In August 2022, the Pentagon tasked U.S. Air Force Captain Victor Lopez to launch a new office for AFWERX , an Air Force innovation unit that leveraged commercial developers and military talent to acquire advanced technologies. This task was particularly arduous because Lopez would be the first and only member of this new office. Having been granted flexibility in the setup of the office, he pondered the complexities of his assignment, the decisions around organizational design he would have to make, and reflected on his recent experiences, particularly those as part of the team that launched the Air Force's AI Accelerator.