JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO – RANDOLPH, Texas -- During the last three months, members of Air Education and Training Command have put their minds together with one goal in mind; innovation.
Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, commander of Air Education and Training Command, challenged Airmen to take part in the Innovation Challenge, a contest designed to inspire improvement and change within the command.
The innovation competition consisted of five categories: Institutional Culture, Mission Accomplishment, AETC Big Rocks, Air Force Big Rocks, and the “Adapt Award.” The top two units in each category presented their successes at the AETC Senior Leader Conference held at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, March 6-10.
The winners are as follows:
The winner of the Institutional Culture Category was the 17th Training Wing, Goodfellow AFB, Texas. Members of the 17th TRW provided innovative ideas to include establishing a Total Force Development Mentoring Program, driving AETC’s first Operational Medical Element, as well as maximizing $300 million in training production.
The winner of the Mission Accomplishment Category were members of the 58th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Members of the 58th SOW pioneered the Air Force’s only enlisted undergraduate flight training and opened career enlisted aviator cross flow, as well as reduced special missions aviator graduate training failures from 30% to 5%, alleviating an Air Force Specialty Code wide deficit by 60%.
The winner of the AETC Big Rocks Category was the 14th Flying Training Wing, Columbus AFB, Mississippi. Members of the 14th FTW initiated and executed developmental and operational testing for the Air Force’s first GBU-58, a laser guided bomb, employment at Eglin AFB, Florida, and Nellis AFB, Nevada ranges, minimizing cost/burden on testing community.
The winner of the AF Big Rocks Category was the 56th Fighter Wing, Luke AFB, Arizona. Members of the 56th FW submitted innovative ideas that included a comprehensive pilot production forecasting program that is integrated with a quantitative manning model that provides accurate decision aids for Air Force pilot manning challenges.
The winner of the Adapt Award Category was the 14th FTW. Members of the 14th FTW submitted innovative ideas that included locally made high-definition videos that received positive feedback for training and instruction that could be used with virtual reality goggles, providing real-time immersion for the viewer.
Winning units received a monetary award to be used for any operations and maintenance fund purchases.
“Innovation really comes from our Airmen,” said Roberson. “It comes from the youngest folks in our Air Force because that’s where the rubber meets the road, that’s where the mission is getting done. So the best ideas, the most innovative ways to fix things are coming from our Airmen.”