News

Now that’s a good idea

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  • Robins Public Affairs
Good ideas are set to become greater ones at Robins as Air Force officials have announced a new program aimed to corral Airmen's innovations and suggestions.
 
The Airmen Powered by Innovation - an endeavor initiated last June - is set to launch and will serve to replace three existing "Good Idea" programs: the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness; Productivity Enhancing Capital Investment and Best Practices programs.
 
The goal is to simplify the process of submitting ideas by consolidating the benefits of each program into API, making it easier for all Airmen to effect change across the entire Air Force, according to David Tillotson, Air Force deputy chief management officer.
 
Under the new plan, the role of Air Force Smart Operations for the Twenty-first Century would be expanded as well.

Robins' manpower offices will be responsible for assisting and supporting Airmen as they submit ideas.

In addition to gaining efficiencies by consolidating existing programs, API will also offer Airmen increased access to assistance prior to submitting ideas and institute a top-down tracking requirement, which includes confirming and documenting savings realized from implementing Airmen's ideas.

"The requirement for us to track these ideas recognizes the importance we place in having an environment that fosters and rewards innovation at all levels," said Gen. Larry Spencer, Air Force vice chief of staff. "In this fiscally-constrained environment, we need every Airman engaged in finding smarter ways to do business."

API will serve as a follow-on program to institutionalize the success of the 2013 Every Dollar Counts campaign.

During the campaign, 302 ideas submitted by Airmen were implemented by the Air Force, generating savings of $71 million.