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Visit to Google inspires creativity

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Jessica Clark
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The Travis Public Affairs office recently took a trip to the Googleplex, Google's corporate headquarters, in Mountain View.

As we approached Google's campus, my first impression was of numerous employees riding around on bicycles painted in the company's colors. Some employees were in workout clothes, flip flops and jeans, while others were in high heels or dress shoes. 

We toured some of the buildings and noticed floor-to-ceiling white boards that were covered with ideas, maps and sketches. The main cafeteria offered a huge variety of food and the gym offered personal trainers, free energy bars and protein shakes.

The outside courtyard was swarmed with people playing beach volleyball, eating lunch in the gardens and some were having meetings on picnic blankets.

As the tour continued, our guide talked about how the leaders of the company really pushed for their employees to be innovative and that is how it thrives and remains competitive.

Budget cuts are a hot topic for the Air Force and our leaders are encouraging us to be creative.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James Cody recently addressed innovation at their visit to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing in February.

"When we talk about all the innovation in our Air Force and the change that has taken place throughout the history of our Air Force, it's been a lot," Cody said. "It's why we're so good."

Welsh added how Airmen find new and improved ways of doing tasks through innovation.

According to the new Air Force vision document, "Leaders should empower Airmen to think creatively, find new solutions, and make decisions."

After touring Google, I returned to the office with a new perspective of what innovation was. I was inspired to encourage and motivate my Airmen more and create a working environment that allowed them to come up with new ideas and processes.

As Welsh and Cody urged, embracing innovation is an attitude not just for public affairs, but the entire Air Force. We should all motivate people to think about ways to achieve the mission better, smarter and bolder.

Make your mind a floor-to-ceiling white board of ideas.