TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Tyndall AFB hosted a technology expo Nov. 29, an open forum where government and industry discuss mission challenges and collaborate to create solutions.
The Tyndall Technology Expo has become a tradition, with the first expo taking place in 1997.
“The main intent of the expo is education,” said Lauren Peck, a senior event manager at National Conference Services, Inc. “We want to keep our military and government personnel up to date and informed about the latest mission-centric technologies.”
Technology expos are not unique to Tyndall, and numerous Air Force bases host similar events.
“The event is hosted by Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association at Tyndall and other Air Force installations in order to forge a relationship between the Department of Defense and industry to provide the most current solution for any mission,” said Capt. Courtney Swaney, Continental United States North American Aerospace Defense Command Region-1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern) integration cyber operations officer.
The AFCEA works with the NCSI to coordinate which vendors to invite, security and base access, as well as marketing the event to every interested unit on base, Swaney added.
In the past, companies such as Dell, Apple, Verizon and others have been present to showcase their industries new capabilities.
The event, open to all Airmen and government civilians, is an opportunity for networking, ideas and innovations.
“We have traditionally had a great deal of support from the Tyndall community and several hundred Airmen have taken advantage of the opportunity to walk through the Expo,” Peck said. “When the Expo is in full swing, you can see and feel the networking and the collaboration happening in the room. We have heard of several instances where units were able to find long-term solutions and many continue building upon relationships established at the Tech Expo, even after the event concludes.”
In addition to the open forum, the visiting companies had a chance to brief senior leaders on some of the ideas and innovations within their fields of industry.
“This year we are offering two senior leadership tours, which are a fantastic way for base leadership to get the most out of the event in a time efficient manner,” Peck said. “The tour allows each exhibitor an allotted time to present an overview of their current products and services, thus allowing leaders to move seamlessly from one table to the next.”
Peck closed with her hopes and excitement for the event.
Peck said she hopes the Tyndall community will take advantage of this opportunity to network with many industry representatives, to help ensure that our nation’s security efforts remain ahead of the technology curve.
“The Tyndall Tech Expo is a great opportunity to see how innovative industry solutions can help further the Tyndall AFB mission,” she said. “All members of the Tyndall community, from leadership to end-users, can benefit from one-on-one conversations with industry experts, and engage in technology demonstrations and instruction.”