Wherever you are, 'Strike Now'

by Capt. Karen Mock
Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

3/11/2013 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Airmen across Air Force Global Strike Command can now submit their innovative ideas to a recently upgraded 'Strike Now' website.

"The revised website gives Airmen the ability to participate from any electronic device," said Pete Ellis, director of AFGSC Smart Operations Division. "Airmen can submit from their personal computers, iPads, iPhones, Android devices, or other computer tablets. This gives the Airmen in the field the same opportunity to have their voices heard as the Airmen performing office tasks."

Air Force Global Strike Command created the program as an avenue for Airmen and their supervisors to submit innovative ideas direct to senior leaders. Any AFGSC Airman can submit an innovative idea to improve mission efficiency, effectiveness, readiness, or quality of life whenever, wherever it strikes.

"Every submission is personally discussed by the commander and directors at regular Strike Now Senior Leader Review Boards," Ellis said. "Upon submission, Airmen will receive confirmation that can be printed for their record."

Airmen receive a Certificate of Innovation from Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, AFGSC commander, for an approved submission, and some have been surprised to receive a personal e-mail from the general.

"I was amazed when I received an e-mail from Lt. Gen. Kowalski directly to me, thanking me for my submission and telling me what the proposed way ahead would be," said Master Sgt. Robert Underwood, 90th Operations Support Squadron missile facility manager trainer. "Proof the general does actually read the submissions and stands behind his program."

"Instead of our busy Airmen and their supervisors trying to evaluate ideas locally, we built this program so they can fire their good ideas straight into the staff, and we'll do the rest," Ellis said.

To see what improvements have already been suggested, Airmen will need to create a username and password to view the database of all Strike Now submissions.

"In this era of ever-shrinking budgets and cuts, we simply must capture the good ideas of our men and women to do things better, faster and cheaper. General Kowalski understands that and designed this program so our Airmen would really know he's listening to them - personally," Ellis said.

"Of the more than 300 Strike Now submissions received to date, more than 230 have met our commander-chaired Strike Now senior leader review boards," Ellis said. "More than 60 have been approved or approved in part, and another dozen have been sent to Headquarters Air Force for approval, 70 have been disapproved, often because a change was already being worked."

Some approval highlights include creating standardized, electronic B-52 aircrew training folders; ending redundant inspections; using e-forms for marketing requests, and conducting community fairs.