Secretary encourages Airmen to be 'agents of change'

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  Airmen must be capable of explaining what the total Air Force is doing and where it is going, said Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne during an Air Staff Call May 22 at the Pentagon.

The Air Staff Call targeted action officer, senior noncommissioned officer and mid-grade civilian levels of leadership who would soon return to major commands, bases and wings with the knowledge and expertise they gained at headquarters.

Airmen assigned to the Air Staff are in a good position to enhance strategic communication goals and be 'agents of change' for the rest of the Air Force community when they return to the field, Secretary Wynne said.

"I really wanted to talk to you about being an ambassador, when you leave this job on the Air Staff, carrying the message out to the field and the rest of our proud Air Force," the Secretary said. "You are all becoming agents of change. We've created agents of change throughout our Air Force. We are trying to give [leaders] the tools to [answer] people who are asking, 'Why are we doing this?'"

Secretary Wynne spoke about topics ranging from budget constraints and recapitalization to alternative energy usage and Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century. He stressed the many changes that have taken place over the past few years, and how those changes may be viewed by Airmen who are not involved in the policy-making levels of the service.

"Change creates angst," he said. "You've gained incredible visibility, not only into the state of the Air Force, but where we're going in the future. I want to make sure that you understand the rationale behind the many tough decisions we've had to make."

Secretary Wynne described the current defense budget situation as a "perfect storm," stating this is the seventh or eighth year of continuous growth in defense budget requests. "Every year is going to be a little more challenging," because each military branch is "scrambling to do recapitalization," he said.

Additionally, the Air Force is the Department of Defense's largest consumer of fuel, approximately seven million gallons a day at a cost of approximately $6 billion per year. Every $10 increase in the cost of a barrel of oil raises Air Force costs by $610 million per year, he said.

As far as alternative energy, the Air Force is "pushing the nation here," Secretary Wynne said. "We are seeking to increase supply; qualifying our fleet on synthetic gas; and reducing demand by studying ways to be lighter and more agile on the environment."

Nearly 10 percent of Air Force electricity purchases come from green energy producers, and the Air Force has already tested three airframes using synthetic fuels, certifying the fuel blend on the B-52H Stratofortress.

Secretary Wynne also addressed AFSO-21. He mentioned attending a meeting with squadron and wing commanders in which some officers commented they didn't have time to do AFSO-21 initiatives and carry on a wartime mission.

"[A four-star general] responded, 'One of your missions as a commander is to leave your unit better off for your being there. Isn't it nice that the Air Force has finally offered you the facilities, tools, mentors and processes to energize your entire squadron or wing to help you to leave your unit better off?' That was a very good answer," Secretary Wynne said.

"It's about energy at the bottom of the pile," he added. "It's about making sure our people love coming to work, because they own that work. It's about empowerment, but it's more about making sure the Airmen own the process and take pride in it."

The tenets of AFSO-21 have effects that go beyond cost savings. Empowering Airmen to develop innovative ideas and fostering a culture of change help improve processes and quality of work life as well, the Secretary said.

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