The Space Warfare Center here became the Space Innovation and Development Center in a formal ceremony March 8. The name has changed, but the organization’s mission remains the same, the commander said.

“One of the things I want people to understand is that there’s no change in our mission,” Col. Larry Chodzko said. “What’s changed is the new focus General Lord and now General Klotz have given us to concentrate on.”

Gen. Lance W. Lord was Air Force Space Command commander before his retirement ceremony March 3; Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz is AFSPC vice commander.

“We’re not losing mission areas -- we’re gaining a couple in how to better serve the civilian population,” Colonel Chodzko said.

In one of the more significant changes, the 3rd Space Experimentation Squadron was activated March 10. The squadron is the only Air Force organization with a mission to develop operational concepts for space systems, said Brig. Gen. Robert M. Worley II, AFSPC director of plans and programs.

“The key to 3rd SES is the ‘E,’” Colonel Chodzko said. “If you draw a thread back to (the Global Positioning System), it allows us to do what air platforms already do, which is develop new applications for existing systems. Part of the vision we have for the command is to do that through 3rd SES.”

In addition, the 26th and 527th Space Aggressor Squadrons will realign under Air Combat Command but will still be physically located at Schriever.

“We’ll still look out for them,” the colonel said. “We have to maintain our close relationship. But overall, the organization and the command will be richer. The aggressor squadrons will bring in information from the operational side of the house, and they can take things (from the SIDC) to information warriors.

“This is a great synergy. Given time, I think we’re going to ask ourselves why we didn’t do this years ago,” Colonel Chodzko said.

The SIDC’s focus will expand as well, allowing and even requiring the organization to think “outside the box,” the colonel said. However, support and capability for the warfighter will remain the primary focus.

“Part of our charter all along is the use of what we already know in a different light for states and the federal government,” he said. “We’re going to get every dollar and penny the taxpayers invest in us and give it back every way we can.”

Web Warn is one example. The program, originally intended for military use, is being expanded and renamed State Warn. The expanded program will offer weather warnings to counties and municipalities via the Internet and give them the opportunity to warn their citizenry, Colonel Chodzko said.

“In some ways, we may be the vanguard of what’s happening (in space systems development),” he said. “In fact, if we’re not on the leading edge of innovation and development, we’re not doing our job and giving the taxpayers what they expect from us.

“We’re not here to solve world hunger, but we might be able to give people french fries,” he said. “We’re going to continue in areas we’re working today and expand efforts into areas we haven’t previously looked into. Our job is to try to enhance the security of our nation, to make life better.”

The possibility of discovering new applications brings with it increased responsibility, however.

“It is incumbent upon us to do data mining,” Colonel Chodzko said. “We will spend a lot of time looking into programs to see what we can offer.”

The name change is also not without personal impact for the colonel.

“It’s sad for me,” he said. “I’ve been associated with some missions and products of the SWC since before it was officially named. There are a lot of emotional ties. But at the same time, I’m really excited about the future of this thing. I look forward to coming to work because we’re building the future of this organization.

“I’m humble and grateful that the leadership has entrusted us with this. It’s a great responsibility to make sure we’re still moving forward,” he said.

The data-mining process carries two essential questions. The first is, what if. The second is, how much. The desired result of the SIDC’s process is new procedures, techniques and tactics that will benefit warfighters.

“If all we accomplish is to bring back just one extra Soldier or Airman, it will be worth it,” Colonel Chodzko said. “That’s why, to me, this is inspirational --because the things we work on here have the chance to do that.”