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Sensor Olympics Heating Up at the 426 IOS

  • Published
  • By SSgt Randy N. Blevins
  • 426th Information Operations Squadron
Vogelweh Cantonment, Kaiserslautern Germany --  The 28th anniversary of the Sensor Olympics program is upon us and the members of the 426th Information Operations Squadron are "heating" up for the competition. The Sensor Olympics were designed to recognize, reward, and increase technical competency across the Air Intelligence Agency (AIA) and the 426 IOS has taken the competition to an all new level. TSgt James Hamlett, the Squadron's Unit training manager and former Air Force Track & Field coach, has organized this year's Sensor Olympics competition into individual "heats" to test the Squadron's personnel in the various AFSCs.

There are eight scheduled heats and each heat will be a competition in and of itself. The 60 competitors have been seeded based on their scores from last year's games, or if they are first time testers, by their highest CDC test score. Each heat is composed of eight competitors that will test in the Learning Resource Center  where each desk that represents the eight lanes found on a running track. There are some dark horse competitors gunning for the favorites, but they must first make it out of their heat. The top performers are considered Olympic hopefuls and will put their skills to the test during the second round of competition at AIA. Across AIA, the top three performers in the final round will stand upon the podium in San Antonio to receive their medals for their hard work and sacrifice. They will be wined and dined by the Olympic hosts before returning to their Squadron and a hero's welcome. Last year, TSgt Michael Briseno was a bronze medalist in the 1N6 category at the Sensor Olympics banquet at AIA. TSgt Briseno was so impressed with his reception in San Antonio, that he has made the other 426 IOS members very enthusiastic about the competition.

"The 426 IOS feels strong about its chances this year" TSgt Hamlett adds. "The rest of the AIA may be in trouble because our Airmen are on fire." Maybe it was being put through all of those heats. Either way, the Sensor Olympics are alive and well on Vogelweh Cantonment, in Kaiserslautern Germany, as the 426 IOS continues the tradition of fun while encouraging and increasing technical competency.