Buckley Airman earns big through IDEA Program Published Jan. 10, 2008 By Air Force IDEA Program BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- A Buckley Airman cashed in an idea for more than $1,000 recently. Senior Airman Darrel Gahagan, 460th Medical Group, was rewarded $1,317 through the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness Program for his idea to change the process for third-party collection documents from a hard copy, manual process to an electronic, automated process. The IDEA program uses 15 percent of the Air Force's first year of savings to reward those whose ideas are incorporated into the workplace. Airman Gahagan's process will save the Air Force at least $7,444 in its first year. The new process involves scanning and electronically transferring documentation with a third party, including insurance companies. This process saves manual labor, faxes, paper, toner, and postage, and results in a faster turnaround time for processing. The Air Force has paid Airmen and DOD civilians more than $1,297,000 over the last several years through the IDEA program. The program is open to all Air Force personnel, and rewards typically range from $200 to $10,000, depending on how much the Air Force benefits from the idea. IDEA submissions have saved the service more than $81,000,000 since the program's inception. Forty-seven percent, 2808 ideas, have been approved already. Ideas that gain approval are ones that save time, money and resources; improve or correct a process; or combine some or all of those qualities. Ideas must be original thoughts or new applications of old principles. To see an idea that has already been submitted, go to https://ipds.mont.disa.mil. For more information about eligibility and rewards, review AFI 38-401, check the Web site or call Mr. Lonnie Koyama at 720-847-IDEA (4332).