**Applications – available online here**
U.S. European Command is seeking U.S. military members, government employees and contractors to participate in its first AI Battle Lab BRAVO 100 Night After Hackathon.
The secret-classification level event will be held in March as part of a ‘hackathon’ series sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense through its newly launched AI Battle Labs. The USEUCOM hackathon will be the second DoD event, following the department’s first combatant command hackathon that will be held at a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Battle Lab in Hawaii in February.
Hackathons are forums where military members and civilians conduct bottom-up problem solving to develop prototypes within combatant commands and are intended to expedite learning from operational theaters during competition and conflict. Similar sessions are commonly employed by technology companies where teams develop prototypes with the potential to resolve enterprise, strategic, and tactical data and software challenges. Prior events have produced prototypes that influenced major DoD programs in areas including large language models, space launch, unmanned systems, personnel recovery and more.
“The U.S. Air Force began organizing multi-service prototyping events or ‘BRAVO Hackathons’ to expedite learning and capability development from military data systems starting in 2021,” said Lt. Col. Charles Comfort, vice commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa (USAFE) Warfare Center. “Our defense department operations are complicated by the need to protect classified and operational data stored in varying systems and software applications. Our goal is to develop approaches that leverage data to produce capability that can close technology gaps and produce competitive advantages against strategic competitors.”
The USEUCOM BRAVO 100 Hackathon will use freshly-collected data from a recent command-wide headquarters exercise to calibrate and develop weapons systems, tactics, military strategy, and exercises to leverage data and produce effects more effectively.
“USEUCOM is leaning into emerging technologies today so when we are challenged by an adversary tomorrow, we are in a position to dominate the decision space sooner and with more accurate information. Hosting innovative events, like the BRAVO 100 Hackathon, are key aspects of exploring and understanding what is possible,” said Maj. Gen. Peter Andrysiak, Jr., Chief of Staff, U.S. European Command. “We invite clearance-holding data scientists, developers, and aspiring technical talent to join us as we transform the command through innovation."
The USEUCOM BRAVO 100 Hackathon will be held March 18-22 in the Rogers Center at Patch Barracks, Germany. Interested participants must hold a minimum of a Secret security clearance with some roles requiring higher levels. Eligible applicants must work in the U.S. Government including the Department of Defense, Department of State and interagency U.S. government organizations. A U.S. government contractor is eligible to apply if working on behalf of a U.S. federal contract.
Due to the exclusive nature of this event, BRAVO organizers expect demand to exceed supply for participant slots. Interested participants are encouraged to apply immediately as space and funding, determined on a case-by-case basis, are limited. Applications – available online here - will be accepted on a rolling first-come-first-serve basis with the first group of acceptances taking place in February.
About USEUCOM
U.S. European Command (USEUCOM) is responsible for U.S. military operations across Europe, portions of Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic and Atlantic Ocean. USEUCOM is comprised of more than 64,000 military and civilian personnel and works closely with NATO Allies and partners. The command is one of two U.S. forward-deployed geographic combatant commands headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. For more information about USEUCOM, visit www.eucom.mil.
The USAFE-AFAFRICA Warfare Center is a multi-faceted organization dedicated to enhancing warfighter readiness across the European and African theaters. It is comprised of seven squadrons with distinct missions supported by two divisions. They host joint multinational exercises, deliver an array of education and training courses to U.S. forces, Allies and partners, and deliver decision-quality data and analysis to the Commander, USAFE-AFAFRICA as a subordinate unit to USAFE-AFAFRICA Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration. For more information about USAFE-AFAFRICA Warfare Center, visit www.usafe.af.mil/Units/UAWC.
