AFMC Accelerator empowers Airmen, innovation

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Five finalists pitched game-changing, innovative ideas to a panel of senior leaders during the inaugural Air Force Materiel Command Accelerator at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Club, Oct. 30.

Finalists of the Air Force Materiel Command Accelerator pose for a group photo during the inaugural event at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Oct. 30, 2024. The event, hosted by the AFMC Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office, aims to transform the ideas of Airmen into actionable solutions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Dietrick)

The goal of the AFMC Accelerator program is to transform the ideas of Airmen into actionable solutions that can propel the mission into the future.

“Our goal is to help find advocacy for our Airmen’s innovative ideas and assist them in the event they hit any roadblocks in moving their ideas forward into action,” said Nick Behr, AFMC Accelerator program lead. “We aim to give them an outlet to be able to work on those innovative solutions to help solve senior leader problems.”

Capt. William Mead, currently participating in the U.S. Air Force Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program with the German Armed Forces, highlighted his innovative idea, the mAIM Advantage, during the inaugural Air Force Materiel Command Accelerator at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Oct. 30, 2024. The event, hosted by the AFMC Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office, aims to transform the ideas of Airmen into actionable solutions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Dietrick)

Managed by the AFMC Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office (CDX), the Accelerator program is similar to the Air Force Spark Tank competition but instead deliberately focuses on problem sets identified by command senior leaders. This ensures ideas align with mission needs and facilitates greater buy-in from the top to foster meaningful change across the enterprise.

The AFMC Accelerator innovation call launched in August, and in just over a month, more than 180 ideas were submitted by Airmen and Civilians across the command. Submissions were vetted by the AFMC CDX team, and five finalists showcased their concepts during the AFMC Senior Leader Conference.

The finalists had just 90 seconds to pitch their ideas to a panel of senior leaders, including Gen. Duke Z. Richardson, AFMC commander; Lt. Gen. Linda Hurry, AFMC deputy commander; Lorna Estep, AFMC executive director; Chief Master Sgt. Bill Fitch, AFMC Command Chief Master Sergeant; and Christopher Collins, Executive Director, Developmental Test, Evaluation, and Assessments, Office of the Undersecretary of Defense Research and Engineering.

Air Force Materiel Command Senior Leader Conference attendees examine presentations during the inaugural AFMC Accelerator at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Oct. 30, 2024. The event, hosted by the AFMC Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office, aims to transform the ideas of Airmen into actionable solutions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Dietrick)

The finalist’s ideas were each judged on return on investment, feasibility, and operational impact, and they showcased a diverse array of concepts:

• Lt. Col. Derek Sorensen, 711th Human Performance Wing, proposed Heroes Home, an innovative use of leveraging current and emerging technology, including AI, to enhance anticipatory medical logistics.
• Joseph Glenn, Air Force Life Cycle Management Armament Directorate, presented a safe storage system, using intensive munition technology, addressing munition storage vulnerabilities.
• Capt. William Mead, currently participating in the U.S. Air Force Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program with the German Armed Forces, highlighted the mAIM Advantage, a cost-effective counter-unmanned aerial system measures using mass-produced and commercially available components.
• Jacob Monzel, Air Force Research Laboratory, discussed the potential of origami composites for developing lightweight, deployable shelters that are logistically lean and rapidly deployable.
• Dallin Jackson, 521st Software Engineering Squadron, introduced the electronic Quality Surveillance Plan, or eQASP, a web application designed to enhance contract surveillance accuracy and efficiency through automated processes and analytics.

Gen. Duke Z. Richardson, Air Force Materiel Command commander, speaks to the AFMC Senior Leader Conference attendees prior to announcing the winner of the inaugural AFMC Accelerator at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio Oct. 30, 2024. The event, hosted by the AFMC Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office, aims to transform the ideas of Airmen into actionable solutions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Dietrick)

Richardson expressed his enthusiasm for the program and urged a culture where senior leaders across the enterprise actively engage with new ideas.

“Seeing the energy and the ideas that our Airmen can come up with is exhilarating,” Richardson said. “I hope the spirit and idea generation that these teams have is abundant across AFMC. When our Airmen present ideas or new ways of doing business, I want our senior leaders to say, ‘Tell me more,’ or ‘How would you overcome this problem?’ That’s where innovation begins.”

Mead and his mAIM Advantage idea was selected as the winner of the AFMC Accelerator, and his cost-saving project will move on to further testing.

Gen. Duke Z. Richardson, left, Air Force Materiel Command commander, presents a trophy to Capt. William Mead, currently participating in the U.S. Air Force Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program with the German Armed Forces, during the inaugural AFMC Accelerator at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Oct. 30, 2024. Meade was selected as the winner with his innovative idea, the mAIM Advantage. The event, hosted by the AFMC Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office, aims to transform the ideas of Airmen into actionable solutions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Dietrick)

“I’m honored to be recognized by the AFMC Accelerator program,” Mead said. “This opportunity reaffirms the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing our challenges. Together, we can create effective solutions that enhance our mission and support our Airmen.”

The AFMC Accelerator program champions creativity and serves as a vital platform for Airmen to bring their ideas to life, breaking down bureaucratic barriers that often impede mission efficiency and quality of life. As the program continues to evolve, it holds the promise of fostering a culture of innovation that benefits the entire Air Force community.

“There are a lot of really good ideas that exist in people’s heads, and sometimes they just need a platform to get them out there, on paper and put them in front of senior leaders,” Behr said. “Giving people that avenue really makes a difference and gives the innovative ideas a chance for success.”