The team makes the man Published Aug. 25, 2011 By Brian Trapp 309th Software Maintenance Group HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- A key to being an Air Force civilian is to never lose sight of who you are working for -- Airmen. Kenny Bennett has kept that in mind as he has dedicated his career to helping pilots by advancing flight simulation and the doctrine around it. Bennett is in the middle of building a cutting-edge simulator, positioning the Air Force to take the next step in developing trainer systems and attracting workloads to Hill Air Force Base. His efforts have not gone unnoticed. On July 15, the Air Force selected Bennett, Flight Chief for C Flight, 519th Software Maintenance Squadron, 309th Software Maintenance Group, as the nominee for the William A. Jump Memorial Award. The award recognizes outstanding service in administration and notable contributions to the efficiency and quality of public service. The award came as a surprise to Bennett. His deputy, Sheldon Walker, nominated him for his contributions to the advancement of simulators, service to pilots and effect on training doctrine to advance Air Force capabilities. When Walker saw the announcement calling for submissions of outstanding federal employees, he said he thought of Bennett. "He's committed to quality and to the warfighter," he said. Walker nominated Bennett in April, so when the announcement came out naming Bennett as the Air Force Materiel Command nominee, Bennett had already forgotten he was in the running. Now that he's the Air Force nominee, his packet goes on to compete at the federal government level. "It's good (to be recognized) -- who doesn't want people to think you're doing a good job?" Bennett said. Although he has been in a leadership position for years, he remains uneasy in the spotlight. "I wish it was a team award so everyone could get recognized." He credits his team with the recognition that he received, knowing he is backed by some of the best in his field. "We are very fortunate that we've been able to put a team together that could go up against anybody. Everyone thinks that the government isn't as good as industry, but we're putting out world-class stuff, these guys are world leaders," he said. Bennett seemingly spent his whole career with his eye on the next horizon, overcoming obstacles and breaking technological ground for the Air Force. He uses state-of-the-art, immersive simulators to understand pilots' needs and preferences when creating updates for the F-16 software, known as the Operational Flight Program (OFP). When Bennett entered the field in the 1980s, pilots communicated their recommended upgrades through hundreds of pages of written descriptions. These frequently fell short of accurately communicating requirements between the pilots and the engineers. Now, in the dome simulators Bennett's team developed, those pilots can tell the engineers what they want, see it and "test fly" their ideas in a realistic, simulated environment before making a final decision. "That's the whole object of HEDS (Human Engineering Development System), to prototype so (the pilots) can see it before they buy it," Walker said. "He's involved with a lot of our innovative projects," said Tony Henderson, 519th Software Maintenance Squadron director. "I've seen what's spun around him -- you go downstairs and you see all that he's a part of -- and he's got a great team that works for him." Bennett and his team recently had a major breakthrough due to a changing doctrine that drew the lines on who could be involved with developing trainer programs for the Air Force. After a multiple-year effort led by James Sutton, director of Plans and Programs for the Ogden Air Logistics Center, Air Force Instruction 63-101, which previously excluded organic participation on training systems sustainment, was modified so now government participation is encouraged. This significant change allows Bennett's team to develop Air Force training systems. "Now that door is wide open," Bennett said. "We are in a position to utilize our organic capabilities to maximize performance for the warfighter at the minimum cost to the taxpayer." In anticipation of Sutton's success, Bennett and his team supported the change for years by positioning themselves to take advantage of the opportunity. "We believe we have positioned ourselves, through the development of several complex simulations systems (used to support OFP development), to now be the preeminent provider of Air Force Training Systems." That decade-long commitment to helping change an AFI is an example of Bennett's tireless determination to accomplish his goals. "He's very tenacious, and keeps working at a problem," said Henderson. He recalled the first HEDS Mission Critical Review Team (MCRT) that was planned at a Lockheed facility that turned out to be booked. In response to the scheduling problems, Bennett and his team went to the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Office and salvaged some high-end computers, discarded by an analysis group, and prepared them for the first simulations required to conduct the MCRT in-house. The "experts" from the original manufacturer told him that what he was about to do was impossible; 15 years and many similar systems later, he's proven the "experts" wrong. Bennett continues his dedication to flight simulation technology, and proving the ability of his team and the 309th SMXG. When he was told that a smooth-dome simulator was too expensive to build, he developed a solution organically, building it at a fraction of the bid cost. Bennett is currently developing a second-generation smooth-dome design. His pioneering use of a rear-projection configuration will increase image resolution for the simulator by 10-fold. The system can also be updated to achieve even higher resolution, if needed. By creating the rear-projection dome simulator under the umbrella of the Air Force, the technology is open for further development by the U.S. Government. The potential for industry-wide adoption of this high-fidelity immersive simulator will create a lasting effect on pilot assessment accuracy, and has great promise in the training arena. He is committed to advancing Air Force capabilities and self-admittedly is motivated by those who say he can't do something -- he advises his own team to "never say no, never give up, just make it happen." "There's almost always extreme opposition to what you do," Bennett said. "You can't just accept 'no' and go do something else. Don't believe anyone when they say you can't do something. Find a way to make it happen."