Air Force Innovation

We came across such an inspiring article this morning written by an Airmen who attended our September Air & Space Conference. A speech by AF Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh highlighted the importance of innovation -- from all Airmen. Master Sgt. Potvin walked away realizing that, regardless of rank, position or job duty, all Airmen have a capacity to inflict positive change on their surroundings.

Every Airman has the potential to be an innovator
By Master Sgt. Brian Potvin, Air Force Command and Control Integration Center, Peninsula Warrior

I was one of the lucky few who attended the Air Force Association’s 2012 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, D.C. recently. Something that U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said during his speech resonated with me.

“Innovation is what we’re all about,” he said. “We always have been.”


I agree with this statement totally, and want to pass on my perspective on why innovation is so important to us. It was the spirit of innovation in Orville and Wilbur Wright which led to the invention of the airplane. It was Thaddeus Lowe’s spirit of innovation which led him to first use a balloon for reconnaissance for the Union Army during the Civil War.

“Our Airmen need to be thinking about [innovation] at every level of our Air Force,” Welsh continued.

What this means to me is that all of us, whether we have one stripe on our sleeve or we have silver eagles on our collar, have the opportunity to improve the way we carry out our mission every day.

Read the full article here: http://www.peninsulawarrior.com/news/commentary/article_3f0c526a-1ee1-11e2-b6db-001a4bcf887a.html