SSgt. Kurtis Harrison, a command, control, communications, and computers systems project manager with the 96th Communications Squadron at Eglin AFB, Fla., is one of the Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2015. Harrison was selected as AFMC’s Outstanding Cable and Antenna Systems NCO of the Year while serving as C4 systems project manager. He accelerated weapons data fielding by engineering a cable purchasing solution that reduced acquisitions processing time from 105 days to 14 and was instrumental in the awarding of a $5-million telecommunications contract that expedited C4 requirements and eliminated a two-year backlog. He also managed a $1.1-million tool program that certified 931 assets and was named a “Best Practice” by the inspector general during the wing’s unit effectiveness inspection. Harrison completed six college classes, earning 18 credits toward a Bachelor of Science degree in information systems management and was named to the dean’s list. Air Force Magazine is shining the spotlight on each OAY in the days leading up to AFA’s Air & Space Conference, which starts Sept. 14 in National Harbor, Md. Also featured were: SrA. Allen Cherry, SrA. Meaghan Holley, SrA. Mason Meherg, SSgt. Kresston Davis, and SSgt. Lindsey Fuentes.
A pair of chief information officers for Pentagon organizations argued for a more practical approach to artificial intelligence focused on things like streamlining organizational tasks across the Defense Department.