OUR SITE AS PROMISED: https://unum.nsin.us/SPARwerx — CW2 Beeman takes the reign as host to ask me questions about SPARwerx - how it started, why we do it, and how a person gets their idea in.

CW2 Charles “Bud” Beeman, an Army Warrant Officer talks about his experience with virtual reality and his battalion’s project, where soldiers are developing 360 Layered Reality Training to increase proficiency of Army Jumpmasters, and increase the first time pass rates for students attending the Advanced Airborne School. Bud explains why it’s so important that training be easy to setup and that people can quickly experience the learning multiple times.

CPT Elijah Bales, an Army Ranger and the Innovation Officer for 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment talks about people experiencing the problems, knowing what to do with their idea, and having a program to inject their opportunity where it can be developed.

LTC Newell informally serves as connective tissue between dispersed efforts of innovation across the Army. As a Force Management Officer, she explains that tactical level innovation requires collaboration, not competition - and that the force needs a place to share the solutions each other is creating.

Here is my conversation with Air Force MSgt Michael Offenbacker, the Chief Innovation Officer for Arctic Spark, the Air Force Spark Cell at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson. His people first influence on innovation is propelling efforts to be more adaptive, by putting people at the center of everything they are doing. “Check your ego- Innovation will live and die by ego.”