The mission of the Rapid Equipping Force (REF) is to equip operational commanders with commercial-off-the-shelf and government-off-the-shelf solutions to increase effectiveness and reduce risk, insert future force technologies and surrogates to validate concepts and speed capabilities to the Soldiers and assess Army business practices, desired capabilities, and acquisition techniques to effect institutional Army change. The REF serves as a solutions catalyst, canvassing the military, industry, academia, and the science community for existing and emerging technologies