Maintenance window scheduled to begin at February 14th 2200 est. until 0400 est. February 15th

(e.g. yourname@email.com)

Forgot Password?

    Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Logo

    Innovation Sparks at Osan

    Innovation Sparks at Osan

    Photo By Tech. Sgt. Betty Chevalier | Airmen assigned to the 51st Maintenance Squadron use an electric tow dolly to push an...... read more read more

    OSAN AIR BASE, SOUTH KOREA

    03.25.2020

    Story by Staff Sgt. Betty Chevalier 

    51st Fighter Wing

    The Air Force is modernizing the force and giving power to the Airmen with the establishment of AFWERX, Spark Tank, Pitch Bowl and many more programs. Team Osan is following suit with the creation of its own innovation platform, Osan Spark.

    Osan Spark, officially established in February, consists of an eight-member volunteer committee from various career fields, taking idea submissions and facilitating them through any required offices to find if the idea is something that can be funded.

    “To give everybody the opportunity to share their ideas, we wanted to make sure Osan Spark was that touch point, giving everyone a mechanism to share that idea,” U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Jennifer Lemon, Osan Spark chief executive. “You may or may not feel empowered to voice your idea, or you may not know who to even tell.”

    The idea of innovation is not new to Osan. Tech. Sgt. Nathan Efaw, Osan Spark facilitator, explained Osan Spark originally started as Innovation Engine Room in 2018, where a different office on base was tasked quarterly to work on idea submissions, but with different teams every few months, some idea’s never made it to fruition.  With an established committee, they have the ability to track the progression of ideas easier. Osan Spark is taking some of those ideas and bringing them forward now.

    “I’ve seen 10-15 submissions when it was Innovation Engine Room that all dealt with the frustrations people had with out-processing,” Lemon said. “There is an idea to streamline all the appointments across the Force Support Squadrons which would hopefully alleviate some of that aggravation, so one of our council members is now looking at that application.”

    In addition, Lemon said Osan Spark is already looking to send up 12 other innovative ideas they have been working for commander’s approval.

     “Now that we have a $450,000 goal, there is a lot of money out there for units that have ideas, whether it benefits their unit or Osan as whole,” Lemon said. “Col. Gonzales [51st Fighter Wing commander] is all for getting these funds in the right hands.”

    Airmen who have an innovative idea can submit it through the “Osan Spark” application on their desktop computers.  Once the committee receives the idea, they plan to reach out to every individual, find more information and help facilitate a plan for those ideas.  Additionally, the committee holds meetings at 3:30 p.m. every Wednesday in building 936, room 216 for anyone to attend.  This is open to those with ideas or those wanting to get involved in the organization.

    Osan Spark is focused on fielding tomorrow’s Air and Space Forces faster and smarter.

    “There’s always people that look around and say ‘Man, if we could just have this, it would make our lives great,’ those are the ideas were looking for,” said Lemon.

    LEAVE A COMMENT

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 03.25.2020
    Date Posted: 03.30.2020 04:06
    Story ID: 365825
    Location: OSAN AIR BASE, KR

    Web Views: 86
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN