Hurlburt civilians help keep fight going Published Sept. 7, 2007 By Tech. Sgt. Kristina Newton Public Affairs Aug. 10, 2007 -- Technology develops at a tremendous rate and sometimes it's difficult to keep pace with all the changes. Thankfully, there are people here to help. In 2000, the Air Force Special Operations Command implemented several new programs to aid aircrew and ground operators with situational awareness. The problem was the operators didn't have enough time to thoroughly learn all aspects of the programs and how to maintain them. The answer was to hire people who would become experts on using and maintaining these programs and who could also teach others how to use them properly. This is how mission information mangers came to be an essential part of the 1st Special Operations Wing. A MIM is a civilian with information technology expertise and a background in military operations. They're the main validation authority for any and all computer technology requirements for special operations aircraft and operations centers. The current MIMs are experts on 30 operating programs used by the Air Force. "In 2000, AFSOC was bringing on more new situational awareness tools than operators had the time to learn and maintain," said Maj. Mark Hedden, 1st SOW Information Operations director. "Most aircrew, though thoroughly knowledgeable on their aircraft systems, didn't have the time to learn emerging computer technology. "Likewise, the communications troops with the know-how to maintain and use this technology lacked the operational experience needed to know what mission information was needed, and how to present it," he added. MIMs balance the technical aspects of new programs with the knowledge and ability of the user. They decide which programs will best support the needs of the Air Force, while avoiding the duplication of efforts due to a lack of knowledge about new programs. MIMs also keep standard systems running in deployed locations where the regular maintenance contractors aren't available for support. MIMs ensure all systems are working properly and integration is correct. MIMs have been deploying to Afghanistan and Iraq on a rotating basis for five years. The MIMs retain the lessons learned on previous deployments and build on them to make operations even more responsive and effective. Also, whenever a MIM deploys, he is backed up by an experienced team of his fellow MIMs back home who also provide support. Mike Weber, who retired from the Air Force in 1999, has been a MIM for four years and has been down range four times for a total of 13 months. "We really fill the gap between the software and the user," Mr. Weber said. "Basically, we learn every aspect of the program and then train the operators on the system. We also maintain the systems." A good example of a MIM being utilized to their full potential is the Joint Operations Center. This is where the MIMs run the joint battlefield viewer, a three dimensional, real time battlefield display, which links all elements of the battlefield into one seamless situational awareness display. "We don't get formal training on new programs, we just start using it. We explore the program until we have discovered all the ins-and-outs along with how to fix anything that may go wrong," Mr. Weber said. Lt. Col. William West, 1st Special Operations Support Squadron commander, said he never wants to leave home station without a MIM. "I count on the expertise of the MIMs to rapidly establish our command and control nodes," Colonel West said. "They are a true force multiplier."