Mobility officials host AFSO 21 conference

  • Published
  • By Roger Drinnon
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNEWS) --  More than 40 experts from across the Air Force gathered at Air Mobility Command's Logistics Directorate here April 23-26 for a "fruit ripe for picking" conference aimed at cutting red tape from base support agreements. 

"We took out a lot of the waste, steps that were unnecessary and duplicated processes," said Chief Master Sgt. Roslyn Davis, air staff logistics plans career field manager and team member. "I've been doing support agreements since 1988, and it has been a cumbersome process just to get one support agreement from start to finish."

The existing process for one support agreement could take years to coordinate and finalize.  Soon, it will take less than 180 days, and as more of the team's recommendations are implemented, even less time.

"Headquarters Air Force (officials) appointed Air Mobility Command as the lead command for (inter-/intra-service support agreement) transformation initiatives," said Brenda Romine, AMC Logistics Directorate deputy and team transformation champion. "We decided to conduct a Value Stream Mapping and Analysis event to get at the root cause of our challenge."

The team used Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century Lean principles to identify potential improvements for an administrative process dating back 20-30 years. Team members referred to the support agreement process as "a fruit ripe for picking."

"The process that we did here affects me directly at the wing level," said Michael Hansen, installation readiness flight chief at McChord Air Force Base, Wash. "Right now with deployments and other mission requirements, I have more support agreement work than I have manpower to do it," he continued. "By reducing the process, it allows me to focus in more on (other) processes to get the job done. This helps me out significantly."

Support agreements document a tenant unit's mission support requirements for the host base and include processes for tenant units to reimburse the host for base support services provided. Documentation requirements are driven by public law, DOD and Air Force directives, and inter-service requirements.

Such streamlining efforts are a necessity, as Air Force leaders struggle with diminishing manpower amid expanding mission requirements. Recent manpower and budget reductions don't allow for much bureaucracy.

"With the war on terrorism, what's important is mission accomplishment," said Stan Sparrow, support agreement program manager for Headquarters Air Intelligence Agency, Lackland AFB, Texas. "A lot of the administrative processes we were going through in support were from late-'70s-to-mid-'80s mentality and attitudes, when we had lots of resources and lots of personnel," he said. "Now, with the emphasis on down-sizing and right-sizing, a lot of the (support agreement) processes weren't adding value to the customer support."

The team not only included support agreement managers, but also financial and manpower managers, spanning all the major commands and key Air Force agencies affected by the process.

"They were able to eliminate 50 percent of the workload," said Deborah Grace, air staff manpower specialist. "Not only did they have significant impact on their functional areas, but I see significant savings for the other agencies that have to work with support agreements."

The team's action plan will prompt three Rapid Improvement Events later this year. One will determine how to catalog standardized agreement requirements and templates, another will look at existing commercial information technology for potential streamlining solutions and a third will develop enhanced training requirements.

Also, the team initiated six improvement projects and a list of "just do its" -- immediate-action items to be implemented later this year. These include eliminating requirements for certain support agreements deemed "non-value adding," eliminating exhaustive triennial reviews for all support agreements and standardizing reimbursement requirements and procedures.

Once finalized, most if not all the proposed actions will be written into the Air Force's governing directive for support agreements, Air Force Instruction 25-201.

"Imagine a process that captures the support a customer requires, but takes years to (accomplish)," said Ms. Romine. "Now envision a process that can complete this task in a few short weeks without incorporating (new) technology.  We transformed a 1970s process into the modern era," she continued. "As we continue on our 21st Century journey, the future holds many opportunities to maximize efficiencies and eliminate waste. Our first event is behind us, but it laid a foundation for future events." 


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