711th Human Performance Wing at Wright-Patt gets new leader

A one-time Air Force navigator turned medical doctor became the new commander of the 711th Human Performance Wing.

Brig. Gen. Mark A. Koeniger, 56, a Rochester, N.Y., native who grew up in New Orleans, took over the top leadership post Tuesday in a change of command ceremony at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. He replaces Brig. Gen. Timothy T. Jex, who capped a four-year tenure as the leader of the wing that’s part of the Air Force Research Laboratory.

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The wing is exploring ways to build trust between human operators and autonomous machines and organizing systems to make tasks easier for humans to complete, among a series of ongoing research projects.

Koeniger will oversee a $300 million budget and more than 2,000 employees in seven locations, primarily Wright-Patterson and Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He said he would continue and work to expand the “close collaboration” between the 711th HPW and the region.

“My immediate priority is to get around to the wing, meet the people and learn everything that the wing is into,” the Iraq veteran said in an interview. “That might take me a while because it’s a large wing and they do a lot of great research.”

In an interview, the 31-year officer wearing dozens of uniform ribbons said he was “a fairly laid back, hands-off kind of person. They’re great people in the wing that have extensive backgrounds in their particular areas. I’m going to let them continue to do the work they’ve been doing and hopefully just kind of guide them in a direction to make sure we are in step” with Air Force priorities.

Under a base realignment and closure process, the Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine from Brooks City-Base, Texas and the Warfighters Readiness Research facility in Mesa, Ariz., were joined with AFRL’s Human Effectiveness Directorate at Wright-Patterson.

Today, the 711th HPW comprises the school, the Airman Systems Directorate and the Human Systems Integration Directorate.

Initially, Jex said, the fusion of all three was regarded as “kind of like a shotgun wedding.”

“None of the participants particularly liked each other or trusted each other,” he said.

Attitudes changed, however, and the potential of the synergy was demonstrated when the units collaborated to find a solution to technical woes that temporarily grounded the F-22 Raptor, he said.

“I can guarantee you that the stuff that will come out of this wing in the next few years will make all of that pale in comparison,” said Jex, 56, a Scarsdale, N.Y., native who will retire after a 33-year Air Force career.

“And I will also tell you that the recently developed national defense strategy, called the Third Offset, is squarely centered on skills and core technical competencies that reside largely or exclusively within this wing,” the one-star general said at the ceremony. “This is going to be a pivotal organization and a national treasure as we move into the next few years.”

AFRL commander Maj. Gen. Robert D. McMurry lauded both men at the ceremony. He presented the outgoing commander the Distinguished Service Medal.

McMurry highlighted the wing’s groundbreaking research, from testing F-35 Joint Strike Fighter noise levels to creating a ground collision avoidance system the Air Force has credited with saving the lives of F-16 fighter pilots. “That happens through intelligent, effective application of personnel and their wits and skills in a way that furthers our mission,” he said.

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