Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Larry Spencer speaks with Airmen from the 11th Logistics Readiness Squadron June 6, 2013, on Joint Base Andrews, Md. Spencer coined four Airmen who collaborated on an idea to save the Air Force money. The Airmen found less expensive leases for distinguished visitor transport vehicles, which will save more than $10,000 per year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Erin O’Shea)
Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Larry Spencer speaks with Airmen from the 11th Logistics Readiness Squadron June 6, 2013, on Joint Base Andrews, Md. Spencer coined four Airmen who collaborated on an idea to save the Air Force money. The Airmen found less expensive leases for distinguished visitor transport vehicles, which will save more than $10,000 per year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Erin O’Shea)
by Airman 1st Class Joshua Dewberry
11th Wing Public Affairs
6/11/2013 - JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AFNS) -- Airmen with the 11th Logistics Readiness Squadron here answered the call to innovate as the Air Force faces a slashed budget this year.
The four-member logistics team realized JB Andrews could save more than $10,000 per year by changing the way they acquired cars used to transport distinguished visitors.
By leasing less expensive vehicles through the General Services Agency, or GSA, versus paying for commercial leases through local dealerships, annual lease costs were reduced by almost 50 percent.
The idea, contributed by Thomas Main, the 11th LRS deputy chief; 2nd Lt. Luke Muldoon, the deployment and distribution flight commander; Master Sgt. Ted Vandenbrink, the vehicle management superintendent; and Tech. Sgt. Moreed Kamal II, the vehicle control center supervisor; not only saved money at the base, but caught the attention of the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff, Gen. Larry Spencer.
The general is heading up the "Every Dollar Counts" campaign, an effort to encourage Airmen to share their money-saving ideas and help lessen the financial impact caused by sequestration.
"I am so proud of all the hard work you're all doing," Spencer said, as he handed each Airman a coin during a ceremony June 6, at the LRS vehicle operations center. "It's great ideas like this that we need to implement Air Force wide."
Spencer said this and similar ideas could have exponential savings that would free up funding for higher readiness priorities, such as squeezing in extra flying hours and getting more aircraft and engines into depots for overhaul and repairs.
"Sequestration has definitely made it harder to accomplish the mission, but we have been thinking of ways to make it happen on a smaller budget," said Main. "Knowing our Airmen made a difference during these challenging times is a great feeling. Working with them is what keeps me coming back to work every day."
Kamal said the collaborative effort was nothing more than common sense.
"The cars we will acquire through the GSA leases will do the same things that the more expensive cars did," he said. "They also have the added benefit of costing less. At the end of the day, isn't that what we're trying to accomplish?"
Comments
6/14/2013 3:43:15 PM ET The Air Force spends money the trolls complain. Air Force saves money the trolls complain. The Air Force does something wrong the trolls complain. The Air Force does something right the trolls complain. I think three of the four people posting below me like to complain for the sake of complaining. Buncha pessimists. Can't ever just be happy there are Airmen out there willing to identify past mistakes and fix them.
Spunky, USA
6/14/2013 10:45:20 AM ET @ Brian I agree that they should probably never have used the more expensive cars in the first place but this is DC. I'm just glad we are finally changing the culture to one that is more responsible with taxpayers' money.
Dwight Punson, DC
6/13/2013 10:53:41 AM ET The only disappointing thing is the general officers who were being driven around in the large staff cars weren't the ones to come up with the idea. My son is in a unit in the armed services and has to go TDY a lot. He always looks for the lowest cost of transportation. The last time he took the bus. It was much cheaper than flying or driving his own vehicle. More people need to look for ways to save even if it affects them.
Jerry, Oklahoma
6/13/2013 10:00:48 AM ET Great now the GSA has more money to fund another Vegas boondoggle conference.I've always wondered why general officers insist on wearing the lightweight blue jacket regardless of the temperature. Looking at the others in the picture in short sleeves I'm sure it was probably a typical warm and humid DC area day.
Sgt Snorkle, USA
6/12/2013 6:13:18 AM ET It is great to see that Airmen are taking the initiative and floating ideas about how to save time and money within their workcenters. However this story doesnt explain why JB Andrews was allowed to lease high-price cars when there is a lower-cost option available through the GSA. Anytime we have to purchase supplies or other items were required to use GSA first. Why wasnt that followed in this instance Why was this idea submitted through the Every Dollar Counts campaign when on the face of it it should have been submitted through the IGs Fraud Waste and Abuse hotline
Brian, Afghanistan
6/11/2013 4:09:35 PM ET Why don't we just utilize the same blue buses that shuttle Airmen around It would save even more money and give the DVs a more realistic base tour.
