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2 October 2, 2015
BEACON
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Volume 80, Number 39
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Innovation: Never stop improving
by Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station commander and improve upon your proposal.
Fourth, there are various ways to put innovation in place. An
CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN AIR FORCE STATION, Colo.
(AFNS) -- “Another article on innovation?” you say. I don’t have Air Force Technical Order Form 22 can improve a tech order or
exceptions to manuals and instructions are possible.
any time that I can recall: manning reductions, reduced budgets,
infrastructure we can no longer afford, new requirements; response Over the last few years, our wing successfully used a wing-
to advanced cyber threats, and the cherry on top, sequestration. As developed Requirements Assessment and Compliance Tool and
a result, our leaders navigate the Air Force through and around achieved nearly $500 million in cost savings and avoidance, miti-
the turbulent air these challenges create. However, maintaining the gated more than 200 manpower billet cuts and shortfalls, and ad-
best Air Force on the planet, through these challenges, isn’t solely vocated for and received more than $300 million in funding. The
the job of our leaders, nor is it a one-time thing. We must continu- program was highlighted as the best by secretary of the Air Force,
ally innovate. SecAF/Headquarters Air Force organizations, Air Force Space
Command, 14th Air Force commanders and AFSPC/Inspec-
The Air Force is renowned for innovation. There are histori- tor General. It is a “highly effective” Strategic Planning Process
cal markers at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where the and Continuous Process Improvement program. ReACT helped
Wrights innovated flight controls. At the end of the last century, achieve 48 Air Force-level best practices and has high impact
the Air Force developed technology that made aircraft virtually for the 21st Space Wing. In fact, here at Cheyenne Mountain Air
invisible to radar. Your Air Force developed and maintains global Force Station, we are pursuing some of those ReACT benefits in
precision navigation and timing that not only assures the accuracy our communications and civil engineer squadrons.
of weapons and maintains the ability of networked computers to
communicate, but has permeated our daily lives. The Air Force The best Air Force-wide resource is the Airmen Powered by
has been innovating since we were born from the Army Air Corps Innovation program. It enables ideas, vets and validates them
68 years ago, and we keep innovating, at all levels. through experts, leverages Air Force Smart Operations for the
21st Century where needed, provides a process for implementa-
This year, the Air Force is innovating by consolidating mission tion, and tracks the best ideas to completion. API, released in 2014
support under the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Cen- and codified in AFI 38-402, “Manpower and Organization” seeks
ter. Major commands are innovating by consolidating staff func- input from every Airman on how to make our Air Force more ef-
tions; wings are finding innovative ways to prioritize missions and fective or more efficient.
resources. At the unit level, each of us can be innovative in the areas
The bottom line is that you are the key to innovation. Together,
processes for leveraging infrared imaging technology to reduce the each one of us has the knowledge to improve ourselves and our
number or frequency of hands-on inspections, disassembly and re- mission. We must figure out how to do the mission with less people
assembly they would have done in the past. Maintenance squad- and fewer dollars, yet maintain the best Air Force on Earth. Each
rons are leveraging technology for of us can play a part. The tools are available to help us get better.
electronic technical orders. Lo- With your help, we will always improve. Never stop innovating!
gistics readiness squadrons have
streamlined supply and deploy-
ment processing. However, none
or ever think there are no more im-
provements to be made.
Effective innovation starts
in the areas you know and can
control. For example, all of us
may have a good idea on how to
shorten the wait at the pharmacy,
but only those in the medical
field understand all that has to go
into filling your prescription in
compliance with the law and Air
Force instructions. You will be
able to find more ways to improve
within your own work center than
the pharmacy.
Second, challenge the way it’s
always been done. There may be
the instructions, procedures,
tech order, manual or Air Force
instruction to do things a certain
way, but there is probably a bet-
ter way.
Third, run innovative ideas
past your coworkers, supervisors
or leaders, and benefit from their
experience. They can help refine