Kunsan Airman wins Air Force IDEA cash

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Benjamin Stratton
  • 8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
KUNSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (AFNS) --  An Airmen here was awarded an Air Force Innovative Development Through Employee Awareness Program cash award of $1,875 Aug. 30.

Senior Airman Jason Devore's idea to add a tire rotation plan to the scheduled maintenance of vehicles saved the Air Force money and increased the mission-capable rates for all vehicles here.

"Our current method of rotating tires is to just fix them when they need to be replaced," said Devore, from the 8th Logistics Readiness Squadron Vehicle Management Flight. "This is not the most efficient method." Most of the vehicles turn more than they go straight, effectively wearing down the tread unevenly.

Devore's idea is estimated to save the 8th Fighter Wing and Air Force more than $12,000 annually.

"I'm very happy a (an 8th Fighter Wing) member received a cash reward through the Air Force IDEA Program," said Nanhui Kang, the 8th Force Support Squadron base IDEA program manager and manpower analyst. "Submitting an idea means a diligence to me, giving a little more concern and interest about our jobs' surroundings to make it better."

And making it better is just what Devore did, taking a program that cost the Air Force more than $31,000 annually and cutting the budget to approximately $19,000.

"The Air Force encourages innovative thinking in doing the Air Force mission better, faster, cheaper and smarter," Kang said. "Sometimes changes are painful, but with an open mind, if the new method is better, be flexible and accept it."

Group leaders said vehicle management flight Airmen run an excellent program, but during his year-long tenure here Devore saw an area he could improve and submitted an idea.

"What inspired my idea was the fact that multiple vehicles were sitting unusable for problems that could have been prevented with the proper program," Devore said. "This is especially true during a time when the vehicle management flight had limited to no funds for even the smallest repairs."

Even though Devore is a junior enlisted member, his voice was heard by the Air Force and he received a cash award for speaking up and submitting his idea.

"I like the fact that the Air Force IDEA Program (helps) people whose voices may not always be heard," he said. "It allows them to voice their opinions and ideas through a different channel to possibly see if their idea can get heard and implemented."