Charleston Airmen gets 'Lean' with AFSO21

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Ashleigh Peck
  • 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFNS) --  An Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st century rapid improvement event took place at the 437th Aerial Port Squadron here Sept. 8 through 11.

The main objectives of the 437th APS rapid improvement event included improving cargo flow inside the aerial port and surge operations for humanitarian support after a hurricane. 

AFSO21 uses the top elements of civilian-efficiency programs like Lean and Sigma Six to develop an Air Force-unique process-improvement program. The Air Force has run the program with the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., since June 2006.

"The nature of process improvement is that you keep what works and you keep improving what doesn't," said Jon Kidder, the 437th APS AFSO21 program manager, who also organized the event.

Keith Leitner, the faculty director for the AFSO21 Level 2 Education Program offered through th University of Tennessee, facilitated the RIE.

Mr. Leitner has been doing projects like this one through University of Tennessee for 20 years.

"(These) projects begin with the identification of an area that needs improvement," Mr. Leitner said. "[Then] key members are identified to begin looking for AFSO 21 related opportunities within the area. At that point, an RIE is planned and the proper team identified and they are charged with improving the process to deliver on the needs."

The rapid improvement event involved a facilitation team including four Level 2 trainees, seven members from the aerial port, one from the 437th Communications Squadron and Mr. Leitner.

Once in action, the team documents how the current process works - looking for "waste" in the process, Mr. Leitner said. The rest of the RIE is spent changing the process to reduce or remove that waste and create an improved work flow.

The second day of the RIE, Sept. 9, the team was specifically instructed to wear civilian clothes for the brainstorming session to encourage free and equal participation among all members.

"No criticisms," said Mr. Leitner to remind the group, while writing down any and every idea anyone was willing to share. Ideas included mobile workstations, clearly identified lanes for mobile traffic such as forklifts, instructional posters and a tour of a local FedEx facility.

Once the nearly 40 ideas were written down on numerous 22x18-inch poster-sized papers and plastered around the room, the team went through each individual idea asking, "Does it move us forward and is it worth looking into?"

The RIE developed clearer markings along the floor of the 437th APS building to include tape directing pedestrians where to go. Tools like computers and nets were moved to better help the flow of the port, and there are labels all over the port, including the pallet build-up area, bays and the in-check station.

Now it is possible to "instantly tell when something is not right," said Mr. Kidder.

The tour of FedEx was another idea implemented from the brainstorming session.

After the RIE, Mr. Leitner said, "Charleston is in a fairly young phase (of this way of thinking)" and "what is really neat is that there are a lot of people that see the need for this."

The AFSO21 program relies on members of Charleston AFB to identify improvement opportunities and bring attention to them, said Capt. Travis Kuenzi, th Charleston AFB deputy chief of Wing Smart Operations. 

The benefits of a unit operating in this way have been seen by base officials. 

"AFSO21 is not a program, it's a belief, a discipline ... a way of seeing, thinking and understanding every process, every day," said Robert Langston, AFSO21 program manager for 437th Maintenance Group.

"I can clearly see where we've asked our Airmen to stretch and fill a variety of emerging missions," said Col. Mark McLean, the Air Mobility Command Smart Operations chief and one of the Level 2 trainees on the team. "The expedient answer is to work harder when faced with additional requirements. But I know there are ways we can work smarter to meet the mission requirements and return some of the long hours back to the Airmen."

The change is contagious Mr. Kidder said. Since people in the 437th APS have been involved and seen change actively implemented, there is excitement among the squadron.

"They think about it, (ways of improving), now instead of just living with it the way it is," he said. "(The) challenge for us is to keep that excitement going."

"Lieutenant General Findley, the AMC vice commander, tells me he sees great innovation among the Airmen and wants to encourage that behavior,"  Colonel McLean also said. "The week here affirmed that for me first hand. Charleston Airmen have a lot of great ideas. I hope to showcase more of them to the AMC commander and the command as a whole."

The next AFSO21 event Charleston AFB will host is a Level 1 Facilitator Training scheduled for Sept. 28 to Oct. 2.

The week-long class is the academic training for Level 1 facilitators. It will teach them about AFSO21, Lean principles and how to facilitate events. 

After the students complete the course, they will observe, co-facilitate and facilitate three RIEs to attain their Level 1 certification.

Once certification is complete, the students will be able to facilitate RIEs such as the 437th APS AFSO 21 event for process improvement throughout the wing.