The US Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) has invited civilians and airmen from across the enterprise to submit innovative solutions and ideas. 

The ideas are requested as part of the ‘AFMC We Need initiative’, which seeks to help shape the future of AFMC.

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As a major command, AFMC plays a crucial role in achieving the National Defense Strategy. In order to support the strategy, the initiative will make sure the command has the ‘best structure, resources, and culture’.

Participants can submit their proposals through the US Air Force (USAF) Ideation platform, or Ideascale. It is open until September this year.

Submissions can be floated for any mission area with a specific focus on themes such as leadership, culture, infrastructure, communication and agility transformation. 

AFMC deputy commander major general Carl Schaefer said: “Our airmen are developing innovative solutions and finding ways to improve our missions every day. Often these local solutions can benefit a wider command and airforce audience. 

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“This is an opportunity for us to empower our airmen and civilians to take their ideas and move them forward for the AFMC and airforce we need.”

The proposals will be reviewed by the Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office (AFMC/CDX). Ideas with potential would be taken forward for further development and refinement. 

The participants will be given an opportunity to pitch their solutions, following which decisions would be taken whether to move them to a prototype or implementation stage.

In addition, the Headquarters Air Force will receive ideas that fall beyond the centre and major command level use.

Schaefer added: “What we also learned was that for many of these issues, our airmen were already working to improve them and have ideas on how to address others. 

“We need to capitalise on our airmen’s innovation and expertise across the command. This is an opportunity for everyone to contribute and make a difference.”

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