Once Airmen have an idea or create something they want to bring to the Air Force, it is recommended they reach out to their local innovation cell for further refinement and mentorship. 'They do the work to try and figure out how their ideas will actually make sense for the Air Force.' 'It always starts with the Airmen,' Hill said. Whether creating things in their garages they think will be more efficient or bringing ideas they've seen somewhere else into discussions, people are the driving force behind change, Hill explained. 'Is it just getting leadership's attention, is it getting funding, or is it policy changes on either side of the problem?'

Raymond Hill, Pacific Air Forces innovation lead.

'Being innovative in the Air Force means when you see a challenge, you say, 'Okay, how do I now get around this challenge?'' said Maj. For Airmen, Air Force innovation and the respective unit offices that support the innovation efforts, known as Spark Cells, should be nothing new. Innovation across the Air Force can involve anything from work processes to physical assets and often include policy updates to long-standing Air Force regulations.

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