The Air Force Materiel Command built the most powerful Air Force in the world, and our nation is depending on us to build the Air Force we need to secure our nation’s future. As the only command inherently responsible for innovation, envisioning, testing, fielding, and sustaining Air Force war-winning capabilities, our command has responsibilities to not only the entire Air Force, but to inform and advance technology for civilian and military applications across the globe.

To ensure AFMC has the best focus, structure and resources to support the National Defense Strategy today and into the future, AFMC leadership launched a command-wide initiative to identify challenges and opportunities associated with meeting our mission need and to make recommendations for ways to change for the future. The initiative is named the "AFMC We Need."

The AFMC We Need empowers our Airmen to be a driving force behind the changes we need to support the NDS and to develop, sustain and acquire the capabilities our warfighters need to win the fight. The AFMC of the future is flexible and agile, adapts to advances in technology and delivers on its commitments at the speed of relevance to counter today's threats and ensure our Air Force remains lethal and ready.

This commander’s initiative will highlight challenges and opportunities associated with the following:

• Research and Development
• Test and Evaluation
• Acquisition
• Sustainment
• Air Force Installation & Mission Support

The initiative aims to answer the following questions:

1.  Is AFMC structured and organized to support the National Defense Strategy and the Air Force we need?
2.  Is AFMC optimized for innovation, agility and a relentless focus on mission, recruiting and retention?
3.  Is AFMC anticipating Air Force needs?
4.  How can AFMC become the enablers of change and change agents for the future?

Through internal focus groups, interviews, questionnaires and feedback, the initiative will make actionable recommendations for the AFMC future. The entire workforce will have the opportunity to participate and shape a workplace that spurs innovation and inspires enthusiasm to reach new levels of mission success.

To support our National Defense Strategy to its fullest, AFMC needs to adapt for the future. And, we need the entire AFMC workforce to enable that change.

Q. Why is AFMC performing this initiative?

A. AFMC is the most important MAJCOM to achieve the National Defense Strategy and drive to the Air Force We Need. Only if this command works, and this command succeeds, can the Air Force succeed.This initiative will make recommendations to posture the command for mission success for the next 20 years. The AFMC We Need is about empowering our Airmen to help shape the future of AFMC.

Q:  Who is driving this initiative?

A:  This was proactively directed by AFMC leadership.

Q. What is the timeline for the initiative? Who is in charge of the effort?

A. The AFMC We Need initiative was launched in the summer of 2019. The Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office (CDX) was stood up to help the command analyze the data Airman provided and begin addressing issues that were identified. CDX was originally designed to be a one-year effort. However, with the enormous amount of feedback continued to be received from the field, leadership decided to make CDX an enduring office.

Q. What is the intent of the Ideascale campaign?

A. The AFMC We Need  is about empowering  Airmen to help shape the future of AFMC. The ongoing Ideascale campaign provides an opportunity for Airmen to share ideas that can bring forth positive change across the mission set. 

Q. How can I participate?

A.  As a command, it is important that we continue to listen to our Airmen and find ways to break down barriers they face. Our greatest resource is our Airmen, and it is through their ingenuity that we will find solutions to our most challenging problems. Anyone can send an email through the "Contact Us" link on the website which will go directly to an AFMC We Need team member who can provide additional information about ongoing efforts. Airmen can also reach out to the AFMC We Need POC located at each Wing or Center. If an individual or organization wants to share what they have done in support of the AFMC We Need, they can contact the AFMC We Need team or local public affairs office for further action. To share a solution to a problem others might be experiencing or other creative and innovative ideas, individuals can submit to the AFMC We Need Campaign on the U.S. Air Force Ideation platform at https://usaf.ideascalegov.com/a/ideas/recent/campaign-filter/byids/campaigns/111/stage/unspecified.

Q. Will a final report be produced and made available to employees and the public? Will it be released?

A. A final report will not be produced. Instead a series of recommendations and point papers were provided to leadership for review and action. Significant recommendations may be publicly released, provided they do not pose any operational security issues.

Q. What is the plan for keeping the workforce informed on the progress?

A. The workforce will be kept informed through direct emails from leadership, commander’s calls, meetings, videos, on-line collaboration opportunities, articles and other social media venues.Currently, ongoing efforts are being shared via direct emails, PA Daily News messages and other targeted articles as well as through Monthly Activity Reports to command and center leadership.  Regular updates are provided to center and wing leaders as well as organizational AFMC We Need POCs. The Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives Office is looking at alternative methods for sharing information about what the command has been doing in response to Airmen feedback. To submit a suggestion or idea on how best to do this, send an email through the “Contact Us” link on the website.

Q.  Who can I contact for further information?

A.  Send an email through the "Contact Us" link on the website and an AFMC We Need team member will respond to your query.