the power shifted from the StreetShares team to the public, with over 11,000 online voters choosing the final top three contestants.

The audience at the Military Influencer Conference, comprised of veterans, current service members, military spouses, and their supporters heard the four-minute pitches of the top three finalists and then cast their votes via text messages for the product or service they believed had the greatest chance of success in the market.

Tasty sweets are the order of the day from military spouse Olandria Hudson’s Henny Penny’s Patisserie. The company is focused on providing high-quality baked goods, catering services and classes to everyone from busy parents, senior citizens, and luxury vacation rentals to the new military service members in the area.

Former U.S. Army helicopter pilot Keith Sherrill of Haint Blue Brewing Company introduced his company as the “Front Porch Beer of Choice.” In addition to his company’s 69 craft beers, Sherrill is proud his company has had the opportunity to collaborate with other veteran-owned businesses. Sherrill stated, “At the end of the day, we’re not building a brewery and making a great product, we’re building a platform and making a difference.”

And the Winner is…

Mark Mhley’s Re4ormed Organics, born from the Marine Corps’ search for a deployable, renewable energy system to recycle food waste. Re4ormed Organics’ anaerobic digester technology addresses the urgent and complex challenges of food and farm waste management. As the winner, Mhley took home the grand prize of $15,000.

StreetShares CEO Mark Rockefeller joked that this might be the first time in history that a garbage product has beaten out beer or cake in a popularity contest!

All three of the entrepreneur finalists took home a cash prize and a year of mentorship from the Boston Beer Team.

By Debbie Gregory.

As the power of artificial intelligence grows, Army officials are hoping that a consortium of experts in non-military robotics can assist combat units in defeating the enemy.

The Army’s Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate (CDID) at Fort Benning has partnered with the National Advanced Mobility Consortium to address some of the military’s problems.

Army officials are hoping the collaboration will result in a solution that can be used for precision engagement in close urban terrain, for dealing with enemy forces that hide among the population in large cities.

The Army thinks robotics can help soldiers do just that, according to Don Sando, director of CDID.

Current artificial intelligence cannot make better battlefield judgements better than humans, but AI is getting smarter, and one day they could theoretically help limit the loss of innocent lives caught in the crossfire.

The CDID-consortium partnership aims to equip military servicemen with tools that will work to conduct precision engagement in close urban terrain, said Col. Tom Nelson, chief of CDID’s robotics requirement division.

“Within five years, I have no doubt there will be robots in every Army formation,” said Bryan McVeigh, the Army’s project manager for force protection. He touted a record 800 robots fielded over the past 18 months. “We’re going from talking about robots to actually building and fielding programs,” he said. “This is an exciting time to be working on robots with the Army.”

But “killer robots” have sparked a moral and ethical discussion.

“It seems inevitable that technology is taking us to a point where countries will face the question of whether to delegate lethal decision-making to machines,” said Paul Scharre, a senior fellow and director of the technology and national security program at the Center for a New American Security.

The partnership will have between now and April to conceptualize precision strike platforms, with the goal of presenting either prototypes or proposals at the National Defense Industry Association’s National Robotic Conference.

By Debbie Gregory.

In addition to your website, a robust social media presence has become a necessity for most businesses. The more active or engaged your business is on social media (posting, sharing, etc.), the better your results will be.

Social media sites are some of the best places for you to communicate with your target audience or customer base, and vice-versa. Develop your reputation as a responsive, caring brand by offering support through social channels.

Social media boosts your visibility among potential customers, letting you reach a wide audience by using a small amount of time and effort. And it’s free to create a business profile on all the major social networks, so you have nothing to lose.

It’s important to remember that your social media pages are a reflection of your business, so make sure you let your brand’s personality shine through in everything you share on social media. What does your brand voice sound like? How does it represent who you are? Play with new ways to connect with your audience.

Make sure you have a system in place for tracking customer comments, questions, and complaints on social media. You also want to make sure that you respond as quickly as possible to any questions or concerns.

Provide the most excellent customer service you can, and go out of your way to be positive and helpful.

Psychology 101, listen to criticism and ensure that your customers feel heard. And last, but not least, know when to move the conversation off the public forum and resolve any issue via private message, email, or by phone.

By having robust social media, you are making sure that you’re not missing out on an incredible marketing opportunity, as social media sites make it easy to spread the word about your product and mission.