"Airmen Powered by Innovation" motivates Airmen to submit ideas Published June 12, 2013 By Airman 1st Class Erica Rodriguez 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- During the month of May, Airmen and civilians were encouraged to submit cost reducing ideas to the Airmen Powered by Innovation websites as part of the Every Dollar Counts campaign. Every Dollar Counts seeks to promote a shift in the Air Force culture of how money is spent and saved. The campaign wants to change the mindset that units must spend their entire budget before the end of the fiscal year to one that promotes saving and returning of budget dollars so it can be used for higher priorities that benefit the whole service. While Every Dollar Counts is a long term effort, the Airmen Powered by Innovation website was a month long program running from May 1 to June 1 to help Airmen and civilians take the initiative to bring attention to their cost saving ideas. Gen. Larry Spencer, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, asked all Airmen¬ to submit any ideas that could potentially save the Air Force money or time generating thousands of ideas by the end of the month. Spencer praised everyone's involvement in a letter sent to all Airmen: "Fellow Airmen, Thank You! We asked for your help to find more cost effective ways to deliver Airpower and you delivered--big time! The response during the Airmen Powered by Innovation Call generated 11,000-plus ideas in just 30 days! Now the ball is in our court to quickly assess the ideas and implement those that show the most promise--several of which have been implemented already!" Of the ideas submitted, 38 percent affect personnel policy, 23 percent involved logistics and installation support and 11 percent recommended changes in information technology. Next, in order of the most suggestions, were current operations, financial management, health services and acquisition. Spencer also shared in his letter a few examples of cost saving initiatives of Airmen at various bases. Airmen at Homestead Air Reserve Base began sharing training facilities and conducting joint exercises between the base fire department and Miami-Dade, Broward, Charlotte and Lee counties, saving approximately $500,000 a year. Individuals such as Stacy Burgess, 97th Comptroller Squadron, took the initiative to save her base money. Burgess noted that issued deployment items could be returned and reissued. By reissuing items the cost of new purchases decreased from $2,892.64 per customer to $1,498.67. This new policy has the potential to save her base and the Air Force $50,000 to $100,000 per year. While the Airman Empowered by Initiative has come to a close, they are still asking Airmen and civilians to submit their ideas. "I encourage you to keep thinking about how we can accomplish our mission, faster, better and cheaper," said Spencer in his letter. "Your overwhelming response during the Airmen Powered by Innovation Call for ideas has emboldened us all with confidence that our Air Force will persevere through these tough times and emerge a more effective and efficient fighting force for America." At the end of the fiscal year 2013 in October, Spencer will publicize savings found and how they were used. Ideas can be submitted at the following website https://ipds.randolph.af.mil .
