AFSO 21 helps unit reduce steps, increase proficiency

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore
  • 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs Office
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) --  The 726th Air Mobility Squadron recently conducted an Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century value stream analysis looking for ways to streamline C-17 Globemaster III refueling and increase proficiency levels.

The unit pooled Airmen from a variety of backgrounds to participate in the AFSO 21 event, reviewing every step in the C-17 refueling technical order and the unit's training processes.

"We had six people involved; we tried to get a very diverse crowd," said Master Sgt. James Pierce, 726th Air Mobility Squadron Maintenance Operations Center section chief. "We had crew chiefs, specialists and refuelers. We had different levels of education. By pooling people together from different areas, we got different perspectives. That is the secret of AFSO 21 -- to keep diversity and get different angles. When you get the right people together, good things are going to come out."

The team physically walked through each task of the refueling process.

"In doing that, we found we walk approximately half a mile during each refuel," Sergeant Pierce said. "Last year we did 706 refuels on C-17s. That is a lot of walking."

The team came up with 84 suggested TO improvements, which they will submit through Air Force TO improvement channels.

By following a process walk of the proposed changes of the team's improved check list with consolidated steps Airmen will move half the distance while accomplishing the same amount of work, Sergeant Pierce said.

When looking at things with an AFSO 21 mindset, small savings of time and money quickly add up.

"You say you can save two minutes and people are often like what is two minutes? But when you accomplish a task 1,000 times a year, those two minutes start to add up," Sergeant Pierce said.

In the group's training process review, they focused on how individuals like to be trained, what they expected and what quality assurance looks at during evaluations.

"I am fairly new to this base and squadron, so I provide insight about how I was trained when I arrived," said Staff Sgt. John Weeks, 726th AMS electrical and environmental systems specialist.

The team wanted to design a training program that provided a system of checks and balances ensuring training standards were not only met, but sustained. Now when a new person arrives at the unit, their supervisor trains them on the refueling process. Once training is complete, they receive a non-rated evaluation by QA. This will not be the end of the training process.

"Every person qualified to refuel on a C-17 will get a refresher every year," Sergeant Pierce said. "They have to go through the process and get signed off again. This is a rated evaluation by QA which means it is a go no go requalification."

This was the first time Sergeant Weeks has been involved in the AFSO 21 process.

"It was nice to see the process work," he said. "It definitely helped to break down the root cause of the problem before looking at solutions. Otherwise, we would have just been putting another band-aid on the problem."

Sergeant Pierce said he believes younger Airmen's involvement in the AFSO 21 process is important.

"Young people bring great new skills to the table," Sergeant Pierce said. "Us older guys need to break our mind sets. Traditionally it did not matter how much money it took to get the job done, you just get the job done. Now we need to be more fiscally responsible about what we do."

Although Sergeant Weeks has heard others express doubt about AFS0 21, he said he has faith in it.

"I know it's a new process of solving problems and some people have expressed their belief it doesn't work or it may be a waste of time," he said. "But these are the same people who have never been a part of an improvement team or have never seen the effects of the process. I think if people give it a chance and get to experience the process first-hand, they would see how it can make an impact on their work center. I mean, this event alone came up with some pretty impressive numbers. Once people see results they will understand this is a good thing for the Air Force."

Sergeant Pierce encourages everyone to take advantage of the AFSO 21 process.

"If you have an idea on how we can do something better, please bring it to the board and let it be examined, because sometimes the smallest ideas can reap the largest rewards back to your unit," Sergeant Pierce said. 


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