IDEA brings Davis-Monthan man $10,000

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Beth Tucker
  • Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFPN) --  A suggestion that saves labor and material costs on F-4 Phantom actuator assembly repairs here earned an aircraft pneudraulic systems mechanic $10,000, courtesy of the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program.

Steven Herman, who works in the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center's regeneration branch restoring F-4s to flyable condition, submitted his idea pertaining to a procedure previously accomplished on an F-4's missile fin door actuator. It saves $2,009 for each F-4 being regenerated at AMARC. These actions save labor and material costs associated with the one-time repair of actuator assemblies identified for removal during later modifications.

Mr. Herman's idea saved AMARC and the Air Force $72,324 in its first year, said Joe Beakey, AMARC aircraft mechanic supervisor.

"I've known about the (IDEA) program since it was (called) the suggestion program," Mr. Herman said. He said his more than 20 years of previous experience as a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force contributed to his determination to submit the idea and have it approved.

The IDEA program's goal is to reward individuals and teams for contributing ideas "that benefit the government by streamlining (a) process and improving or increasing productivity and efficiency," said Robin Perry, IDEA program manager here.

She said IDEAs are submitted through the Idea Program Data System at https://ideas.randolph.af.mil.

"With the inception of IPDS, the submitter is kept informed as to where (his or her) idea is at any time," Ms. Perry said.

Each idea submitted is assigned a number and is reviewed at the levels necessary to evaluate and implement it. Throughout the process, everyone involved can check the status of who is evaluating the submission and the comments it has received.

"This is a very valuable program to the Air Force," said Jimmy Parham, AMARC's IDEA program point of contact. "There are technical orders to teach us how to perform our jobs, but no one knows it better than the person in the field doing the work. Allowing the workforce the opportunity to contribute their ideas to improving the jobs we do is a great asset to the overall system."

During fiscal 2003, AMARC people submitted seven ideas for review and approval. Three ideas were approved, including Mr. Herman's, and three are pending.

Air Force wide, 7,640 ideas were submitted, 5,341 ideas were approved and $164,317,517 was saved in fiscal 2003, according to the Air Force Materiel Command's IDEA Program Web site.

There were 93 $10,000 winners across the Air Force in fiscal 2003. Mr. Herman is only the fifth $10,000 winner here since April 2002, Ms. Perry said. This is the second cash reward Mr. Herman has received through the IDEA program and his third submission is currently in the approval process.

"You won't know if it is useful until you fill out the paperwork," said Mr. Herman, encouraging others to submit their ideas. He attributes his motivation in submitting his ideas to the program to the all-familiar anecdote, "The only stupid questions are those that are never asked." (Courtesy of AFMC News Service)