Fort Valley State University recently entered a historic partnership with the Robins Air Force Base to open a special military intelligence lab.

FVSU has a long-standing relationship with the United States military, considering it also has an established Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. Upon graduation, students participating in the program are commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, and serve in the Active Army, Army National Guard, or Army Reserves. See the full story below on FVSU’s latest military partnership.

FVSU hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 4 in the Blanchet Computer, Technology and Mathematics Building in honor of hosting unclassified test versions of the Forward Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (FPED) system on campus.  The FPED system provides Air Force intelligence analysts with the ability to analyze real-time, full-motion video, signals, intelligence and other information needed to provide actionable information to commanders in the field.

“We’re actively expanding our students’ knowledge in computer science and cybersecurity with this new collaborative lab,” said LuWanna Williams, FVSU director of the Center for Student Engagement. “The knowledge they are gaining through research and access to this technology is invaluable. We’re elated to have such committed partners in Robins Air Force Base.”

After signing an Educational Partnership Agreement with Robins Air Force Base (RAFB) last month, FVSU is able to host and utilize the specially equipped lab on campus. The lab will provide RAFB personnel workforce with a secured location to enhance their unclassified work while simultaneously creating a pathway for FVSU’s computer science students to achieve their educational and career goals.

The placement of the RAFB-FPED lab on FVSU’s campus provides an immediate connection for students seeking experiential learning opportunities in the field of Computer Science with AFLCMC/HBGB. The partnership with the military installation in Houston County, Ga. also creates a pipeline of potential team members for RAFB, and creates a group of highly credentialed college students ready for immediate deployment into Georgia’s workforce.