Hank Polk, an Air Education and Training Command communications and information planner and project manager, has signed up to deploy with Air and Space Expeditionary Force 1/2 destined for Al Udeid AB, Qatar, in May. Officials say that Polk is the first Air Force communications and information civilian to volunteer for an assignment normally filled by a military member. Polk told Air Force journalist Megan Orton, he was just being part of the Air Force team. “If we can get civil servants into some of those positions to give military members a break from deployment, why not,” Polk said.
While the Space Force is still making long-term plans to establish high-fidelity live and virtual test and training ranges in the coming years, officials say they're also working with operators to identify near-term gaps and quickly field capabilities to address them.
