JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas -- Primary subordinate units from the Air Installation and Mission Support Center won three categories at the 2023 Air Force Materiel Command Continuous Improvement (CPI) and Innovation Awards last month.
The awards for 15 individual and team categories recognize significant contributions to 2022 AFMC process improvement and innovation.
Innovation Large Team of the Year
AFCEC Strategy, CI, Management Plan, Metrics & Governance Team
Significant Contribution: Initiated the groundbreaking mission-enabling management framework needed to meet National Defense and Air Force strategic priorities, sustain a unity of effort approach, and institutionalize a culture of continual process improvement (CPI).
Achievement: Produced a comprehensive CPI education and training program for more than 1,000 AFCEC personnel. Produced a management plan and dashboard to capture AFCEC’s organizational roles and responsibilities, stakeholders’ priorities, and deliverables to sustain AFCEC’s overarching management framework. Created CPI metrics and dashboard implementing an institutionalized CPI culture, maximizing productivity and improving unit performance. To date, the dashboard tracks more than $116 million invested in AFCEC.
Innovation Hub Team of the Year
Air Force Security Forces Center, Defender Spark
Significant Contribution: Championed numerous innovative force protection initiatives directly supporting joint warfighting missions, and fostered research leading to innovative solutions to enhance mission capabilities for the more than 38,000 Defenders across the Air Force security forces enterprise.
Achievement: Advanced relative innovative solutions by guiding and managing more than 283 vendors through the Small Business Innovation Research process to award more than $20.5 million for research and development. The nine-person team supported six award-winning innovation projects, including a Spark Tank finalist and several AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo winners netting over $2.5 million. Synchronized developmental efforts for drone and counter-aerial platforms leading to $7 million in funding for six innovative concepts enhancing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities for the security forces career field.
Individual Innovator of the Year
Technical Sgt. Dustin Spooner
Air Force Security Forces Center, Concepts and Innovation
Significant Contribution: While leading the AFSFC Defender Spark Cell, Tech. Sgt. Dustin Spooner helped identify innovative force protection initiatives and concepts, enhancing mission capabilities for 38,000 Defenders across the security forces enterprise.
Achievement: At the innovation hub, he guided 283 vendors through the Small Business Innovation Research process, leading to viable solutions fielded throughout security forces. He successfully lobbied for and secured $5.5 million to field an enhanced weapons training system for three contingency response groups and four security forces regional training centers. His evaluation of 93 proposals identified 145 upgrades and influenced the acquisition of $75 million in funding to address urgent Air Force needs.