AFSO 21 alive and well for Charleston maintainers

  • Published
  • By Trisha Gallaway
  • 437th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFPNS) --  Officials in the 437th Maintenance Group here continue to find ways to streamline processes under Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO 21.

They strive to bring the work to the mechanics instead of the mechanics to the work.

"AFSO 21 instills a warrior spirit with a business mindset so our Airmen can do work that makes sense," said Bob Langston, 437 MXG AFSO 21 program manager. "Eliminating the waste, streamlining our processes and bringing the work to the mechanic, instead of the mechanic going to pick up supplies at a distant location (and bringing them back)."

The aerospace ground equipment shop is one area where this process is working.

Airmen in the AGE shop have taken tools and supplies, grouped them together and made them centrally located in the workcenter.

"They've designed a cellular layout in the workcenter," said Mr. Langston. "All of the supplies and materials, nuts and bolts, everything they need to work is right there so they don't have to travel great distances."

According to Senior Master Sgt. John Bush, 437th Maintenance Squadron AGE flight chief, the layout seems to be working.

"We have a simple storage system where instead of having tools back in a tool room, or have to have someone give it to you, it's self-service, right here so there is no more walking back and forth," he said.

Items such as oil filters also are kept in the storage system.

The AGE shop maintainers change oil filters 500 times a year. Without the storage system, that would have been 500 individual trips to another location just for the filters, Sergeant Bush said.

"Our goal is to eliminate trips back and forth," he said.

AGE shop mechanics also have applied this mindset to work being done out on the flightline.

At the beginning of a shift, a mechanic will take a fuel bowser, which is a mobile fuel pump, and drive along the flightline to refuel AGE powered equipment such as generators and heaters used to support the aircraft.

By taking the fuel bowsers out to the flightline, mechanics don't have to take the powered AGE equipment back to the fueling station, said Mr. Langston.

"This eliminates wear and tear on the equipment as well as time, motion and transportation," he added.

For now, the maintenance group is meeting the goals set by the initial concept of the AFSO 21 program by eliminating manpower hours to refuel equipment and by having tools and supplies centrally located in the workcenters.

"The goal is to make the job easier for the Airmen," said Mr. Langston. "If they don't believe it's making it easier for them, it won't sustain. The worst thing you could do is give up too early."