Innovative Airmen make jobs, lives easier

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class David Dobrydney
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) --  Airmen from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing have applied the axiom "work smarter, not harder" to come up with solutions on the job that are saving manpower, time and money here in Southwest Asia.

Examples of innovation are not limited to just one group. Each of the four groups assigned to the 379th AEW boast an innovation that has improved work processes and drives home the meaning of Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century.

For instance, Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron were, until recently, using two air conditioning units for each B-1B Lancer aircraft requiring maintenance. The B-1B has five separate compartments containing avionics equipment that require cooling during maintenance. Master Sgt. James Duncan, deployed from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, thought there might be a more efficient way to accomplish this task.

Partnering with Tech. Sgt. Jesse Maddox, a metals technician in the squadron's metal fabrication shop, Sergeant Duncan devised a diverter box that would allow one A/C unit to perform the job of two. "It's an idea I remember from one of my previous assignments," Sergeant Duncan said. "In 24 hours, we went from the idea to having the box built."

By freeing up equipment, more aircraft can be maintained in the same amount of time.

While it's important to keep these multi-million dollar aircraft from overheating during maintenance operations, Airmen on the flightline who maintain these aircraft must also have respite from the direct sunlight and extreme conditions. Maintenance personnel working in the fuel cells of tanker aircraft are exposed to temperatures reaching 150 degrees Fahrenheit, said Senior Airman Shane Shanton, deployed to the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron. Airman Shanton and Staff Sgt. Delray Sexton were asked to design an air-conditioned tent that could be placed on the flightline near the aircraft so Airmen would not have to go indoors to rest during their mandated work-rest cycles.

"The fuels Airmen were trying to think of ways to improve crew rest," said Airman Shanton, "and we were glad to help." 

Sergeant Sexton and Airman Shanton used materials they already had on hand to build the tent at a cost of just $400. It is now used by 50 maintainers and has improved crew rest times by 25 percent.

While aircraft return here for maintenance, many Airmen who arrive in Southwest Asia are transients on their way to a forward location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Upon arrival they process through the Personnel Support for Contingency Operations office while they await transportation to their final destination. However, after their initial inprocessing, there was no way to track transient members during their brief time here.

"We have the largest population of Air Force transients in the AOR," said Chief Master Sgt. Kyle Clement, 379th AEW PERSCO chief, deployed here from Kadena Air Base, Japan. "The question arose of how we would corral this group of people if there was ever a need?"

Under the direction of Chief Clement, the PERSCO team developed a checklist of actions and established locations around base at which transients would report should a recall be required, a process they claim is the first of its kind in the AOR. The new recall reporting directions are now part of inprocessing for transient members.

"Now in the event of an incident, we have a process in place to track our transients and report their accountability back to their home stations," Chief Clement said.

Regardless of whether personnel are permanent party, deployed, or transient here, they all require the ability to see the mission ahead of them. Thanks to an Airman assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group optometry clinic, Airmen are seeing things a little clearer down range.

Deploying servicemembers who wear eyeglasses are enrolled in the G-Eyes program, a computer-based system that allows them to order replacement glasses from their locations simply by entering a zip code. Tech. Sgt. Sarah Fry is an optometrist who realized that some deployed servicemembers were not getting the eyewear they needed in a timely manner.

"We had some Airmen call and say they entered their zip code in the system, only to be told the zip code was not matching to a deployed location when it actually was," Sergeant Fry, deployed here from the Wyoming Air National Guard, said. To get to the bottom of the issue, Sergeant Fry visited the base post office and secured a list of all deployed zip codes. She then worked with the G-Eyes system technicians to make sure the correct information was in place.

"It's easy to break a pair of glasses down range," She said. "We cannot have servicemembers deployed who have trouble seeing what's in front of them."

Any improvement, no matter how great, that allows Airmen to perform their jobs better, or smarter, is welcomed by 379th AEW Commander Brig. Gen. Stephen Wilson.

"The Grand Slam Wing has a proud history of combat innovation and excellence and now, more than ever, we need smart, innovative Airmen," General Wilson said. "I'm continually overwhelmed by their initiative and creativity."