Moody Airmen had the opportunity to pitch their innovative ideas before a panel of 23d Wing and local community leaders during the base’s second annual Air Force Spark Tank competition, May 3, 2019, here.

Seven Airmen presented ideas that will cost-effectively modernize various missions and drive innovation starting at the squadron level and up.

“(Spark Tank) encourages our personnel to think outside the box and not worry about their ideas being stopped at their level of leadership due to a lack of money or resources,” said Master Sgt. Jennifer Smith, 23d Force Support Squadron career assistance advisor. “It gives our younger Airmen a voice and the ability to think on a broader perspective. Just because we’ve been doing something for so long doesn’t mean there’s not a better way to do it.”

Innovation serves to improve the future, that according to Smith, Spark Tank offers endless possibilities from the Airmen’s future-oriented focus to keep the Air Force an innovative force.

“It’s all about giving Airmen back time, finding new ways to do business better, faster, easier,” Smith said. “It could be a simulator that assists with training so personnel don’t have to go TDY or a tool that helps an aircraft crew chief be more efficient. It helps us do something better, be it more efficient or effective, and setting the pace for others to follow.”

Since last year, Moody has been able to capitalize on the Spark Tank ideas, showing that if an Airman has a dream that can benefit the Air Force, Moody can make it happen.

“We want Spark Tank to show that we, not only as Flying Tigers, but the Air Force as a whole, care about the innovations of our Airmen,” said Col. Justin DeMarco, 23d Wing vice commander. “We want to give them this opportunity to have their best and brightest ideas heard. Sometimes, innovative ideas from Airmen at the wing level can ignite a process change for the entire Air Force that makes us more combat effective. One of our wing commander’s priorities is to prepare for tomorrow.  Spark Tank allows our Airmen to make direct contributions to that priority by helping to keep our Air Force on the cutting edge and ensuring we remain the most dominant fighting force in the world.”

As Moody celebrated its risk takers and idea makers who continued to develop solutions to bring the very best to the fight, senior leadership encouraged others to follow their innovative passions to impact the Air Force.

Thank you to all the Airmen who submitted and congratulations to Moody’s Spark Tank winners:

1st Place: Staff Sgt. Elisa Lewis and Senior Airman Christopher Nance presenting Finance In-Processing, which provides interactive in-processing and travel voucher completion.

2nd Place: Tech. Sgt. Kevin Grabowsky presenting Motorola Wave, a way to increase Land Mobile Radio capabilities.

3rd Place: 1st Lt. Sarah Biro presenting NightWatch, a different way to track and assess global threats.