This is where you come in; it’s time to speak up Published June 19, 2014 By Brig. Gen. Nina Armagno 45th Space Wing Commander PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- I recently saw an article on the Air Force web page that particularly grabbed my attention. Entitled "Airmen can change how the Air Force does business," the article went into great detail about a relatively new program and idea that I have foot stomped for a long, long time around here. As you know, along with (1) 100 percent mission success, and (2) deliberately developing our people, "Igniting Innovation" is one of our three main priorities here at the 45th Space Wing. This Air Force program, founded in April, is called the "Airmen Powered by Innovation" program, and consists of four improvement plans: Innovative Development through Employee Awareness, Productivity Enhancing Capital Investment, Best Practices and Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century. Launched in April, API was initiated thanks to the success of the Make Every Dollar Count initiative, which generated 11,616 ideas in one month. This is where you come in. It's time to step forward and speak up. "Igniting innovation" is not something we are going to put on a "when-we-get-to-it, down-the-road-bucket-list." We're out of time for that. We need to do it now. Team, this Air Force-wide initiative is gaining traction at the highest of Air Force levels -- and not just because it's the latest "flavor of the month" -- but because it's imperative for us to look at the way we do business in order to survive now and to come out a stronger, leaner, and more capable force down the road. Gen. Larry Spencer, the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, had this to say about the Airmen Powered by Innovation Program. "Look at your area of influence, look at where you work, question what you're spending, ask, 'can we do it differently, do we have to spend that much for it?' They're questions we'd ask ourselves if we were sitting at home balancing our checkbook," he said. That's a fact; there's no doubt we'd ask ourselves questions like that at home, so feel free to take the same approach in your workplace. Be bold. Think creatively. Solve problems. The answers we come up with here will define our destiny, and ensure our future success. Stay Focused Sharks!