Change + Innovation = 100% mission success Published July 9, 2014 By Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno 45th Space Wing Commander PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Whether we notice it or not, change happens around us every day. Change can be anything ranging from those PCSing in your work center, to promotions or even menu items at The Alley. It is everywhere and we as a culture embrace it, which is what makes us the greatest and most agile Air Force in the world! At the beginning of the year I challenged each and every one of you to look at the changes taking place around you and to seek out opportunities of taking the initiative to drive some of those changes through our "Year of Innovation" initiative. Today, I'm proud to announce that we have reached the mid-way point and I'd like to mark this milestone with a success story. So indulge me for a moment while I brag about your hard work and prove to you that this stuff really works! Allow me to introduce Paul Lewis and Hank Rhodes from the wing safety office. These two put their heads together and saw an opportunity to innovate when a new annual program audit requirement went from every three years to every year. You all know how I feel about safety and that it must be at the forefront of everything we do every day, because without it, there are no second chances...just in case you forgot! Sorry, got sidetracked with the shameless safety plug, now back to the new safety requirement. Switching from every three years to an annual requirement meant $71,500 in additional time and manpower support. In April of this year, Paul and Henry had an idea to request a variance to the new Air Force Instruction requirement. They took that idea to the "Innovate Now Team" who then helped facilitate it moving on to Air Force Space Command, who then advocated on our behalf to the Air Force Safety Center. Last week the Safety Center came back with their answer and agreed to allow the wing to continue using the OSHA triennial compliance audits in lieu of the need for annual ones. Three months of running this idea to ground not only saved hundreds of thousands of dollars, but also the need for additional personnel and man hours all without sacrificing safety. That's a win-win in my book! You've heard me say it all year long and this proves it, innovation is alive and well here at Team Patrick-Cape. This is what innovation looks like to Paul and Hank. Now I wonder, what's it look like to you? "Stay Focused, Sharks!"