Photo By C.J. Lovelace | Aaron Widner, a 25-year Air Force veteran, recently joined U.S. Army Medical Logistics...... read more read more
FORT DETRICK, Md. -- With a grandfather who worked on planes in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Aaron Widner already had a pedigree of service in the maintenance field.
Add in his extensive IT and data analytics experience during his own 25-year Air Force career, and it’s a perfect recipe for one of U.S. Army Medical Logistics Command’s newest data scientists.
Widner recently joined AMLC’s Integrated Logistics Support Center as Analysis and Analytics Division chief following his official Air Force retirement as a senior master sergeant on Jan. 10.
“It’s exciting to be part of all these new processes with predictive logistics and advanced data analytics being embraced here at AMLC,” Widner said. “It’s been great learning about Army processes, and I can’t say enough about the onboarding process here. From all the jobs I’ve had in the past, I think AMLC is at the top as far as onboarding people.”
Widner joined the Air Force right out of high school in 1999, starting on active duty before transitioning to the Indiana Air National Guard, where he worked as a data analyst for aircraft maintenance while completing his schooling.
He completed his undergrad degree in computer and information technology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) before earning a Master of Information Management from Arizona State University.
After working for the 122nd Fighter Wing, based out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Widner transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in 2010, ultimately finishing his career with the 459th Air Refueling Wing at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where he worked as superintendent of inspections under the wing’s inspector general.
“My responsibilities included managing the wing exercise and inspections program, assessing mission effectives and readiness within three groups and 12 squadrons,” Widner said. “It was a great job because I got to see how different components of the Air Force functioned together -- from communications to maintenance to ops. It was cool to see how everything works together to get a mission done.”
In Widner’s role at AMLC, the Army’s Life Cycle Management Command for medical materiel, he is heading up the data science team as the command builds up its predictive logistics and analytics capabilities.
Joel Cook, chief of the Technical Information Management Division under the ILSC’s Logistics and Technical Support Directorate, called Widner an “exceptional asset” to the command, bringing a wealth of technical expertise and knowledge.
“In my opinion, even more important than that, Aaron brings the attitude and character of a great leader and team member,” Cook said. “It’s relatively easy to teach a person a skill or expertise, but it’s much harder to teach someone to be kind, caring, respectful, willing to assist without being asked and dedicated to success. Aaron is all these and more.”
AMLC is leading the way as the Army reforms MEDLOG support to the operational force, synchronizing acquisition activities throughout the medical life cycle, increasing responsiveness of logistics on the battlefield and boosting overall readiness.
A big piece of that puzzle is using data to help decision-makers anticipate and position lifesaving medical materiel during large-scale combat operations, which is where ILSC data scientists come into play.
Under direction of the LTSD, data scientists provide analysis and analytics services supporting AMLC’s teams of medical logisticians and maintainers at more than 25 sites around the globe.
They help align MEDLOG with the whole-of-Army approach to use predictive logistics to deliver precision sustainment -- reliable, agile and responsive capabilities that enhance materiel readiness, optimize the medical supply chain and reduce costs.
Predictive logistics refers to the Army’s ability to harness
the power of data to forecast units’ needs, and then synchronize production and distribution at every echelon.
“I really enjoy problem solving, especially with predictive logistics, building out models and engaging with other groups within AMLC,” he said. “These capabilities are still very new and exciting to be part of the team to build it out to support the warfighter.”
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2025 15:12 |
| Story ID: | 490286 |
| Location: | FORT DETRICK, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 370 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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