BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Master Sgt. John Slaughter, a production superintendent assigned to the 307th Maintenance Squadron, earned a spot as a semifinalist in the Department of the Air Force Spark Tank at the Pentagon on Jan. 28, 2025.
Slaughter is the inventor of the Pylon Loading Adapter (PLA)—a custom fixture designed to streamline the process of loading and unloading targeting pods, making it safer, faster, and more efficient.
Slaughter, an Air Force Reservist who also serves as an improvement process manager for Air Force Global Strike Command in his civilian role, said he decided to submit the PLA to Spark Tank out of a sense of curiosity.
"I didn't think it would go anywhere," Slaughter said. "I just wanted to learn how the system worked so I could help mentor other Airmen through it."
However, his design—which can be manufactured using common machine shop tools and requires no specialized parts—resonated with judges.
Now, Slaughter's innovation is one of just a few selected from over 441 entries across the Department of the Air Force to advance to the semifinals.
Spark Tank is the Department of the Air Force's annual competition where Airmen, Guardians, and civilians pitch their ideas to senior leaders and industry experts. The competition's objective is clear: identify bold, actionable solutions and provide the funding and support needed to bring them to life.
Slaughter completed a five-step refinement process that involved defining the problem, assessing risks, and designing the solution. Throughout the process, he received feedback from consultants and was encouraged to submit a video pitch—a step he believes helped his entry stand out from the others.
"They want it to feel organic, not overly polished," Slaughter said. "They want to see that it came from an Airman solving a real problem."
The initial phase of the competition involved pairwise voting, where 1,925 Airmen and Guardians anonymously vote on projects using a randomized algorithm to ensure fairness and equal visibility.
The Spark Tank team then presented the top ideas to a panel co-chaired by the vice chief of staff of the Air Force and the vice chief of space operations.
If selected as a finalist, Slaughter will work with AFWERX—a team of Air Force innovation specialists—to further develop and pitch the project live. If successful, the invention could receive full sponsorship, allowing it to be scaled across the Air Force.
Finalist teams will continue refining their prototypes and forge key partnerships with guidance from the AFWERX and Project Holodeck support teams.
Slaughter emphasized that Spark Tank is open to all, regardless of rank or specialty.
"It walks you through every step: what the problem is, how you solved it, why your solution works," Slaughter explained. "Even if you don't win, your idea is still visible, and your unit can still implement it."
He also advised future participants to make a three-minute video, which is part of the submission process. While some used AI-generated voices, Slaughter kept his presentation organic with visuals and a personal voiceover—something he believes made a positive impact on judges looking for authentic, Airman-driven solutions.
"Be yourself; they're not looking for a commercial," Slaughter said. "They're looking for a real idea from a real Airman."
For him, the Spark Tank journey is about more than the competition—it's about proving that the best ideas can come from anywhere.
"It validated that this project was going to make a difference," Slaughter said. "It helped reinforce my belief in grassroots innovations."
Even if his project does not win the top prize, Slaughter knows that it still has potential. "Even without winning, units can still adopt the idea. Spark Tank gives your innovation visibility, and that alone can make a difference," Slaughter said.
His advice for fellow Airmen?
"Take action, turn ideas into reality. Research, experiment, prototype, create solutions that matter to you and your team," Slaughter said. "You have to be willing to put in the work."
For more information on the 2025 Spark Tank competition, visit the Air Force website.