JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- In today’s complex global security environment, victory goes not to the innovator, but to the rapid integrator of new ideas, said Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein during the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, Feb. 23, 2018.
A program called the Squadron Innovation Fund will distribute $64 million across the service, Goldfein said. That translates to roughly $10,000 to $30,000 per squadron with operations and maintenance funding. The initiative is designed to continue to empower Airmen and commanders at wing and squadron levels.
“I am proud to announce that we are pushing out $64 million to wing commanders to kick-start squadron innovation at the tactical edge,” said Goldfein. “This money is to let commanders, who know what their units need, to test, experiment and refine their best tactical ideas.”
The idea came to light during a trip Goldfein took to Beale Air Force Base, California, where U-2 Dragon Lady pilots, maintainers and mission planners work routinely with Silicon Valley tech companies for better technologies to keep the spy plane flying.
Goldfein wants squadrons to begin thinking and acting like startup companies independent of Pentagon oversight.
The program should function as a building block for networking and learning initiatives, according to an Air Force release following Goldfein's speech.
Airmen are encouraged to use the service's AFWERX program, which encourages partnerships with academic institutions, science and technology communities and private industries with an invested interest in solving complex security issues. The goal of AFWERX is to create a mutually-beneficial partnership with innovators and entrepreneurs to generate technology at an accelerated rate.
Some of the ways Airmen can present innovative ideas they may have are on wings’ SharePoints’ anonymous-comment hot link, anonymous balloting at squadron commander calls, organization climate surveys and leadership meetings.
“Our Airmen will get something that’s typically hard to produce without funding–quick results,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Ron Thomas, 703rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron commander.
“Airmen will love it as long as squadron leaders find a way to capture unfiltered, innovation and then go after what we can afford with this money. A successful push on this initial wave will inspire more Airmen to push innovative ideas up the chain.”
In his speech, Goldfein emphasized how his approach aligns with the National Defense Strategy’s call for services to use creative approaches, to make sustained investment, and to be disciplined in execution to field a force that is fit for our time and that can compete, deter and win in this increasingly complex security environment.
"We cannot afford to go slow," Goldfein said. "It's time to push up the throttles."