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New era for Multi-Domain Test Force

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Christine Saunders
  • Air Force Test Center Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --  

The Air Force Test Center ushered in a new era of the Multi-Domain Test Force, appointing its first military commander, Lt. Col. David Levene, at the AFTC Detachment 1 and MDTF Assumption of Command ceremony July 9. The MDTF will take residence at Nellis AFB, Nevada, with future employees set to additionally operate out of Edwards and Eglin AFB. 

“The need for a test environment to support joint, all-domain, warfighting has been recognized for years, but left to the innovative airmen in our test squadrons to create for themselves...until the standup of the MDTF,” said the presiding official, Maj. Gen. Christopher Azzano, Air Force Test Center commander.

The MDTF will serve as the connective tissue for test environments that aim to bridge air, land, maritime, cyberspace, space, and electromagnetic spectrum domains.

“The MDTF is an enduring pursuit, not a new building, new people, or new equipment,” said Azzano. “It’s a new paradigm, an adaptable, evolving team…a mindset for collaborating across the vast talent of the test center and our mission partners.”

Air Force Test Center formally stood up the MDTF Oct. 1, 2020 at Edwards, under the leadership of Christopher Klug. 

“At the stand-up we said what the MDTF would be: a service, domain, and geographically agnostic organization, people and capability based,” said Klug. “Things that were questions 1, 2, 3 years ago, are now answers.”

The group of new hires set to work at Nellis, Edwards, and Eglin will serve as the core nucleus to support and enable thousands of testers who make multi-domain test happen.

“The MDTF’s mission is an opportunity to add to the Air Force and DoD’s test enterprise and help shape and ensure the effectiveness of the next generation of warfighting capabilities,” said Lt. Col. David Levene.

Forging partnerships and relationships within the developmental and operational test communities will be a top priority for the MDTF as it grows in capability.

“To the Warfare Center, to the Air Force and joint acquisition communities, to our friends in the departments of the Navy and the Army, to the Air Force Major Commands, the Combatant Commands, and many other future mission partners,” said Levene, the new MDTF commander. “We are excited to work with you, because while this is an Air Force unit, Multi-Domain testing is inherently joint.”

The MDTF will aim to fill in the seams in test organizations, identifying needs to connect, collaborate or create new technological capabilities at the speed of relevance.   

MDTF will work alongside Large Force Test Events such as the 412th Test Wing’s Orange Flag, the 96th Test Wing’s Emerald Flag, and the 53rd Wing’s Black Flag.

The event was livestreamed here.

Edwards provides care, opportunities for children aged six weeks through high school graduation

Edwards provides care, opportunities for childrenaged six weeks through high school graduation

The Child and Youth Program at Edwards AFB provides care and opportunities for kids ages six weeks old through high school graduation. A brief summary of those services follows:

  •                    The Child Development Center cares for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, with a DOD-wide curriculum. The curriculum is focused on learning through play activities supporting social, emotional, physical and intellectual development. Installations across DOD follow the curriculum on the same timeline to allow seamless permanent change-of-station transitions for youth enrolled in care.
  •                    The School Age Center provides before and after-school care and summer camp for children ages 5 to 12. During school breaks, full-day camps are offered. SAC promotes cognitive, social, emotional, cultural, language and physical development through programs that encourage self-confidence, curiosity, self-discipline and resiliency.
  •                    The open recreation program at the Main Youth Center provides a safe space for ages 9 to 12 to attend after school. Programs include Power Hour, STEM, Torch Club, social recreation, youth camps, special events and more.
  •                    The youth sports program provides intro and league opportunities for ages 3 to 12, and promotes inclusiveness, self-discipline, commitment, resiliency and social skills. There are four sports offered annually for ages five to 12: baseball/softball, soccer, flag football and basketball. Smart start programs are available to ages 3 to 5. There are many other sports and camps offered throughout the year.
  •                    The Teen Center is available for ages 13 to 18 during the school year. Programs offered include Military Youth of the Year, Keystone Club, social recreation, STEM activities, college trips, leadership camps and more.
  •                    Youth programs (SAC, open rec and teen) are affiliated with the Boys and Girls Clubs of America and 4-H.
  •                    Family Child Care homes – there are currently three FCC homes on the installation. They can provide care for ages two weeks to 12 years. FCC providers are trained by Child and Youth Program training and curriculum specialists and have the flexibility to determine their hours of operation and the ages of youth within their care. The program’s new dedicated manager, Jennifer Stegmann, may be reached at 661-275-7529.

Although CDC enrollment capacity is 317, not all slots are currently filled because of a shortage of childcare workers. School Age Center enrollment capacity is 156. After-school care enrollment is 130. Before-school care enrollment is 75. Summer Camp 2022 was at its capacity and enrollment for Summer Camp 2023 opens April 3.