Er spring10

The Exceptional Release

L O G I S T I C S O F F I C E R A S S O C I AT I O N Enhancing the military logistics profession since 1982

EXECUTIVE BOARD President Col Doug Cato president@loanational.org Vice President Col Richard Schwing vicepres@loanational.org Treasurer Lt Col Terry Dyess treasurer@loanational.org Information Officer Ms. Cathy Snyder InfoOfficer@loanational.org Membership Development Lt Col Jeff Martin membership@loanational.org Chapter Support Lt Col Jeff King chaptersupport@loanational.org Executive Senior Advisor Lt Gen Loren M. Reno Mr. Garry Richey Webmaster/Website Maj JD DuVall webmaster@loanational.org www.loanational.org

Features

S P R I N G 2010

2009 Annual Air Force Award Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Logistics In the 21st CenturyA Framework for Change

By LtGen (ret) C.V. Christianson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Let’s Swear Never to Use the Word Transformation Ever Again

By Col Scott Tew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Repair Network Integration: Maximizing Repair within the Supply Chain

By Lt Col David Koch, Mr. Patrick Mahoney and Ms. Katy Stuck . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Supply from the Expeditionary Commander's Perspective: Col Robert A. Hopkins Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Supply from the Expeditionary Commander’s Perspective: Col Ricky Murphy . . . . . . . .24 GLSC Special Section Building a Smarter Supply Chain

By Mr. Ken Norgard and Mr. Michael Lee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Supply Chain at Its Best

By Ms. Mercy Becerra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Improved Warfighter Support Through Focused Logistics

By Mr. George Swinehart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 GLSC Deployed Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 635th Supply Chain Management Wing

By Mr. Daniel Fri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

THE EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE

Automating the Air Force Supply Chain: One Bar Code at a Time.

By Mr. Robert Fudge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50

Editor Col Dennis Daley editor@loanational.org

The Air Force Supply Chain Command and Control Center (SCC2C)

By Mr. Si Bratcher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54

Assistant Editor Col (ret) Mary H. Parker assteditor@loanational.org LOA Executive Director ER Managing Editor/Publisher Marta Hannon marta@loanational.org ER Worldwide Staff Lt Col Gene Carter, 76 AMXG/CD 1Lt Benjamin J. Derry, 436 MXG/CCE Maj James Dorn, 748 SCMG/CCX Maj Richard Fletcher, 305 AMXS/CC Lt Col Michelle Hall, SAF/PAX Ms. Donna Parry, AF/A4/7PE Lt Col Paul Pethel, 19 AMXS/CC Graphic Design MMagination LLC – Atlanta, GA www.mmagination.com LOA National PO Box 2264 – Arlington, VA 22202 Issue No. 115 - Spring 2010

Air Force Supply Chain Integration and Optimization

By Mr. Jeff Acred and Mr. Steve Gray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56 Advancing Operational Effectiveness with Supply Chain Analysis

By Mr. Frank Washburn and Mr. Jim Weeks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 Leading the Way in Achieving Positive Inventory Control

By Mr. Donald K. Kringen and Lt Col Sue Drabing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 The Strategic Alternate Program Office (SASPO)

By Ms. Sim Tran . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Loggies Deployed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Successful Logistic Readiness Reachback Support Across the Pacific

By Mr. Alexander M. Reyna, Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 The Dirty Dozen Still At Large

By Major Rich Branson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 Retrograde Parts: Should They Move at a Higher Priority?

By Major Craig Giles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Rapidly Fielding Combat Capability

By Captain Scott Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .86 Table of Contents Continued on Page 2..

President’s LOG(istics) Dear LOA Members,

ER: PRESIDENT’S LOG(ISTICS)

As snow blankets the country throughout January and February, and especially the DC area, most of us are probably looking forward to warmer weather. Well, start thinking about the 2010 Conference in Orlando, Florida, 11-14 Oct 2010. This year we’ll be at the Caribe Royale Hotel and Conference Center. The theme is “Logistics: The Combat Enabler!” Our conference website will open for registration in late May. Your National Board is developing the agenda and we are lining up some fantastic speakers. As you may have seen in our E-Newsletter in February, we kicked off the 2010 LOA Coin and Logo Contest. Here’s a great opportunity for our LOA artists to sharpen their skills in a competi- Col Doug Cato tion to develop this year’s conference coin and logo. Details are on the LOA website and the deadline for submissions is 20 March 2010. The winner will receive $200 for the individual or team, plus $100 to the local chapter they represent or $300 to the chapter that submits a design.

As you’ll recall, we had a vote last year to offset the elections of the four key voting positions on the National Board (President, Vice President, CFO and CIO). As stated in our by-laws, elections for the President and CFO will be held in odd years and elections for Vice President and CIO will be held in even years (this year). The purpose is to ensure continuity of the board from year to year and keep the long-term LOA strategy in-focus. In accordance with our by-laws, I’ll be appointing a nominating committee consisting of a chairperson and two members. We’ll announce the selection in our E-Newsletter after the selection. Instructions for Vice President and CIO nominee submission are located at the “Guidance” link on the LOA website and follow that to TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued from page 1) “LOA G4: Election of National LOA Officers”. The nominating committee will select at least two candidates in each categoFEATURES CONTNUED ry from all nominations received for Vice President and CIO. Engineering Technical Assistance Request (ETAR) The slate of candidates will be presented to the National Board

By Lt Col Ed Malinowski ....................................................88 for approval, and then submitted to the general membership for Purchasing Outcomes the election.

By Colonel (ret) Larry Kingsley ..........................................90 F101 Repair Network Integration... It’s Not Just Another “Catch-Phrase!”

By Captain Ola Ekundayo ..................................................92 Vanquishing a Vanishing Vendor Issue for the Dragon Lady

By Lisa Mathews ................................................................94 Material Support for High Velocity Maintenance (HVM)

By Ms. Shelbie Purser ........................................................96

In Every Issue President’s LOG(istics) ........................................................2 From the E-Ring ..................................................................4 SES Speaks..........................................................................5 Perspectives ......................................................................20 AFSO Crosstalk ..................................................................78 Focus on a CGO LOA Leader ............................................98 CGO Corner......................................................................100 Chapter Crosstalk ..............................................................98 Milestones ........................................................................104

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I’d like to thank Lt Col Jeff King, our Chapter Support Team Lead, for his hard work in overhauling the Chapter President’s Guide, published to the LOA website in mid-February. He had the assistance of several past and current chapter presidents. If you’ve not had a chance to look at it, please take some time. The guide is a detailed document designed to enhance LOA chapter leadership and strengthen our local chapters…the life blood of LOA. It's not too early to begin searching for enlisted and junior civilian nominees for our annual LOA scholarships. The program is designed to help individuals from logistics specialties with college expenses toward an associate's or bachelor's degree. Each chapter may submit one nominee by August 1, 2010 using the guidelines and template in LOA G-3: Scholarship Program, which can be found on our website under "Guidance.”

V/R,

COL DOUG CATO, PRESIDENT LOA NATIONAL AND YOUR

2010

LOA NATIONAL BOARD.

2010 LOA Scholarship Call for Nominations The LOA scholarship program is intended to assist the most deserving Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine, Coast Guard, National Guard, or Reserve enlisted or DoD civilians (GS-8/WG-9 or Pay Band 1 equivalent and below - also includes Scientific and Engineering Career Group) serving in a logistics specialty or series, with college expenses towards an associate or bachelor degree.

Each active chapter may submit one individual for a scholarship.

Chapters that do not have their key leadership positions filled with active National LOA members WILL NOT be eligible to submit scholarship nominations.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: 1 AUGUST, 2010 Winners are presented their scholarship award at the annual conference banquet.

For submission criteria please visit: www.loanational.org/about/guidance.php

The Exceptional Release

A Professional Military Journal written by logisticians for logisticians The purpose of the Logistics Officer Association (LOA) is to enhance the military logistics profession. LOA provides an open forum to promote quality logistics support and logistic officer professional development.

Policy on Written Submissions: The editor invites articles and other contributions on issues that support LOA’s purpose. Direct manuscripts, letters and other communications to: marta@loanational.org and editor@loanational.org.

Deadlines: The 15th day of January, April, July, and October.

Story Format: Double-spaced, typed and electronically submitted to marta@loanational.org.

Photos & Graphics: Send individual electronic files (hi-res JPG, TIFF or EPS with type as outlines for ads) along with stories (as separate text files) and include cutlines/captions. All photos and ads should be at least 300 dpi or greater resolution.

Submitter data: Should be typed at the end of the story file. Information included should be: Rank; full name; service; home mailing address; business name and address; business phone (DSN and commercial); email; three to five sentence biographical sketch; and a photo (as a separate file – see photos and graphics above).

Editorial Policy: The editors reserve the right to edit all submissions for length, clarity and libel. All submissions become the property of LOA. Advertisement Formats: Each ad must be sent as a composite hi-res (300 dpi or greater) EPS file with fonts saved as outlines. Fullpage ads with bleeds should allow at least 3/8” bleeds. Ad rates visit: http://www.loanational.org/exceptional-release/advertising-rates.php Advertising Contact: Ms Marta Hannon, Managing Editor PO Box 2264 – Arlington, VA 22202 – email: marta@loanational.org – Phone 405-701-5457 Subscriptions: The ER is published quarterly and is available via membership in the Logistics Officer Association at the annual rate of $25. Access membership forms on the website at www.loanational.org.

EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE

3

From the E-Ring Having returned recently from the AOR, it’s easy for me to share some thoughts along the theme of “Global Logistics and Warfighter Focus.” In no particular order, here are some of my observations: Our AF logisticians are stepping up to tough and new challenges. I saw logistics readiness officers doing Joint Expeditionary Taskings (JETs), and I saw maintenance officers doing general logistics

Lt Gen Loren M. Reno

jobs. Both were excited for the challenge and were doing the jobs well. It’s my view that these

ER: FROM

THE

E-RING, SES SPEAKS

opportunities make us better rounded logisticians, and there is no doubt in my mind that our AF logisticians are versatile and valued by the joint Warfighters.

Our other Service partners applaud Airmen logisticians. I had an office call with an Army 3-star who called the name of an AF captain at a different base in Iraq who had impressed him with her willingness to tackle a difficult challenge, to do something different than her core skill (a maintenance officer), and put herself at risk outside-the-wire. He called her by name! Don’t underestimate the difference you’re making.

Innovation is for home station and deployed locations. One location developed some innovative approaches to solve issues which we have wrestled with for years. They found a UK vendor who crafted a solution to flightline fuel cell repair that protects maintainers from extreme temperatures high or low…and, of course, the material was void of static electricity. They crafted a similar protective tent for engine changes…both very affordable. Wow! Attention to supply chains prevents and solves problems. Those logisticians who understand the supply chain and work it from afar reap the benefits that translate into more MC equipment, fewer work-arounds, and better mission success. It’s not a supply “thing,” it applies to all aspects of logistics.

Compliance…like in the AOR. We visited 10 bases in as many days. As you would expect, I kept my eyes open to assess compliance…on the flightline, in back shops, in aerial ports, in vehicle maintenance, in warehouses—everywhere I went. Wherever I looked, I found people complying with tech data, AFIs, and SOPs. I used to say we need to comply in the AOR like we do at home. I would suggest, now, that we comply at home like we do in the AOR…always, everywhere.

Honoring our fallen is common. I witnessed the careful, dignified, and honorable loading of a fallen soldier onto a C-17 at one location, the transfer of a civilian’s remains at another location, and the arrival to US soil of an Airman only a couple of days after coming home. Though different in some respects, each event was common in that Airmen were involved in honoring the fallen— be they civilian, of another Service, or of ours. Humbling yet so proud.

Logistics is global not just because it’s at world-wide locations but because it reaches forward and back.

On this trip, I saw first-

hand that our logistics officers are both well prepared and succeeding in a very challenging environment. That’s my view.

— LT GEN LOREN RENO DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR LOGISTICS, INSTALLATIONS AND MISSION SUPPORT, HEADQUARTERS U.S. AIR FORCE, WASHINGTON, D.C. 4

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SES Speaks Mr. Redding Hobby, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is the executive director of the Strategic Programs Directorate, Defense Logistics Agency, at Fort Belvoir. Prior to this assignment, he served as U.S Central Command’s deputy director for Logistics, Contracting and Engineering Having recently wrapped up an assignment at CENTCOM to take on leadership of the Strategic Programs directorate at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), I am honored to add my perspective to Mr. Redding Hobby this issue of Exceptional Release spotlighting global logistics and focus on the Warfighter. DLA Strategic Programs is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 2005 Supply and Storage recommendations.

Because BRAC Supply and Storage calls for realignment of certain logistics activities from the four Military Services to DLA, this is a joint implementation requiring very close collaboration among all components. I have the great fortune to lead an outstanding team of military and civilian personnel and to work with leaders and representatives from various commands in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps to continue forward with the successful implementation of this BRAC legislation.

BRAC Supply and Storage provides an excellent example of putting global logistics and focus on the Warfighter into action. BRAC Supply and Storage is all about enhancing logistics support to Warfighters and maintainers and, ultimately, enhancing global Warfighter readiness. DLA and the Services are doing this by bringing similar logistics functions together under one agency – DLA – and by shifting other activities to private vendors. We are integrating and streamlining the logistics supply chain for repair parts and tires and for packaged petroleum products and gases. The focus is on customers in industrial depot maintenance production lines and deployed operational commands who repair aircraft, tanks and ships. This supply chain is the one that keeps our nation’s Warfighters and weapons systems ready.

Part of this supply chain integration involves consolidating procurement management for Depot-Level Reparables (DLRs) to DLA for all Services and transferring more consumables to DLA for item management. Because DLA can now create combined contracts for DLRs and consumables across Services, DOD buying power increases and better supplier performance standards can be negotiated, improving support to the Warfighter.

Another part of BRAC Supply and Storage has privatized DOD’s entire logistics process for several commodity lines. CONUS and OCONUS support for aviation and land tires has been provided by vendors since Fall 2007, and CONUS support for POL, chemicals, and compressed gases and their cylinders since Summer 2008. As a result of privatization, the Military Services receive more responsive supply support for these commodities, and the DOD has saved money.

The last part of the supply chain integration consolidates industrial depot maintenance supply, storage, and distribution functions and (at select sites) inventories within DLA to support all Services. At the same time our CONUS distribution network is being reconfigured. These changes improve speed, accuracy, and reliability of response to the depot maintenance customer and increase surge capability of the network to respond to Warfighters’ needs in time of emergency.

Coming into this BRAC effort rather recently from CENTCOM, I can see that the Supply and Storage changes have afforded the DOD a unique opportunity to address Warfighter support and supply chain integration jointly. I look forward to continued collaboration across DLA and the Services to take full advantage of the foundation that BRAC Supply and Storage has provided. As logisticians, we are stewards for building off this solution to continuously improve the effectiveness and efficiency of logistics support that we deliver to Warfighters on the global stage.

––MR. REDDING HOBBY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DLA STRATEGIC PROGRAMS EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE

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2009 Annual Air Force Award Winners The Best of the Best!

ER: 2009 ANNUAL AIR FORCE AWARD WINNERS

Headquarters Air Force has released the following unit and individual 2009 award winners for excellence. Congratulations to the Air Force award winners.

2009 Gen Lew Allen, Jr. Award Winner (Base Level Officer Category) Major Eliot A. Sasson, 437th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Charleston AFB SC.

2009 Gen Lew Allen, Jr. Award Winner (Senior NCO Category) Senior Master Sergeant Franklin A. Galloway, 35th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan.

2009 Dr. James G. Roche Sustainment Excellence Award – B-2 System Program Office, Wright-Patterson AFB OH.

2009 General Wilbur L. Creech Maintenance Excellence Award – Air Force Reserve Command, Robins AFB GA

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Logistics In the 21st Century

LtGen Christianson speaks at the 2008 NDSU Alumni Award Banquet – he was presented with the Alumni Achievement Award. (Photo Courtesy of CV Christianson)

A Framework for Change

By LtGen (ret) C.V. Christianson A few months ago I had the opportunity to address the Logistics Officers Association (LOA) at its annual gathering. In preparing for that presentation, I felt a need to put into words some of my key thoughts. This commentary is a reflection of those ideas and attempts to summarize some of the key points of my LOA presentation.

This article offers a way to look at logistics in the context of the future operating environment. The views expressed are mine and are not meant to be prescriptive in nature; they are offered to encourage discussion and debate. I am hopeful that by encouraging

discussion and thought we can together

and the private/commercial sector. At the

improve logistics effectiveness, and give the

same time, we must build unity of effort

logisticians who follow us much greater

across a broad range of our many interna-

opportunities for success in an uncertain

tional partners and the international organ-

future, no matter what that future holds.

izations and alliances that represent them.

The challenge of building and adapting our

And last, we must deliver unity of effort in

logistics capabilities to support our national

our collaborative efforts with agencies and

security strategy is not, however, easy work.

organizations that we can scarcely imagine

Ultimately, we should be working as one to

working with today.

drive improvements to our logistics support

The fact of the matter is that today’s young

and to create a truly collaborative logistics

men and women – those we’ve put at the tip

capability that achieves the most important

of spear – get it. Those sent into the con-

logistics imperative, unity of effort. First, we

temporary operating environment don’t

must deliver unity of effort across our

understand why this is such a big deal –

nation, including the whole of government,

they’ve worked successfully under extreme

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

pressure with members of other services,

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nations and non-governmental agencies

logistics and change – a way to describe

V I S I O N . Let’s begin with an obvious

to deliver quality support.

They don’t

the problem and to gauge progress, or the

but challenging component – as former

know why this is so hard for us – our chal-

lack thereof, as we move across a land-

President George H. W. Bush put it, “that

lenge does not lie

vision thing.”

with them.

and foremost, a clear,

Our

challenge

compelling vision is

lies

necessary

with an industrial age

logistics enterprise. In

procedures that sim-

discussing visions, it is

ply are not useful to

important to remem-

us in contemporary

ber that change is not

and future environ-

an end state, it’s a

The famous

journey. Therefore, a

Lincoln

vision has to be in

quote that “The dog-

constant review and

mas of the quiet past,

continuous update.

are inadequate to the stormy

tie

parate elements of our

us sets of rules and

Abraham

to

together the many dis-

culture that has given

ments.

First

Fundamental to any

present” well

vision is a description

today – even if the

of a future operating

applies

pretty

environment. I think

past was not so quiet.

With apologies to Mr. Lincoln for appending

LtGen Christianson visits with a Vietnam Vet on Memorial Day 2007 in Elkhart Lake, WI. LtGen Christianson was on hand to dedicate a veterans’ memorial. (Photo Courtesy of CV Christianson)

his quote, “How well

it is here where we have strong

do you think those dogmas of the past are going to serve us in the ‘wildly uncertain future’ we face?”

Fundamentally we are burdened with strategic decision cycles that are too long and cumbersome; with procurement policies and processes that cannot effectively respond to the changing requirements of the operating environment; with processes that are relatively inflexible; and with organizations that have been insulated by design from other key components in the logistics enterprise.

scape of constant change. Even though I call these ‘elements of logistics’ they should be viewed simply as a framework around which we can approach any challenge.

This is not a comprehensive or

prescriptive listing of logistics imperatives, but my own idea of how to view the challenge.

What is important is that we

develop the ability to think about these kinds of issues systematically, so that we can apply analysis and insights across other problems, challenges and opportuni-

a

relatively consensus

around the general character of this future environment. The Joint Operating Environment (JOE), recently

published

by

Joint

Force

Command (JFCOM), is useful in characterizing both the nature of the future and level of uncertainty we face as we attempt to predict the future

However, even as

we are able to forge some agreement about the character of the future, there is no consensus on a way forward – particularly for the logistics enterprise.

The logistics elements I offer for

Developing a compelling vision based on

I view logistics through several elements

your consideration are: Vision, Processes,

not only a consensus view of the future

as described below.

Organizations, Systems and People.

environment, but a coalescence around

ties.

This structure is

offered only as a way of thinking about Continued on next page...

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9

the future logistics capabilities is the essential first step

in

effectively

approaching

logistics

change in that future environment. Our community is currently working hard to craft a collection of documents to offer a compelling vision for the future of logistics; this is a criti-

ER: LOGISTICS IN

THE

21ST CENTURY

cally important, but an extremely difficult undertaking.

A description of

what logistics could look like in the future is the purpose

of

the

Joint

Logistic White Paper, currently under construction in the JCS, J4. This document, coupled with the JOE mentioned above and the Capstone Concept for Joint Operations (CCJO) should compel us to make the changes necessary to align logistics capabilities with the future environment.

PROCESSES.

This

element encompasses those processes essential to deliv-

Airmen from the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron work to install a new jet engine on a B-1B Lancer.

(USAF photo by SSgt. Robert Barney)

ering logistics support to the Warfighter.

When

the Warfighter. I am using a more expan-

depending where a person stands – funda-

most people discuss this, I often hear the

sive term for two reasons; first, the use of

mentally, we don’t understand it! I can’t

phrase, “supply chain” used in describing

supply chain is not universally understood

over emphasize how profound this dilem-

logistics processes. In other cases, I hear

in the community and second, it’s impor-

ma is, because if we don’t all see the same

the phrase, “support chain” used to talk

tant to ensure we have a very wide aper-

thing we won’t be able to solve our prob-

about what logisticians deliver. For the

ture through which we can view the

lems. An example of how profound this

purposes of this article, I will use the term,

process element.

disparate view is – we don’t have agree-

“defense support chain” to encompass the processes that deliver logistics support to

Our biggest challenge in this area is that this defense support chain looks different

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ment today from our leaders on where the defense support chain starts and ends;

can view the defense

port chain is to link national capabili-

support chain.

There

ties/resources to changing operational

models

requirements will help to maintain that

are

reference

available, but describing

wide aperture.

and comparing them is

remember that processes know no organi-

not the purpose of this

zational or command boundaries –

article.

processes exist only to serve the enter-

But I can tell

you that absent a model,

prise.

we won’t be able to sub-

O R G A N I Z AT I O N S .

stantially improve the defense support chain – we’ll just continue to work harder to deliver the required support.

Once we settle on a reference model we’ll be able

to:

describe

processes with shared outcomes that the community agrees with; use a common language/syntax across the community;

and

use

flexible

design options for the defense support chain that will improve effectiveness at best value to the nation.

It will be critical that we always view the defense support chain from an enterprise perspective.

Keeping a very wide what deliverables ‘it’ should produce;

aperture when address-

performance

ing problems and when discussing the

metrics/measure of effectiveness ‘it’ should

defense support chain is how we’ll be able

meet and we don’t agree on key terms (a

to develop solutions that, although they

lexicon) to describe this support chain.

optimize improvements to individual parts

what

kind

of

the

of the defense support chain, will deliver In an attempt to find a way forward with respect to processes, we must first find a common framework through which we

It is also important to

improved outcomes to the Warfighter at the point of the spear. Remembering that the high-level purpose of the defense sup-

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This element

applies to those organizations responsible to execute the processes above.

I am

focused here on changing logistics organizations from their traditional hierarchal/ industrial/fixed designs using overly cumbersome, time consuming processes, to flatter, more collaborative, very agile organizations that respond with effectiveness to ever changing requirements. This poses a question: “Can a military organization be flat, collaborative agile and learning?” I would answer that question with another: “Can we afford not to be?”

As mentioned earlier in this article, our young men and women in the contemporary environment have been adaptive, collaborative and learning – I am not sure it is the same in the Pentagon.

Leading or being part of a transformed, agile organization in an untransformed world is not a comfortable situation. But, we have to find ways to design our organizations for success in a changing environment – moving to adaptive structures is fundamental to that success. As part of that process we can create organizations that can rapidly reconfigure to meet changes by ensuring we design and use a sensor grid that brings information from the edge of the organization to the decision level of the organization. Since it is Continued on next page...

a fact that you can’t watch everything,

level. Last, to drive the kind of partner-

enterprise. Following these principles will

designing an effective sensor network is a

ships I describe above, we have to focus

drive home the fact that we’re all part of

key task in establishing adaptive organiza-

on unity of effort in all we do. I can’t

the larger whole and keep us from sub-

tions.

Additionally, adaptive organiza-

over emphasize this point – we are not

optimization; improving a part of the

tions understand that they’re part of a

going to have unity of command over

enterprise but not improving the outcome

much larger enterprise – adaptive organi-

every part of the defense support chain –

for the enterprise. Last, it is important to

zations don’t exist as islands unto them-

unity of effort has to be the Holy Grail of

remember that the purpose of any appli-

selves.

logistics support.

cation should be to enable better deci-

S Y S T E M S . The systems/applications

sions – to help people do their jobs better.

One of the challenges facing

organizations in a changing world is losing their sense of identity. When everything around an organization is in flux, the

ER: LOGISTICS IN

THE

21ST CENTURY

organization must not lose its sense of pur-

that support logisticians must be part of an architectural hierarchy built around

Applications should not exist separate from a decision making process.

You

P E O P L E . Our greatest impediment to

may be thinking this discussion is about

affecting meaningful, long-term logistics

computers but it is not – it is about logic

transformation is clearly our cultures, and

– a systemic way to frame the challenge

our cultures are reflected in our people.

we have with enabling effective decision

The way we behave, how and what we

making. We can meet this challenge by

think, and what we say are direct reflec-

One critical task within the organization-

describing how our logistics processes

tions of our culture – it is who we are.

al element is related to building effective

work, then developing the data architec-

Therefore,any meaningful change should

relationships – relationships driven by

ture that will enable information to flow

start with people.

global partnerships that share common

within the process framework and finally

interests and embrace open communica-

designing the systems architecture that

tions within and across organizational

will enable the processes. This approach

boundaries.

This difficult challenge

will deliver systems focused on decision

requires conscious and continuous effort

making related to process outcomes – very

both in organizational design and man-

different than most systems we deliver

agement.

today.

In searching for a way forward in this

In addressing the systems element of logis-

logisticians need in order to give them the

area, the key is to link organizations

tics, our efforts should be focused on find-

best chance of success in the environment

across the environment to provide visibil-

ing enterprise solutions.

This does not

we described earlier. Without this kind of

ity (situational awareness) using sensor

mean we have to find the enterprise sys-

a target, we can’t really know if we’re pro-

data to build information (situational

tem to solve our challenge, but rather it

viding the kind of educational continuum

awareness) that will lead to better logistic

implies that we value the enterprise above

that will develop the right logisticians.

decisions. Next, it is crucial that we make

its separate parts.

logistics an integral part of operational

embrace the principle that we’ll only gen-

planning/execution to shorten decision

erate data once, and we’ll share that data

cycles and make logistics decisions better.

with all in the enterprise who need it to

This particular objective is not just a “seat

make decisions.

at the table” in the Ops Center – it means

enterprise above its separate parts, it

that logistics permeates the operational

becomes mandatory that we value each

planning and execution process at every

system/application on how it impacts the

pose – why the organization exists (its core reason for being) must be the guiding light. Organizations that lose their purpose while undergoing change can be lost for good.

the processes discussed previously.

The answer to this challenge – or a big part of it – is education. Fundamental to any educational initiative is the challenge of knowing what kind of logisticians we want in this future environment. Do we know? We haven’t described the skills, knowledge and attributes we believe our

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We also have to

Since we value the

2010

From my view, tomorrow’s logistician needs to be able to operate with comfort in

an

environment

of

uncertainty.

Additionally, future logisticians must have a broad, global perspective to understand any problem in its larger context. It will also be essential that future logisticians

are able to make decisions with minimal,

organizations, getting those small signals

than the plans we actually write that in

key information. Last, possessing an abil-

of change into the center is a difficult

most cases either are never used or, as the

ity to learn rapidly will be paramount.

challenge, but an imperative in an envi-

saying goes, “do not survive the first shot

ronment of constant change. The second

in combat.”

impact of a close target focus is that it

nobody knows what the right answer is

inhibits curiosity, and curiosity may very

because there is not a right answer. At

well be the most important attribute of

the end of the day, we need a logistics

successful leaders in a changing environ-

enterprise that works in harmony toward

ment.

common outcomes, shares a common lan-

Developing a training, education & experiential continuum that gives us the best chance of developing the kinds of logisticians we need is the bottom line. This is an effort that lasts over a professional lifetime, and is the purpose of the new Center for Joint & Strategic Logistics at

This article attempts to frame our logistics

the National Defense University.

enterprise in the context of five elements:

L O G I S T I C S L E A D E R S H I P.

1.) a vision – the description of a com-

As

I close this article, let me talk briefly about defense logistics leadership. Many of our logistics leaders today are too narrowly focused and have too short a perspective. This problem has crept up on us because of the environment in which we work and live. First of all, we grade our team on execution – if we don’t accomplish the tasks at hand, we don’t survive.

That has been made worse by more than eight years of continued operations. And

pelling end state that will drive change;

that deliver support to the customer; 3.)

nothing more important for our commu-

organizations – linking those logistics

nity to do. The bottom line is this: Our

components that provide control over our

defense logistics enterprise needs your

support; 4.) systems – delivering the appli-

courage, your competence and your

cations we need to help us make better

patience to build an interdependent

decisions; and 5.) people – the Holy Grail

defense logistics environment that will be

– developing people like you who will

a core component of our national security

lead us into the future.

in the years ahead. If we are able to do

drawn into the close fight. The impact of

be in harmony – but it never is. As lead-

this is dramatic.

ers, our job is to make it better and to

there to minimize any distraction to running down the track.

enterprise.

decade of the 21st Century, there may be

changes to all five of these elements and

the blinders on the horse are specifically

make good decisions on behalf of the

understanding of those logistics processes

gets, our organizations have also been

change. It’s like a horse running a race –

visibility over all information needed to

As we stand on the eve of the second

To be effective, any change must embrace

here and now make them less alert to

guage and system of metrics, and provides

2.) logistics processes – a common, shared

if our leaders are focused on the short tar-

Leaders and organizations focused on the

This is critical, because

this right, it won’t look like anything we have ever seen before – and there is no one else but us out there to do it.

About the Author: LtGen (ret) C. V.

keep those we charge with “making it happen” focus on the vision we jointly

Christianson is the senior director of the

It is this

Center for Joint and Strategic Logistics at

vision that unites the other four elements

National Defense University. His 37 years

created and hopefully share. of logistics.

of active service in the United States Army

In the case of

The sheer size and complexity of our

organizations, that means they could be

world makes this an incredibly challeng-

missing signals of change coming from

ing undertaking. But I don’t think we can

outside their line of vision. In fact, the

afford not to take it on. If you’re reading

Logistics for the Coalition Land Forces

small signals of change aren’t normally in

this, you should speak up and be part of

Command in support of Operation IRAQI

an organization’s line of vision; they come

the discussion. It is the discussion itself

from the edges or the periphery. Since

that makes us smarter and stronger, just as

leaders don’t live at the edges of their

the process of planning is more important

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included tours as the director of Logistics on the Joint Staff, the Army G4 and Chief of

FREEDOM.

K

Let’s Swear Never to Use the Word Transformation Ever Again

By Col Scott Tew

“Transformation? Transformation. I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.”

––Shakespeare’s Tybalt the Cat from Romeo and Juliet (if Tybalt had been an Airman) Don’t you just hate the word “transformation?” In the Air Force, the word elicits visions of more meetings, less manpower, something new to learn and be inspected on. Somehow, we have successfully turned an innocent word into a curse. Perhaps it is time to relegate “transformation” to the lexicon dustbin with phases like Fonzie’s “Heeeyyy”, the 1980’s “rad”, and a certain hotel heiress’ “that’s hot.”

I’m speaking of course of the word…not the meaning of the word itself.

The word transformation is no longer relevant because we are immersed in a world of transformation. Did you consciously think transformation when you first logged onto the internet, when you ordered your first book off Amazon, bought your first smart phone, Googled your first question, first followed the directions on your

GPS or sent your first tweet? No, you thought, “This is cool, why didn’t I think of that?” Consider how your day-to-day life has transformed in the last 10 years, how differently you do almost every task, from reading tailored daily news on your Blackberry to paying your bills on your iPhone, to allowing an electronic beam to automatically flush your toilet. Transformation surrounds us like air.

Constant change permeates every aspect of our lives. There is no longer a reason to shout it out loud in meetings or to hold conferences just to announce that it is happening. For instance, I doubt dolphins start each meal with the thought: “I think I’ll have fish today.” They know they’re going to eat fish!

So, who in his right mind would expect to use the same processes and technologies today that he used 10 or 20 years ago to make, deliver and manage supplies? Today, in your off-duty hours you would never mail in an order form and wait 6 to 8 weeks for delivery, as the old Ronco commercials demanded when you wanted your new Ginzu knives. As a customer at home, you want to instantly search for and find a product, order it in a few clicks of a mouse, and know to the hour, when it will be delivered. Why would you not expect the same thing when you are the customer on the flightline or in a combat communications van? You may not want to

TSgt John Foss, 436th Aerial Port Squadron, backs up a K-loader after it is filled with pallets. The largest Aerial Port in the world resides at Dover and millions of pounds of cargo are palletized their every year. (USAF photo by Roland Balik)

admit it, but transformation is “slathered like butter on toast” all over that process you used to order the latest cool item from the internet. You had to learn to navigate a website, input standard billing information about yourself, visualize the product you were ordering, and set-up communication avenues (email, cell phone, Twitter accounts) so the system could keep you in the loop. Behind the computer or smart phone screen where you made your purchase, similar process changes had to take place at the company you just ordered from. They had to develop new ways to allow you to find, order and receive in a timely manner that collector’s edition of Watchmen DVDs you wanted so badly.

The DVD company had to standardize how the cusThe Mechanized Material Handling System moves past rows of pallets searching for the correct tomer sees the merchandise, make billing easy and autopiece of cargo to load on a K-Loader at Dover AFB. After cargo has been palletized, the MMHS matic, allow the stock warehouse to electronically see stores the cargo until the pallet can be loaded onto an aircraft. (USAF photo by Jason Minto) your order as quickly as you placed it, and set up relationships and system connections with FedEx and UPS to pass your order to their delivery system, so you would mation, real-time access to data and quicker responses to your know where your order was at any moment. Most importantly, the needs, you are going to hate the 21st century (eLog21…see, it company had to find a way to predict that you would actually want works!). And admit it, you love most of the advances the 21st cento buy that DVD, and pass that prediction to the DVD manufactures tury has brought (reality TV excluded, of course.). When you realso they could press that DVD…or your DVD would never have been ize that your parts seem to always be there when you need them, available for you to order in the first place. These same changes are and on those rare occasions when they’re not, it’s easy to order them taking place in the Air Force today, under the name eLog21 (I bet and track them right to your work station, you won’t say “Hey, our AF leaders are now sorry they didn’t go with the second choice eLog21 works.” You’ll say “Hey, that’s cool, why didn’t I think of in names: iLog21!). that?” eLog21 is simply the name we call the group of changes being made to make your shopping experience as easy at work, as it is at home.

For customers, we are making changes in front of the screen to help ease the task of ordering and tracking. Behind the order screen, there are major process and technological changes needed just so we can make your shopping experience more pleasurable. (Of course, when I say “pleasurable,” I mean quicker, so you can get back to work.) What makes “iLog21” different is that we are all active participants in the process. When you ordered that Watchmen DVD (blu-ray edition, unrated director’s cut, in the collector’s case), you were just another private citizen trying to spend a hard-earned buck.

However, when it comes to eLog21, you are an employee of “the company.” You must adapt to the same changes the employees of Amazon, FedEx and the DVD manufactures had to make in order to allow you to complete that on-line purchase. You are a vital part of the process.

I know transformation and eLog21can sometimes seem like nasty words. But if it helps you accept them, the next time you see them, replace them with the phrase “21st century.” They mean the same thing. If you don’t like transformation, you are going to hate the 21st century. If you don’t like leaner processes, more accurate infor-

So, don’t complain when someone tries to convince you about the benefits of Air Force transformation and eLog21. Just the opposite.

You, as the customer, should demand such advances, just as you’ve demanded them from private industry when buying, paying bills and tracking deliveries at your home. You deserve to have the best processes and technology possible because your mission is the most important “customer” the US government has. Demand the process changes that will allow you to have parts where you need them, when you need them, and that will give you the ability to track critical parts hour-to-hour so you can better plan your job. But for Pete’s sake, can we come up with a better way to describe such changes other than “transformation?” Perhaps “groovy” or “where’s the beef,” or “whaaazz uuuuupppp,” or “the information super highway?” Anything but transformation.

About the Author: Col Scott Tew is the Chief, Logistics Readiness Division for the Air National Guard. He is a two-time squadron commander, served a Pentagon tour, Industrial College of the Armed Forces graduate, and is selected to be the next commander of the 635th Supply Chain Management Group at Scott AFB.

EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE

15

K

Charles Murzyn from OC-ALC assembling a F-101 Low Pressure Turbine #5 bearing area for B-1 engine (USAF Photo).

Repair Network Integration: Maximizing Repair within the Supply Chain

managed by the AFGLSC is the repair network. Conversely, repair is also the biggest consumer of these items.

By Lt Col David Koch, Mr. Patrick Mahoney and Ms. Katy Stuck The goal of the Air Force global supply system is to ensure flight line maintainers have the right part, at the right place, at the right time. Making this a reality requires careful orchestration across the entire supply chain…supply, maintenance, and transportation. The Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (AFGLSC) provides a single face to the customer utilizing standard processes for purchasing parts and equipment. The single largest source of supply items

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To create a future Air Force supply system capable of supporting dynamic global operations, every element—from the use of the latest technology to mark and track assets as they move through the supply chain to an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) information system backbone—is designed to identify and satisfy operator needs as quickly as possible. These initiatives fall under Expeditionary Logistics for the 21st Century (eLog21) and adapt industry best practices to Air Force operational realities. Along with the AFGLSC, Repair Network Integration (RNI) is one of a wide range of initiatives that are under development within the eLog21 umbrella changing how the Air Force manages its logistics supply chain.

RNI is a focused Air Force initiative designed to fundamentally transform how the service manages the way it repairs its assets (see Exceptional Release Fall 2009).

Repair Network Integration, as the single interface to the AFGLSCmanages repair networks using standardized management processes to coordinate product output by more than 40,000 main-

2010

tainers operating at over 100 repair locations in support of Air Force priorities. These management processes enable repair network managers to use hundreds of individual repair nodes as an integrated whole to rapidly repair whatever the supply system needs to satisfy operator demands.

E F F I C I E N T, E F F E C T I V E ,

AND

FLEXIBLE

Repair Network Integration rationalizes repair capability and capacity, while synchronizing Air Force repair production, to meet the dynamic nature of the Air Force repair mission. When exigent circumstances cause significant changes in either repair requirements or the ability of repair networks to meet demand, RNI rapidly realigns work and/or capability and capacity to respond quickly to the situation. Through RNI, maintenance capability is managed, controlled, and harnessed to meet enterprise-level priorities in a consistent manner. Maintenance repair activities are an integrated part of the larger Air Force Supply system. Essentially, RNI will do for the repair enterprise what the AFGLSC has done for supply chain management ensuring repair is seamlessly integrated into the logistics supply chain.

One way to ensure that supply and maintenance efforts and processes are integrated is through the use of the same reference model.

All eLog21 initiatives map their processes to the Supply Chain Operational Reference (SCOR®) model. SCOR® is the standard for supply chain operations and is also serving as the reference for all repair network process mapping activities. This model categorizes activities into buckets of activity, such as "Plan and Source, Make and Repair, Deliver, and Return." (The Supply Chain Council) Most of the repair network activity resides within the “Make and Repair” category, but also has significant interaction and interdependencies with adjoining categories (see chart).

RNI

AND THE

SCOR®

MODEL

Repair Network Integration will primarily manage the “Make and Repair” portion of the supply chain by delivering repaired or serviceable assets and weapon systems back to the supply chain.

Beginning with warfighter needs, supply chain managers must plan how those requirements will be met, and must identify and select the proper sources for satisfying those needs. In turn, those suppliers must make or repair what is required; those serviceable items must then be delivered back to inventories, and returned in high performing condition to the warfighter.

Understanding how RNI participates in or affects the supply chain resulted in identifying standard processes needed to maintain the flow of production and outputs to the supply chain.

As Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS) seeks to increase responsiveness and efficiency, RNI is actively involved in this process by helping the Air Force better understand what it takes to manage repair planning and production as an enterprise. This in

TSgt Fred Prater from OC-ALC working the F-101 High Pressure Turbine Area for B-1 engine (USAF Photo)

turn will enable managers to make better decisions with increased responsiveness and efficiency.

RNI PHASE 1 – PROOF

OF

CONCEPT

During RNI’s Phase 1: “Proof of Concept”, Air Force Materiel Command validated four of eight identified key management concepts for the repair network on three weapon systems or commodities: The F101 engine, B-1 weapon system, and the Low Altitude Navigation & Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pods. The application and evaluation of these core management processes in a real world operational environment provided the team valuable lessons learned as work continues to integrate repair networks into a repair enterprise. Network managers were able to improve network agility and responsiveness to rapidly changing requirements, thereby enhancing the speed and effectiveness of network decisionmaking and repair action execution.

THE F101...

Using standardized management processes and the full potential of the Air Force F101 Repair Network, this real world operational test was a resounding success. Since reaching the critical low levels of spare engines back in July 2009, the F101 repair network produced a high of 25 serviceable spare engines and produced an astounding 57 engines within 60 days of the network being operational. This F101 operational test validated the RNI standardized management processes and tools, and highlighted some of the capabilities of a fully integrated repair network. Air Force priorities came first–above and beyond the local base, wing, and MAJCOM priorities.

Workload, people, and equipment were moved across the Air Force to meet this requirement for F101 engines based on sub-optimized capability and capacity that exists within the F101 repair network and the greater Air Force enterprise. Oklahoma City (OC) ALC accommodated some of this workload with its available capacity by Continued on next page...

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adding personnel from Dyess AFB. Oklahoma City ALC moved equipment to Dyess AFB to increase their capacity by two rails. Edwards AFB received and repaired unserviceable engines utilizing available capacity and capability. Ms. Bobbi LaRue, 545th PMXS/CL at OC-ALC, noted, “Moving people is the single best thing we did.

Being able to cross talk, and cross train, and understand the environment was invaluable in teaming to meet network goals.”

E R : R E PA I R N E T W O R K I N T E G R AT I O N

THE B-1...

Within the B-1 repair network, the “Proof of Concept” team utilized the core management processes to manage the repair of the ALQ-161 Band 4 – 8 Tactical Communication Receivers.

At the outset, many technicians and managers -A1C Daniel Dansereau, A1C Brandon Novenario and A1C Bradley Gray demonstrating their associated with the day-to-day repair of this receivtechnical expertise performing “Return to Service” maintenance on a completed F-16 Targeting er did not think meeting the actual quarterly Pod (Photo by MSgt Scott Shaw) requirement would be possible. It had never been met. There was a consensus that other critical Bazine articles, podcasts and others will ensure continued stake1 electronic warfare components would be pushed into a negaholder buy-in.. tive supply posture due to the attention the 4-8 receivers would be receiving. However, that turned out to not be the case at all. If you are interested in learning more about RNI, please visit the Historically hovering around a 15-25% Requisition Objective RNI page on the Air Force Portal or visit the RNI Community (www.my.af.mil, then follow this path: (RO) fill rate, MICAPs were always an issue. By applying the of Practice. developed core management processes to this asset’s repair Communities > Search for RNI CoP ) processes, the receiver RO fill rate climbed to over 100% within the first 60 days of this test and remains at this level today.

The integration and collaboration of network managers with supply chain managers increased repair production without detrimental effects on other repair nodes.

About the Authors: Lt Col David M. Koch is the Chief, Logistics Strategic Initiatives Branch, Logistics Plans and Integration Division, Directorate of Logistics at Headquarters United States Air Force at the Pentagon.

LESSONS LEARNED

Lt Col Koch is responsible for the Air Force Maintenance for the

As the RNI work continues, lessons learned from the F101 and B-1 tests will be applied. For instance, common performance metrics across locations that measure success in the same way for both people and the program, and aligning those metrics to Air Force priorities rather than local or base priorities will be instrumental to transforming the Air Force supply chain. Given the success of the F101 and the B-1 live tests, RNI has been proven to work at an enterprise level. However, in order to permanently and fully realize the benefits of its transformation efforts, a cultural shift from focusing on local and base priorities to an enterprise-level must occur.

21st Century effort with the vision of transforming current mainte-

Throughout the process, the RNI team ensured the engagement and input from the total force into the repair network.

Communication efforts like newsletters, stakeholder briefs, mag-

worked with AF/A4LX on RNI change and human capital man-

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nance organizations and processes in the Air Force into two integrated networks, a mission generation network and a supporting repair network.

Mr. Patrick Mahoney, Senior Consultant, Deloitte Consulting, LLP –Mr. Patrick Mahoney is currently assigned to AF/A4LX serving as the RNI Process Design Lead.

Ms. Katy Stuck, Senior Consultant, Deloitte Consulting, LLP Ms. Stuck works in Deloitte’s Human Capital Practice and has

agement.

2010

K

Supply from the Expeditionary Commander's Perspective: Colonel Robert A. Hopkins Jr., 451st Expeditionary Maintenance Group Commander

Building relations with Afghanistan Maintenance Commander. (Photo

by MSgt Toby Nichols)

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2010

K A N D A H A R A B , A F G H A N I S TA N

COL HOPKINS: Like we mentioned earlier, sourcing MICAPS is

ER: The spring ER edition focuses on support for our Warfighters. Give it to us straight commanders. Are you getting parts when you need them to maintain your aircraft? Is the extended supply system working for you with such long lines of communication?

Col Hopkins: We are absolutely getting parts we need to ensure aircraft availability in order to meet any mission at anytime to protect and provide whatever the Afghan populace and joint and coalition partners need during this conflict. There are challenges with the long pipeline and build-up with the surge in Afghanistan; however, we have great Americans from DLA, the ALCs, as well as contractors and home units doing their best to support the Warfighter all the time; they are just a phone call away.

ER: What is your candid assessment of how well you have been supported by our supply chain management system? Do you have any recommendations for improvement in your logistics support for supply to transportation?

COL HOPKINS: Speaking strictly from a maintainer’s perspective, we source the parts and pieces fairly quickly; however, being a landlocked country, we certainly do have some challenges getting the parts and pieces through various transportation means and modes. Below are possible recommendations to facilitate and streamline transportation efforts for aircraft specific MICAPs: n Separate aircraft MICAPs from other supply MICAPs and ensure all Supply Chain Management Group assets are treated equally in theater or are based on a prioritization scale based on weapon system. n

Ensure predictive leveling techniques/algorithms are skewed to “favor” the Warfighter instead of the collective weapon system.

n

Improve intra-theater processing of MICAP assets. There are times MICAPS within theater take longer than those sourced stateside.

n

Better real-time data sharing tools/IT should be developed to support more effective decision-making between the supply/trans/air movement processes. There is still too much manual intervention involved to update status reports/information, slowing down the right information flow to the decisionmakers.

ER: Let’s talk transportation. What is your opinion of the transportation portion of the supply chain system? Do you see systemic examples of required parts delayed because of transportation issues?

fairly quick; however, the mode of transportation, private or contract carrier, provide some challenges. In some cases, contract transportation carriers, sub to other carriers, causing longer delays. Also, not all carriers deliver parts to a war zone. We are still having difficulties with customs at various locations. This concern is always an issue and ties-up parts required for mission accomplishment.

ER: Name your three biggest supply chain challenges as a deployed MXG commander.

COL HOPKINS: Our biggest challenges are with multiple MDSs with unique capabilities. Some are on the cutting edge, while others are old with major upgrades. Parts are limited. There is not enough demand on the supply system for item managers to source repair contracts. Thus we are waiting for contracts to be awarded to fix some items. Other items are so new and unique; work-arounds are implemented to get us the parts.

We need to streamline the contracting process here. We fall under regional contracting authority and therefore compete with Army and various other organizations to get purchases contracted.

Since we cannot easily go off-base to the local hardware store, we have to use the AOR government purchase cardholder program.

There is a dedicated person detailed to this effort and with the sheer volume of requests, it is understandable why there are delays with purchasing items.

ER: What was the most profound thing that you learned, i.e., that one thing that you would have never thought of prior to your deployed command?

COL HOPKINS: When blending units from the total force from various commands with different weapon platforms, different maintenance cultures, and officers and chiefs with various levels of experience, one quickly learns maintenance compliance standards and enforcement across the US Air Force maintenance enterprise are not the same.

Commanders do an exceptional job sending great Airmen to the war front. There are times when a few individuals are sent over with significant quality force issues, which become a major distraction reducing combat capability. We need to ensure commanders are screening, reading line remarks, and sending folks qualified to do the task at hand.

ER: Based on your learned experiences, what advice would you provide to future deployed MXG commanders?

COL HOPKINS: Lead from the front, get out from behind the desk, have fun, and be grateful you are in the greatest Air Force in the world. Stay with the basic fundamental truths for maintenance.

Continued on next page...

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EXPEDITIONARY COMMANDER'S PERSPECTIVE FROM THE

E R : S U P P LY

Focus on people, planes and processes…keep them in balance, don’t focus on one more than another. Remember aircraft availability and munitions support are the two areas to put emphasis on every day. Anticipate the future now and act; war is dynamic. Change is change, and change is always evolving. Yes, you can use AFSO21 in a war zone. There is time and lots of opportunity to eliminate waste, improve processes, streamline efforts and make it better, faster, safer for the maintainer, transporter, and supply technician to support the Airman, Soldier, Marine, Sailor, civilians and coalition team on the ground and in the air.

ER: Let’s think joint. What have you observed from working with sister-service logistician systems? Is there anything we could do better for the deployed joint mission?

COL HOPKINS: At Kandahar, the US Air Force does not have Base Operating Support (BOS). Even though we are a wing, we are a tenant at this airfield and therefore, we have to operate under NATO airfield rules and Army rules for general support.

This presents unique opportunities and helps us to build relationships with coalition and joint services.

We have some common MDSs with coalition and joint services.

We have helped them with securing munitions items and some weapon system parts; they in turn helped us as well.

Additionally, the Army and Marines have a robust maintenance support capability here compared to our expeditionary capability. However, we need Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreements (ACSAs) in place for dual use parts between the Army, Marines and ourselves. There are times when we had to get authorization to use an Army or Marine repair procedure on our weapons systems because the procedure was not authorized at the field level. We have held assets down waiting for this approval.

ER: Does the Aerial Port fall within your responsibilities? If so how do you feel about the transfer of Aerial Port functions to the Maintenance Group at major strategic airlift bases?

COL HOPKINS: The Aerial Port responsibilities fall under the Mission Support Group and NATO. As for Aerial Port functions falling under the Maintenance Group, there are advantages and disadvantages for any function falling under any group. However, Aerial Port activities are strictly a transportation function and need to stay with the Mission Support Group. If we are discussing vehicle maintenance activities, then I would recommend combining AGE and vehicle maintenance under a new flight called: fleet equipment flight. AGE and vehicle maintenance have many similar functions, processes and repair capabilities.

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We can increase efficiencies in manpower, hazardous materials, facilities, tooling and a variety of other activities.

ER: How are you and your senior staff directly engaged in daily supply management oversight for maintenance repairs? How engaged is your Mission Support Group Commander counterpart involved with spares and MICAP issues?

COL HOPKINS: Wing leadership at all levels is actively engaged daily. Maintenance Supply Liaisons (MSLs) are collocated with the Maintenance Group and squadrons. MSLs brief twice daily at wing standup and production meetings. Monthly IREPs are chaired by group and deputy commanders to review all supply and transportation issues. Monthly briefings are sent to various organizations in the wing, AFCENT, ACC, AMC, AFGLSC and home station wings.

ER: Do you agree or disagree with proponents who argue the MSG’s role is too wide and the LRS supply function would be better managed by a deployed MXG Commander?

COL HOPKINS: Disagree totally, the MXG focus is on generating and fixing aircraft. While supply is vital to our operations, the MXG still has the ability to reach into the supply system at all levels.

ER: Does the critical repair of unserviceable parts portion of the supply chain require a different approach when deployed with such long transportation lines? Does the 2-level repair strategy work sufficiently or should we modify our repair plans to a more 3-level approached for geographically distant deployed maintenance units?

COL HOPKINS: Depending on the supply chain reaction time to issuing/shipping a part, the deployed units are driven to CANN from one aircraft to another. The 3-level maintenance concept requires a robust infrastructure and is very expensive.

Retrograde of reparables is a constant issue. Priority for shipping carcasses back to repair facilities is less than desired and affects the ability for repair facilities to expedite repairs on carcass constrained parts for high demand, low density assets. Recommend we have a MICAP prioritization to ship carcasses back to repair facilities.

ER: Let’s discuss the repair network concept. Would a geographically friendly regional repair network improve supply support for deployed units?

COL HOPKINS: The answer to this question from strictly a maintainer’s vantage point is an unequivocal yes; however, in a time of fiscal restraint and discipline, it’s probably not feasible.

2010

Col Hopkins discussing maintenance of equipment and vehicles with an Army Striker team while looking at their vehicle. (Photo by MSgt Toby Nichols)

A regional repair network would be advantageous to those assets, mainly avionics and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UASs) needing repair on a continuous basis.

first true field level CLS MDS will come online in the near future. The depot CLS on the UAS side has been responsive to our needs.

ER: Feedback for Major General McCoy. Have you seen GLSC involved in your supply chain support? If so please elaborate.

ER: 21As or 21Rs as separate a separate officer path or a cross flow combination…has your opinion changed on these personnel issues since deploying?

COL HOPKINS: The AFGLSC is a Warfighter, and we get great

COL HOPKINS: My opinion is these two career paths need to

support from the wing commander and at all levels. Col Roger Thrasher is our biggest supporter. If we need him we can call him. More importantly, we work with our counterparts at the various levels in his organization.

be separate. The LROs have so many disciplines to learn, and there is not enough time to master them before becoming a field grade officer. Likewise, the maintenance and munitions career paths need to be separated as well. There is much to learn in these disciplines at the company grade levels before they are squadron commanders. In my humble opinion, we need more company grade officers to spend no more than two years at a depot to get a better understanding of the supply and repair system. I believe we can get a better logistician at the field grade level, if the company grade levels are allowed to gain depth in experience in their career paths. K

ER: Is there a Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) supporting your operation? If so please evaluate the CLS concept from a deployed perspective?

Col Hopkins: The field level CLS support has been strong, but support is not a large part of our current organization. We have O&M contractors supporting and maintaining our aircraft and really don’t distinguish them from our “blue-suit” AMUs. Our

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Supply from the Expeditionary Commander’s Perspective: Colonel Ricky Murphy, 380th Commander Expeditionary Maintenance Group

A L D H A F R A A B , U N I T E D A R A B E M I R AT E S ER: The spring ER edition’s focuses on support for our Warfighters. Give it to us straight commander…are you getting parts when you need them to maintain your aircraft? Is the extended supply system working for you with such long lines of communication?

COL MURPHY: Parts are usually sourced and delivered in minimal time. But as you can imagine, because of the scope of the logistics operations in the CENTCOM AOR, we work diligently to mend seams between strategic and theater transportation operations. One of the ways we address this issue at Al Dhafra is capitalizing on the dual role of the KC-10s by using a weekly rotating KC-10 for direct delivery of assets, particularly large or classified components.

ER: What is your candid assessment of how well you have been supported by our supply chain management system? Do you have any recommendations for improvement in your logistics support for supply to transportation?

COL MURPHY: The Global Logistics Support Center (GLSC) and its supply chain managers are doing a superb job. Two things stand out in their performance: the GLSC has become very adept at combining modes of transportation to move parts and it continues to grow in striking a balance between optimum stock levels and transportation LIMFACS. Recommendations: The GLSC continues to do a great job despite antiquated, legacy IT systems. As Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS) comes online, visibility of the global transportation network will increase as will their ability to maximize transportation efficiencies. So my first recommendation is to continue the drive to get this system online.

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Secondly, push for greater in-transit visibility of parts.

ER: Let’s talk transportation. What is your opinion of the transportation portion of the supply chain system? Do you see systemic examples of required parts delayed because of transportation issues?

COL MURPHY: The strategic and intra-theater airlift require-

Grumman. For the first time in the history of the KC-10 program, we’re changing contractors during a contingency operation.

3) Although we normally think of vanishing vendors for military-unique equipment, many of our aging Commercial Off-TheShelf (COTS) equipment items have few spare parts and a limited remaining life cycle on the components themselves.

ments in the AOR are tremendous causing stress to the organic capability of AMC’s fleet. To compensate, Worldwide Express contract carriers such as FEDEX and DHL are easing capacity issues.

ER: What was the most profound thing that you learned, i.e., that one thing that you would have never thought of prior to your deployed command?

ER: Name your three biggest supply chain challenges as a deployed MXG commander.

extremely difficult. Every AEF cycle has a personality of its own.

Typically, an AEF cycle can be as short as 4-6 months. As soon as you think you’ve worked out some challenges your AEF team has faced, it’s time to rotate the new AEF in. Despite continuity plans and books, some issues will have to be relearned with the new AEF team.

COL MURPHY: 1) Spare parts support to a “sunset” weapons system. For example, Block 10 Global Hawk and U-2 sensor components are in short supply with limited remaining life cycle on the components themselves.

2) KC-10 Contractor Operated & Maintained Base Supply (COMBS) contractor transition from Boeing to Northrop

COL MURPHY: Managing the transition between AEF cycles is

ER: Based on your learned experiences, what advice would you provide to future deployed MXG commanders?

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EXPEDITIONARY COMMANDER’S PERSPECTIVE FROM THE

E R : S U P P LY

C OL M URPHY: Work aggressively with the Operations Group (OG) and Combined Air Operations Center (CAOC) to balance maintenance resources with operational demands; actively manage the transition of AEF cycles; hand-pick a team with a mix of tactical and strategic abilities—you’ll need both in the day-to-day execution and future logistics/ops planning at your deployed location.

ER: Let’s think joint. What have you observed from working with sister-service logistician systems?

COL MURPHY: We all share similar issues: competing demands for airlift; in-transit visibility; legacy IT systems; vanishing vendors.

ER: How are you and your senior staff directly engaged in daily supply management oversight for maintenance repairs? How engaged is your Mission Support Group Commander counterpart involved with spares and MICAP issues?

COL MURPHY: We are very engaged from both the EMXG/CC and EMSG/CC perspective. We both review MICAP status daily. In addition, we participate in a quarterly Intermediate Repair Enhancement Program (IREP) meeting.

ER: Do you agree or disagree with proponents who argue the MSG’s role is too wide and the LRS supply function would be better managed by a deployed MXG Commander?

COL MURPHY: Disagree. The first day the MSG and I got together he made it very clear he wanted me to have full access to the LRS and its commander. We have had zero issues.

ER: Does the critical repair of unserviceable parts portion of the supply chain require a different approach when deployed with such long transportation lines? Does the 2-level repair strategy work sufficiently or should we modify our repair plans to a more 3-level approached for geographically distant deployed maintenance units?

COL MURPHY: Each location must carefully examine the benefit of 2- and 3-level maintenance capabilities. With high velocity in both the repair cycle and transportation system, 2-level repairs generally save time and money. In the case of unique airframes such as the U-2 and RQ-4 Global Hawk, some 2L+ capability makes sense. With limited RQ-4 spares, there are not enough Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) to absorb the transportation time needed under a 2-level system. In terms of the U-2, its sensors are contractor maintained. They have identified commonly failing Shop Replaceable Units (SRUs) and have the engineering authority to change them.

COL MURPHY: A geographically friendly facility must also have an accessible transportation network to take advantage of its proximity. Al Dhafra is less than a 45 minute flight from Al Udeid, but has no dedicated intra-theater lift missions to provide consistent delivery options.

ER: Feedback for Major General McCoy. Have you seen GLSC involved in your supply chain support? If so please elaborate.

COL MURPHY: Yes, the logistics professionals of the GLSC are absolutely engaged at all levels. They are attentive to the requirements of the Warfighting commanders in actively and aggressively pursuing parts and transportation solutions.

ER: Is there a Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) supporting your operation? If so please evaluate the CLS concept from a deployed perspective?

COL MURPHY: Yes, the KC-10 CLS Program has recently changed its prime contractor from Boeing to Northrop Grumman.

As we make this transition, the maintenance group has emphasized three points with the new contractor: 1.) this is a can’t fail mission; 2.) 49 percent of the aerial refueling operation over Afghanistan is performed by the KC-10; 3.) the supply chain management component they bring to the fight is absolutely critical. As such, we expect a commitment to excellence best demonstrated by quickly hiring an exceptionally qualified staff; expeditiously establishing vendor relationships; and solidifying transportation options. Ultimately, we expect no interruption in service as we transition from one company to the next.

ER: 21As or 21Rs as a separate officer path or a cross flow combination…has your opinion changed on these personnel issues since deploying?

COL MURPHY: It’s my belief JET taskings, AEF requirements, the demands of becoming a fully qualified LRO and the time it takes to hone your skills as a maintainer make cross flowing opportunities nearly impossible.

Colonel Ricky R. Murphy is Commander of the 380th Expeditionary

Maintenance

Group.

The

Expeditionary

Maintenance Group is composed of two squadrons with approximately 500 personnel and 27 KC-10s, E-3s, U-2s, and RQ-4s.

The group provides 49 percent of the aerial refueling over the CENTCOM AOR and the only High Altitude Intelligence, Surveillance

and

Reconnaissance

(ISR)

function

over

CENTCOM’s AOR in support of Operations IRAQI FREEDOM,

ER: Let’s discuss the repair network concept. Would a geographically friendly regional repair network improve supply support for deployed units?

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ENDURING FREEDOM, and Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa.

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K

SPECIAL SECTION: AFGLSC

GLSC Mission Statement: Deliver Integrated Global Supply Chain Support for Warfighter Capabilities

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SPECIAL SECTION: AFGLSC

Perspectives IN STEP WITH MAJOR GENERAL GARY M C C O Y, C O M M A N D E R , AIR FORCE GLOBAL LOGISTICS SUPPORT CENTER, AIR FORCE M AT E R I E L C O M M A N D , L O C AT E D AT S C O T T AIR FORCE BASE, ILL. ER: Describe the evolution over the years from a decentralized supply system supporting operations with each base serving as the primary point of order, storage and distribution to today's highly centralized supply function with AFGLSC serving as the hub of all supply functions.

MAJ GEN MCCOY: Our Air Force expeditionary mission needs and resource constraints drove us to a centralized supply chain approach, while information technology revolution and Maj Gen McCoy speaks at the Air Force advanced transportation networks AIT Conference about the AFGLSC and enabled this new approach. As we the importance of new technology in shifted from an in-garrison force of over building the premier Supply Chain 600,000 to an expeditionary Service organization. (Photo AFGLSC/CCX) with more than 330,000, it became very apparent we could not continue to operate in the same decentralized way without huge cost and impacts that would allow visibility and control of spares above the base to our Warfighting capability. In the past, each base was com- level. This approach was first tried in 1989 at the Air Force pletely responsible for their own supply needs, which required Contingency Squadron, Langley AFB, which was stood up to large supply squadrons and big warehouses. The natural result provide contingency supply support for deployed forces. The new was inefficient sub-optimization since bases were not always approach was battle-tested during Operations Desert Shield and incentivized to share “their� parts and each base had to source Desert Storm, resulting in measurably improved spares support their own high priority requisitions and competed against other and aircraft availability. Now that the enterprise method was bases for parts support. However, visionary leaders saw the oppor- proven, it was gradually adopted by all Major Commands in the tunity to take advantage of emerging supply information systems form of Regional Supply Squadrons. Over time, even these units

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were consolidated via a BRAC decision into two Logistics Support Centers—one under ACC and the other under AMC. This consolidation reached a logical conclusion with the standup of the 635th Supply Chain Management Wing underneath the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (AFGLSC). This action took the two Logistics Support Centers and consolidated them with the Customer Support activities at the three Air Logistics Centers. This new “Ops Wing” is responsible for providing enterprise supply chain control and worldwide operational spares support, especially for aircraft spares, equipment and vehicles. This means that bases now have an entire Wing dedicated to proactively positioning spare parts and dedicated to sourcing high priority requisitions. The enterprise supply approach has a 20-year history of successful support for bases. To complete the “Global, Enterprise” capability under a single center, the Supply Chain Management (SCM) functions previous assigned to the Air Logistics Centers under the Combat Sustainment Wing (CSW) and Aircraft Sustainment Wing (ASW) were realigned to the AFGLSC. Finally, a strategy and integration function was added to ensure the AFGLSC would have total capability to provide “Global Logistics and Warfighter Support.” These actions have combined to form a highly centralized SCM capability that operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year to support our worldwide customers.

tages of proactive demand forecasting, better and faster strategic sourcing, and enhanced integration with the repair network. The final big advantage of the AFGLSC is that we have an organization that combines what we used to call the "retail" and "wholesale" aspects of supply into an “enterprise” Supply Chain.

ER: What are the three biggest advantages a centralized AFGLSC brings to the Warfighter?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: Considering the mission of the AFGLSC

MAJ GEN MCCOY: The first big advantage is an enterprise view for operational spares distribution -- eventually across all commands and all classes of supply. This allows the right parts to flow to the highest priority need, while enabling the Air Force to optimize the location and use of parts within the global Air Force inventory. Second, the AFGLSC is driving consolidation and standardization of our planning and sourcing activities. It is essential that we calculate future demands accurately in order to put in place the right buy/repair strategy; that way we have the correct parts on the shelf to meet future needs. The AFGLSC brings these activities under a single organization (the Mr. Dan Fri, 635 SCMW/DV, pro448th Supply Chain vides a mission brief on the Supply Management Wing) where Chain Control Center at Scott we can realize the advanAFB, IL. (Photo Scott AFB)

This is more than just a terminology change! Key to achieving the goals and objectives of the Air Force’s Expeditionary Logistics for the 21st Century, known as eLog21, is implementation of an enterprise logistics structure. The AFGLSC is the core organization element for the enterprise structure, with the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS), being the enabling core process and technology element. Thus combining “retail” and “wholesale” under the AFGLSC is laying the groundwork for the mandated enterprise processes within a modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system such as ECSS. At the end of the day, it is all about enhancing support to our operational customers and depot maintenance. The “customer” is the reason we created the AFGLSC and must remain our top priority—getting the customer what they need when they need it, at the right time and best value. That is “Job One.” ER: Let's candidly evaluate the AFGLSC concept. What is the AFGLSC report card after two years since the AFGLSC became operational?

and the scope of operations, I give the AFGLSC an “A” for effort and a “B” for Warfighting effectiveness and efficiency. We have assembled a great team that has the vision and skills to implement our campaign plan to achieve the outcomes that drove the creation of the AFGLSC. When I was on Air Staff and helped lead the creation of AFGLSC, I had no idea I would be tapped to be its first GO Commander. But now that I am here, I consider this a tremendous honor, as well as a challenge, to execute a supply chain transformation, making the AFGLSC the best Supply Chain Management (SCM) organization in DoD—and eventually in the world.

Which brings me to the “B” for outcomes: we had the daunting, parallel task of standing up the new organization, transforming Continued on next page...

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SCM, while continuing to provide outstanding support to a global customer operating around-the-clock. Feedback from our customers in operational units is very positive; I believe we are providing them outstanding support. But regardless of our track record in supporting current operations, we still have plenty of room for improvements—and we are clearly focused on continuous process and operational improvement. And quite frankly, we need to be better at supporting our depot maintenance customers. This is one of my top priorities in FY10. Thus the “B” grade. I am constantly challenging our processes, policies, and business rules to be more innovative and responsive in supporting forward-deployed operations and the depot maintenance community as well. By this time next year, with the improvements we have initiated in our campaign plan, I expect we will be at an “A” across the board! But let me be clear – it is our customers that will “grade us” – not me. It is the customer who will evaluate if we are meeting their supply chain needs. No matter how good Toyota or Wal-Mart may feel they are, it is the customer’s satisfaction and feedback that really counts.

ER: Although the AFGLSC has centralized the supply and transportation system the repair system is still decentralized at individual base levels. Are there plans to integrate the repair process to a centralized network linked to the AFGLSC?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: The simple answer is yes, the Air Force has recognized the need to improve the repair network’s capability and it has started an effort called the Repair Network Integration (RNI) led by Headquarters Air Force A4L. AFGLSC is fully engaged and an integral member in this transformational effort.

Of course it goes without saying that the repair network is tightly linked in a symbiotic relationship with the supply chain— both networks are highly dependent upon each other. The repair network needs parts from the supply chain and conversely, the supply chain needs the repair network to provide serviceable parts in order to ship them to Air Force customers worldwide. We are about to embark upon Phase 2 of RNI with a test of the B-1B’s F101 engine repair network concept. We will continue to evaluate our processes and refine our strategies for other commodities. Ultimately RNI will produce a more agile, responsive, and cost effective repair network for the Air Force supply chain.

ER: Warfighters complain the transportation system has not kept pace with other supply process enhancements. Do you agree and if so what plans exist to improve the transportation and distribution function, both within and outside the Defense Transportation System?

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MAJ GEN MCCOY: Up front I'll tell you that I don't agree with that perception, but I believe I understand why it's there. In fact, our transportation system has undergone dramatic changes and improvements, but not all of those are immediately visible to the Warfighter. And quite frankly, I believe Warfighters’ expectations have moved along with the performance of the transportation system. Now, let me explain that a little further.

Some of the key efforts we've taken in recent years to enhance transportation processes include implementation of PowerTrack, a system that enables paperless invoicing and payment of commercial carriers, and partnering with transportation experts in industry and academia through our involvement with the National Defense Transportation Association. These efforts resulted in improvements in payment timeliness, our understanding of transportation requirements, and our methods for measuring the effectiveness of transportation processes — improvements that have a real impact on the enterprise but that don't necessarily resonate with the Warfighters. Another key transformation, albeit the results of which Warfighters see every day, is the expanded use of commercial express carriers. Our partnership with commercial express carriers has “enhanced” our ability to put capability on the battlefield. These services are not cheap, but we’ve found it’s more cost-effective to move high-cost items quickly than to buy more of them to fill a long pipeline.

Since commercial carriers typically have state-of-the-art tools in place for tracking shipments, a corollary benefit to using them has been improved intransit visibility. The support provided by worldwide express carriers has been further enhanced through the AFGLSC’s Fastest and Most Reliable Carrier Program, through which we provide timely feedback to carriers on their performance into overseas locations with the intent of driving improved shipping times.

In some ways the transportation system has been “the leader” in transformation. Which leads me to the second part of your question; there's a lot more happening now, and planned, to improve this critical piece of the supply chain. The AFGLSC is involved in several initiatives with HQ USAF, USTRANSCOM, and AMC that are both aimed at improving the reliability, predictability, and efficiency of our materiel movement processes.

Integrated Distribution Lanes (IDL) analyzes cargo movement to various regions against established DOD time standards, with the intent of optimizing the use of transportation resources in ways that will match speed to need while ensuring we get the most bang for our transportation bucks. The Defense Transportation Coordination Initiative (DTCI) focuses on CONUS cargo movement, and will employ a third party logistics coordinator to

2010

match the desired level of service with a best value, reliable carrier. An Opportune Airlift Team is looking for ways to more effectively use organic airlift resources and the AFGLSC is aggressively pursuing Item Unique Identification (IUID) and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technologies to improve asset accountability and in-transit visibility. Finally, we’re working to streamline funding processes to ease transportation account selection for field level personnel.

These efforts represent the adaptation of best commercial practices to the unique challenges we face in supporting our expeditionary forces wherever they operate. In summary, I'll say the transportation community, as with other segments of the supply chain, has made tremendous strides in transforming itself to more responsively and efficiently support the Warfighters. The AFGLSC, in partnership with transportation professionals throughout the DoD and industry, are working hard to maintain that momentum.

ER: What are your biggest challenges as you continue to improve Warfighter support in the field?

work continuously to optimize Warfighter support with scarce resources. While focusing on the delivery of new technology, like the ECSS, we must maintain our legacy systems and keep them viable. Second, we must continue to support aging weapons systems and increase our supply chain involvement with newer aircraft like the C-17 and F-22. And third, we must perfect our Nuclear Weapons-Related Materiel (NWRM) Positive Inventory Control (PIC) processes to ensure 100% accountability at all times.

Allow me to explore a few more challenges we must address. As the Air Force's supply chain integrator, it is critical that we link together our suppliers, DOD agencies, and other Services as we build a premier SCM capability. Our commercial partners are absolutely essential to delivering unmatched support to the Warfighter. Another big challenge we face is our ability to foresee supply chain problems and immediately trigger events to intercede and prevent the situation or mitigate the impacts it might have on the Warfighter. This is what we call a "sense and respond" capability. We must also have clearly defined business rules that will allow us to navigate through massive amounts of

MAJ GEN MCCOY: Now this is a tough question since we have many “big” challenges—but let me list a few. First, we must

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Transportation Specialists load a C-130 (USAF photo)

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information and produce alerts that tell us when something in the supply chain is out of tolerance which will then provide us potential courses of action to take. If we can see problems surfacing early, we can fix them before they become insurmountable challenges.

For example, if we can be alerted to an impending contract lapse for key parts, within the expected administrative and production lead times for getting another contract in place, then we can prevent parts shortages to the field in the future. Imagine if we had a “heart monitor” for each element of distribution so we could maintain a constant rhythm and receive alerts when there are erratic conditions that could lead to a "cardiac arrest." We have a team working to build this type of capability, identifying data requirements and defining the business rules, but that will take some time to bring it all together and deploy an interim IT solution. Ultimately, the ECSS should be able to bring us a fully integrated "sense and respond" capability across the supply chain. In the interim, we are using the information available to us to “set triggers and alerts.” For example, we are monitoring what I call “empty barrels”— levels that compute a quantity of one or more but nothing is on the shelf.

That situation is a MICAP waiting to happen.

We are also monitoring spikes in demands, engine removals and War Ready Engine (WRE) levels, and contingency operations. The more accurate and timely information we have, the better the supply chain can respond to the need.

ER: Some would argue, this LOA editor included, that the Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) is misaligned under a Mission Support Group (MSG), where the breadth of experience and span of control of most MSG commanders does not place

the proper focus on maintenance support at the base level for the spares function of the LRS mission. Could you provide our readers your thoughts on this somewhat sensitive issue?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: Yes, this is indeed a sensitive issue, but I know it is a popular topic of discussion in the restrooms and around the water fountain. Over the last several years, the LRS has worked under various wing structures including the trideputy, objective wing, and combat wing organization structures.

The common goal of the various organizations was, and still is, to provide the best logistics support to our Air Force. Recently, the Air Force Chief of Staff made it clear that this is not the right time to implement a new wing organizational structure.

Let me say up front, I fully agree with the Chief; we are fighting a war on two fronts as well as supporting many contingency and humanitarian missions around the world, which is exactly where

A transporter moves pallets to keep the distribution pipeline moving. Maintaining adequate pallet levels at port locations is key to efficient operations. (USAF photo)

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our “focus” needs to be at this time. With that said, I believe we should always look at ways to improve our logistics support to all of our customers without reservation. I believe the LRS can be effective under any structure. Their ability to deliver isn’t bound by how they are structured or organized. In fact, instead of focusing on the organization that our people work in, I suggest we should concentrate on enhancing workforce development to give our people the skills they need to become even better at delivering combat capability. That will ensure Air Force logisticians will continue to provide unsurpassed support for the best Air Force the world has ever seen! Now if history is any indicator of the future, some day, sometime, someone will want to relook at how the wing is organized and where the LRS is located in that structure. When that day comes, we should be ready with a clear recommendation on the placement of the LRS, based on facts and experience—not emotion. As a Logistics Group Commander, I saw tremendous benefit to having “All the Loggies” in one organization—training, crossflow, mission alignment, and leadership development to name a few. These are the issues, along with enhancing our ability to generate sorties, deploy and redeploy, which should dictate the long range organization placement of the LRS. But for now, let’s stay focused on the mission vs. the organizational structure.

ER: In the 1990s the Air Force saw a significant expansion of Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) initiatives.

Most supply metric indicators reveal that, in fact, CLS support is better.

However, with recent

budget constraints logisticians are reevaluating the CLS concept. How would you respond to critics that CLS is too expensive and can be replaced by government support functions?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: It is true that our private sector partners have provided great sustainment support for such weapon systems as the C-17, KC-10, T-38, Predator, F-22, etc. Our Air Force organic logistics team has also provided great support for such platforms as the C-130, KC-135, F-15, and F-16. We will always need a balance, as we bring on new weapons systems and continue our support for aging aircraft. That balance is all about costs, long-term sustainment, life cycle management and our support strategy. I do believe the Air Force needs both organic and contractor capabilities in order to provide the best level of support for our mission. Just like depot maintenance has a strategy to maintain core workload both to meet 50/50 laws and maintain a core competency in maintenance and overhaul, we need a supply chain strategy to manage what I consider to be a core competency in the USAF: managing an integrated supply chain across the AF Enterprise. Just like in the private sector, we may outsource pieces of this, but the responsibility for delivering supply chain support to all Air Force missions is charged to the AFGLSC. So, I suggest we need to develop a repair and supply chain sustainment strategy early in the development of each weapon system that considers the full cost/benefit tradeoffs and risks over the life cycle of the weapon system. We also need to tackle some hard issues early in the acquisition cycle, such as ensuring we have the data rights to allow us to transition from sole source to more competitive environments. Finally, we must continue to explore where government and industry partnership make sense and best support the Air Force mission.

ER: The AFGLSC has certainly been transformational. Are there any other transformational initiatives over the horizon to enhance logistics support for the Warfighter?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: We are embarking on several initiatives to include: providing enhanced logistics support analysis for our Combatant Commands’ (COCOM) Operations Plan (OPLAN) efforts; establishing alternate sources for manufactured parts; and increasing our focus and attention on the retrograde and tracking of repairable items. The first initiative, Combat Spares Planning, Execution, and Control (C-SPEC), answers an important question: “how do we assess OPLAN support from a Supply Chain Management perspective?” The AFGLSC C-SPEC team assembled a group of experts and reinvigorated an assessment capability that is repeatable and adaptable to any OPLAN we are asked to evaluate. Late last year; Headquarters Air Force A4/7

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and AFMC/CV tasked the AFGLSC to stand-up a dedicated supply chain assessment capability for global OPLANS. This is extremely important as we plan for and execute future Warfighting strategies.

In addition to C-SPEC, the AFGLSC’s newly established Strategic Alternate Sourcing Program Office (SASPO) within the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing at Tinker AFB, is tackling some of the oldest and toughest sustainment challenges that face logisticians. Programs in this office are focused on issues like developing alternative sources for original equipment manufactured parts, finding sources to replace diminishing manufacturers of aging weapon systems, and finding the root cause of discrepant material, just to name a few. Finally, the AFGLSC is leveraging the lessons gained in our efforts to control NWRM and is instituting a program to rein in astray freight during the shipping process, as well as have better accountability of our assets before, during, and after shipment to our customers.

Of course ECSS is the largest and most visible logistics transformation initiative on the horizon. It has the potential to significantly improve integrated information availability and greatly enhance and accelerate the velocity of our decision-making process. Better visibility and controlling the supply chain, reducing supply chain cost and increasing system availability, enhancing the skill set of our work force and driving technology into every facet of the supply chain represent some of the opportunities to transform the capabilities in the AFGLSC. ER: In light of the emphasis on joint logistics at our October 2009 LOA National Conference, how do you envision the AFGLSC and the Air Force logistics community at large interacting more effectively with defense agencies and our sisterservices?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: Excellent question and one I’ve given a lot of thought to over the past few years. Three areas where we need more effective interaction are in the areas of requirements definition, procurement, and the joint broadening of our logistics corps. By requirements definition I refer to the passing of new or modified material requirements to DLA and our sisterservices outside of lead-time, giving them sufficient time to respond. Our supply chain is becoming more agile but we will always be constrained to some degree by the lead-times of the material we procure and repair. It is for this purpose we launched our Planning for DLA-Managed Consumables (PDMC) initiative, where we help the Air Force sustainment community develop and pass timely changes in requirements.

DLA is such a large portion of the Air Force supply chain and it is critical that our Warfighting customers see one supply chain,

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not two. Shortly after the stand-up of the AFGLSC we formed a partnership with Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR) with the intent of driving improvements to the Warfighter.

Through this partnership, we developed the PDMC initiative and jointly created performance metrics and standards designed to improve parts delivery.

In the area of procurement, we need to look for opportunities to combine our joint buying power. The Services and DLA currently participate on a Joint Governance Board working to consolidate requirements for select Service-managed components and DLA consumables into strategic contracts, to leverage buying power, take advantage of price-breaks, and reduce administrative and production lead-times. Finally we need to look for opportunities to broaden our logistics professionals into the other services and defense agencies. During our June 2009 AFGLSC strategic planning (or visioning conference), we invited our DOD and commercial partners, along with government and private sector supply chain management leaders to discuss best practices, lessons learned, and technology available to accelerate our journey. These forums proved again that there is much we can learn from each other and we must find a formalized way of moving our folks into and out of joint opportunities.

ER: One of the key tenets of an effective supply chain management strategy is a strong partnership with suppliers. How is the AFGLSC nurturing relationships with key suppliers to reduce inventory and improve support?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: We see Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) as a strategic enabler for building relationships with our strategic suppliers in order to reduce inventory levels and improve support to the operational Warfighters and depot maintenance wings by having the right part available when and where we need it. Our SRM processes are a comprehensive set of business processes that strategically align our supply chain with our suppliers by enabling analysis, control and optimization of information, material and financial flows throughout the supply chain. SRM enables transaction execution, constant status monitoring and visibility using collaborative tools to readily analyze costs, understand material availability, expose risk, facilitate change management and rank supplier performance across all process flows to ensure contractual compliance, quality, cost control, and support requirements. I believe that the strength of the Air Force supply chain depends on strong partnering across the entire spectrum—from manufacturing to our customers at the every tip of the spear.

ER: How is the AFGLSC involved in meeting our Chief of Staff’s top priority of revitalizing the nuclear enterprise?

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MAJ GEN MCCOY: The AFGLSC is proud to partner with the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) in the CSAF’s number one priority of regaining our Air Force credibility within the nuclear enterprise. While the AFNWC is the lead for all things nuclear, Air Force senior leaders also recognize the AFGLSC’s expertise in supply chain management as crucial to our overall nuclear sustainment activities. Thus AFGLSC and AFNWC signed a memorandum of agreement last fall giving the AFGLSC a key supporting role for Nuclear Weapons Related Material (NWRM) and the Positive Inventory Control (PIC) of these assets. Specifically, the item management teams formerly under the AFNWC will transfer to the AFGLSC. The AFGLSC had also stood up an interim NWRM transaction control activity in August 08 for the purpose of tracking movement of NWRM items to and from the bases and the ALCs. That mission has since been permanently assigned to the AFGLSC, along with the responsibility to operate the enterprise NWRM storage facilities at Hill AFB and Tinker AFB. Finally, the AFGLSC is also applying its expertise in supply chain enabling functions directly to the NWRM area. This includes implementing Item Unique Identification (IUID) technology and state-of-the-art Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) capability to ensure accurate control of NWRM inventory and movements. Similarly, the AFGLSC is using information technology to search public and private information sources in a Google-like approach to identify assets that may have fallen outside the normal supply chain over the years. The AFGLSC is also responsible for conducting the twice-yearly NWRM worldwide inventory. In summary, the AFGLSC plays a key supporting and enabling role in the nuclear enterprise, applying our supply chain expertise to ensure NWRM is properly managed, tracked and controlled.

ER: What are your thoughts on some combination of the current 21AX and 21RX AFSCs to establish a competency focused on aircraft generation and sustainment?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: As you may recall, we went through a similar exercise when we combined the Supply, Transportation, and Logistics Plans disciplines into a single Logistics Readiness Officer (LRO) career field—21R. While this was clearly an attempt to broaden the experience of our junior officers and present additional opportunities for career growth and development, we found that it has been a challenge to maintain proficiency in several different career areas at the same time.

However, we have discovered there is a real benefit to establishing career broadening opportunities where we exposed our LROs to Maintenance and vice versa, on a selective basis. I believe we should consider this cross flow at base level. For example, in

a 4-year base assignment, promising young LRO Captains and some junior Majors could “cross flow” into Maintenance (and vice versa) which would better prepare them for group command and joint duty. If such a program was implemented, I recommend it be done by the LRO and Maintenance Developmental Teams to avoid “the luck of the draw” at base “X.” In fact, some assignments could be targeted to allow for cross flow. However, I don’t see any need or benefit to “merging” the 21R and 21A/M into a single career path.

ER: Do you have any closing thoughts you would like to share with our LOA members?

MAJ GEN MCCOY: I am extremely honored to have the privilege of serving with the men and women of the AFGLSC and Commanding this great organization. Together we have created a model of how to transform geographically separated legacy operations into a centrally focused global enterprise. We have been recognized as an example of global supply chain management and could one day serve as a model for others to emulate.

This transformation to the AFGLSC not only ensures limited resources are used wisely, but more importantly it also improves Warfighter effectiveness by matching scarce resources to the most important Air Force missions. As we continue to perfect our key processes to eliminate gaps and seams between requirements identification and asset delivery, we will move towards a more predictive supply chain that is capable of having the right part in the right place at the right time to prevent mission capability shortfalls. In this issue of Exceptional Release you will have a chance to learn more about how the AFGLSC total force team is re-inventing supply chain planning and execution, operations, and strategy and integration. I also invite you to read the articles about the Combat Spares Planning, Execution, and Control (C-SPEC) program, the Strategic Alternate Sourcing Program Office (SASPO), the Supply Chain Control Center (SCCC), and Nuclear Weapons-Related Materiel (NWRM) Positive Inventory Control (PIC) to get a feel for some of the things your AFGLSC is doing to institutionalize change and create a more effective and responsive supply chain.

I am extremely proud of what we have done to deliver “Global Logistics with a Warfighter Focus” while ensuring the American taxpayer dollars are efficiently used to provide the best possible Air Force supply chain capability. I am passionate about making the Air Force supply chain better for tomorrow than it is today. I look forward to continuing to serve with you in the world’s greatest Air Force and anxiously await the opportunity to share more about our global logistics enterprise—The Air Force Global Logistics Support Center. K

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SPECIAL SECTION: AFGLSC

Building a Smarter Supply Chain Requires a 21st Century Supply Chain Manager The Air Force supply chain is an integral component of the DoD logistics capability providing logistics support to uniformed and civilian Air Force personnel engaged in combat and humanitarian missions around the world.

Center (AFGLSC) Commander, states, “The AFGLSC is responsible for managing the Air Force Supply Chain. We deliver spare parts and will eventually manage or integrate other classes of supplies to support the warfighter. To put it simply, our job is to know what the customer needs, where they need it and how much they need…we deliver war-winning capabilities on time and on cost.”

THE NEED MANAGER

PA R T N E R I N G T O D E L I V E R G L O B A L C O M B AT C A PA B I L I T Y A C R O S S M U LT I P L E M I S S I O N S

By Mr. Ken Norgard and Mr. Michael Lee

FOR A

G L O B A L S U P P LY C H A I N

Although the Air Force supply chain shares similar characteristics and processes with its commercial industry peers, the aggregate challenges of an increased operational tempo, manpower cuts, increased deployments, aging aircraft and budget constraints creates a supply chain management environment unlike any other. Furthermore, the transformation into a highly expeditionary Air Force in a constantly evolving logistics landscape demands a more efficiently streamlined and effective supply chain capable of leveraging economies of scale to properly sustain and improve our performance during such challenging times; creating a far more responsive, predictive and agile organization able to meet a wide range of threats and contingencies --- the Warfighter deserves nothing less. Major General Gary T. McCoy, Air Force Global Logistics Support

As the primary integrator for Air Force supply chain management, the AFGLSC fosters cooperation and synchronizes logistics with its partners to deliver exceptional combat capability to the Warfighter.

A holistic approach guarantees improved asset utilization, better standardization of processes to anticipate needs, consistent parts flow, and predictable resource support for the Warfighter across multiple missions.

The AFGLSC is the single face for Air Force supply chain management issues.

S T R AT E G I C G O A L S A R E K E Y TO A BETTER TOMORROW In order to leverage the benefits of the new single source supply chain model, the AFGLSC Commander established five strategic goals for FY10 to keep his dynamic team focused on the same target.

Furthermore, the AFGLSC’s goals are also acutely aligned to AFMC’s five critical priorities.

Gen McCoy explains, “AFGLSC’s global scope

Major General Gary T. McCoy, AFGLSC/CC, shares his strategic vision with the men and women of the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. (Photo AFGLSC/XP)

and wide range of responsibilities have the potential to provide unparalleled benefits for the Air Force, but it also requires a greater sense of unity and coordination--especially with Air Force Materiel Command.”

A PREDICTIVE VS. R E A C T I V E S U P P LY CHAIN There is no shortage of improvement projects that build supply chains that are efficient, demand-driven and even transparent.

Gen McCoy states, “global supply chain organizations, whether in the private sector or the Department of Defense, face the tough task of determining where to use limited resources.

Balancing funding priorities to fix logistical problems of today, while not neglecting the need to invest in the infrastructure to preemptively tackle the supply chain threats of tomorrow requires a strong commitment to the future. In the AFGLSC we are working towards minimizing the potential for reactive management engagements, where we are late to need. We need to shift towards a predictive logistics philosophy that delivers assets to the point of need before the customer makes the request. The primary responsibility of a 21st century supply chain manager is not so much resolving present problems with static solutions, but fostering a culture that creates organic, adaptive, and holistic solutions that dynamically support our forces today and enable our warfighters to meet future mission taskings.”

BUILDING

A

“ S M A R T E R ” S U P P LY C H A I N

In a concerted effort to end the vicious cycle of endless initiatives, the AFGLSC is fostering an Era of smarter supply chain management that is effective, efficient, and scalable in order to swiftly meet the priorities of the present and that of the future. Gen McCoy explains, “the evolution to an integrated smarter global philosophy will create a logistics culture committed to developing solutions that address systemic supply chain problems of today and evolves to anticipate future needs and missions.” In order to build a smarter supply chain organization, the AFGLSC is in the process of transforming into a supply chain manager that creates solutions that are instrumented, interconnected, and intelligent. These three core elements will guarantee improved asset utilization, better standardization of processes to anticipate needs, consistent parts flow, and

predictable resource support for the Warfighter across multiple missions. As Gen McCoy clearly states, “in order to achieve Global Vigilance, Global Reach and Global Power, you must have Global Logistics powered by innovation.”

S T R AT E G I C T H I N K I N G P O W E R S “ S M A R T E R ” S U P P LY C H A I N Building this kind of supply chain is a strategic undertaking; it implies a different role and set of responsibilities for supply chain professionals. The men and women of the logistics community must become strategic thinkers, collaborators and orchestrators who optimize complex networks of global capabilities. The ultimate vision is to have a comprehensive, integrated Supply Chain that provides seamless real-time visibility of customer needs, asset condition and availability, asset location, repair pipeline capacity, and the agility to make rapid adjustments in order to maximize warfighter support for less taxpayer dollars.

S T R I V I N G F O R S U P P LY C H A I N P E R F E C T I O N – IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES Innovation is on the horizon--imagine an aircraft flying in the year 2020;the on-board diagnostic system recognizes a part is approaching the end of its service life and sends a signal to a central repair station to schedule replacement. The repair station quickly identifies there are no spare parts available and contacts the AFGLSC to obtain the asset--within minutes the AFGLSC Operations team (635th Supply Chain Management Wing) is working with the Planning and Execution team (448th Supply Chain Management Wing) to identify sources for the part, who in-turn initiates the procurement process. The repair pipeline is activated and a new part is produced and delivered via the right mode of transportation thanks to the Strategy and Integration team (591st Supply Chain Management Group) efforts to optimize the effectiveness and efficiency of the distribution pipeline, for the scheduled replacement.

Does it sound impossible? Today you would be correct, but tomorrow who knows what we can deliver if we stretch ourselves by pursuing perfection in all we do. Global Logistics with a Warfighter focus--that’s what powers the AFGLSC, and that’s the Smarter Supply Chain of the Future.

About the Authors: Mr. Ken Norgard is a career logistician.

He

served 16 years as an aircraft maintenance officer with assignments in ACC, AMC, and PACAF. He is currently assigned to the AFGLSC Commander’s Action Group.

Mr. Michael Lee: Michael Lee is a former political speechwriter and economist. He is currently assigned to the AFGLSC Plans, Programs and Logistics (XP) Office serving as the AFGLSC Change Management Lead.

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K

Supply Chain at Its Best aircraft structural and avionics systems, electronic warfare, support equipment, vehicles and automatic test equipment commodities.

SPECIAL SECTION: AFGLSC

By Ms. Mercy Becerra In March 2008, the newly created Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (AFGLSC) stood up starting the process of creating one Air Force supply chain owner instead of six. With this new center came the need to merge three existing Combat Sustainment Wings (CSWs) at the Air Logistics Centers (ALCs) into a single Supply Chain Management Wing (SCMW) responsible for planning, sourcing, and executing the supply chain.

Previously, each of the ALCs (located at Hill, Robins and Tinker AFBs) had partial responsibility for managing the supply chain in regards to Class IX supply items (repair parts and components). The new 448 SCMW now takes on the responsibility of managing these commodities while operating in a virtual environment and is headquartered at Tinker AFB. The Wing consists of approximately 3,400 personnel, both military and civilian, located across four Air Force bases. The 448 SCMW is responsible for the health of 105,000 aircraft items and managing $6.2B in annually spend for repairing and replacing spare parts. The structure developed to handle the 448 SCMW’s mission consists of five Supply Chain Management Groups (SCMGs).

The 448 SCMG, with offices at Hill, Robins and Tinker AFBs, is the contracting organization that provides full life-cycle expertise including developing appropriate acquisition strategies and related file documentation necessary to obtain equipment, supplies, services, modifications and all data for all AF sourceof-supply assigned commodities.

The 638 SCMG, located at Robins AFB, sustains weapon systems worldwide by providing supply chain life-cycle support for

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The 748 SCMG, located at Hill AFB, sustains weapon systems worldwide by providing supply chain life-cycle support for aircraft structural and avionics systems, landing gear, secondary power systems, space and command, control, communications and intelligence commodities.

The 848 SCMG, located at Tinker AFB, sustains weapon systems worldwide by providing supply chain life-cycle support for assigned engine and aircraft commodities.

The 948 SCMG, located at Hill, Robins, Tinker and WrightPatterson AFBs, sustains weapon systems worldwide by providing supply chain management life-cycle support by implementing standardized policy and procedures to 448 SCMW enterprise missions for all AF source of supply assigned commodities.

THE PLAN Developing a plan to transition from how we used to do business to where we wanted to go and how we would operate as one Wing was an immediate priority and a complex process in and of itself. The final result of the development process was the creation of the 1,000 Day Strategic Plan (1KDSP).

The 1KDSP is a tool that provides a view of the current state of the 448 SCMW and the initiatives necessary to arrive at our desired end states approximately three years in the future. The plan is divided into five major and two enabling workstreams. Each workstream has a set of objectives and initiatives striving for goals set for 2011.

The workstream objectives will be supported and enabled by governance and cadence, metrics and tools. The five major workstreams are Planning, Sourcing, Workforce Strategy (WFS), Depot Supply

SPRING

2010

Chain Management (DSCM), and Other Business Processes (OBP); and the two enabling workstreams are Metrics and Tools.

PLANNING The Planning Workstream developed four “big rock” components including Demand Planning, Supply Planning, Budget, and Supply Plan Execution in order to segment various areas of focused improvement. The Planning Workstream’s major focus areas of improvement are Forecast Accuracy, standardization of critical planning processes, and identification and implementation of process changes that will aid in transition to the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS). All of these efforts will impact the Warfighter with improved support.

In support of improving forecast accuracy, a team of forecasting subject matter experts were assembled to define, develop, and implement a methodology and measure for Demand Forecast Accuracy (DFA), something that had never been done in the Air Force prior to the stand-up of the AFGLSC. Under the new methodology, our performance was baselined at 19% and an end state goal of 70% was established. The adaptation of a existing tool, the Forecasting Analysis Comparison Tool (FACT) Plus, enabled the measuring, monitoring, and improving of DFA. The

tool assists equipment specialists (ESs) in improving DFA by providing the ability to assess the impacts of different forecasting averages on projected demands. The Wing is currently exceeding its DFA goal by realizing a 16% improvement in the first year. This nearly doubles the Demand Forecast Accuracy from its baseline established in Sep 2008.

In support of the standardization effort: Wing offices of primary responsibility (OPRs) have been established for D035A (Stock Control System), Reportable Asset Management Process (RAMP) and Readiness Based Leveling (RBL). All process improvements will bolster customer support through increased asset visibility and control, improved item positioning and more accurate distribution/redistribution of material.

SOURCING The Sourcing Workstream was chartered to focus its efforts towards achieving the following goals in support of leadership’s 1KDSP and beyond: n

design robust, innovative and efficient sourcing processes that secure goods and services for the Warfighter in a timely manner at a reduced cost; Continued on next page...

The 448 SCMW is the Planning and Execution Arm of the AFGLSC

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ments. The plan is to reach this efficiency by using strategic sources, reducing Administrative Leadtime (ALT) and Production Leadtime (PLT), leveraging Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) and reinvigorating commodity sourcing strategies through the Commodity Councils.

SPECIAL SECTION: AFGLSC

As can be seen by the PLT metric, the 448th Wing has already been able to shave off 22 days from its average PLT far exceeding its planned goal of approximately five days. This will have a direct impact in getting parts to the Warfighter sooner.

Improving Demand Forecast Accuracy is Key to a more Proactive Supply Chain

tThe team is paving the way toward the sourcing goals by providing preliminary tools and enablers: National Security Personnel System (NSPS) Objectives, Sourcing Operating Instructions (OIs), Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) migration Enterprise Sourcing Planning Process and an Enterprise Sourcing Strategy Flight (ESSF) [scheduled for Final Operational Capability (FOC) in June 2010].

Along with a commitment from leadership at all levels to achieve the 1KDSP goals, they will champion the Reduction in Production Lead Time (PLT) makes a more responsive and efficient Supply Chain sourcing strategies. The squadron leaders will work closely with Commodity n design a sourcing governance process to be integrated with Councils to proceed with an enterprise approach, fully leveragan overall governance process for the 448 SCMW which ing the Wing’s purchasing power. enables the long-term success of the AFGLSC supply chain and facilitates informational flows across organizational Each Commodity Council is assembling data for inclusion into the Enterprise Sourcing Plan (ESP) for the items they are boundaries; responsible for. The ESP will define and document sourcing n recommend an optimal organizational structure that prostrategies and expected outcomes and increase visibility of stratemotes communication and collaboration between sourcing gic sourcing initiatives across the wing. Establishment of an ESP entities and associated stakeholders; will: define all of the fiscal years’ requirements, maximize opporn develop an initial set of relevant sourcing metrics to meas- tunity to strategically source material, leverage the collective ure the progress and success of sourcing initiatives and skills of sourcing activities, provide a clearly defined sourcing execution plan and quantify capability to meet sourcing goals. processes.

As more accurate requirements are generated, the Sourcing Workstream is working on efficiently fulfilling these require40

SPRING

Some of the Sourcing Workstream Rapid Improvement Events (RIEs) currently in process are: defining the Business Case

2010

Analysis (BCA) process to include, component analysis and documentation requirements relative to the supply chain strategy scope and size, proactively addressing the 761/762 screening process within the AFGLSC, streamlining and standardizing the Justification and Approval (J&A) process, addressing data accuracy as it relates to metric reporting, and improving the Requirements Approval Document (RAD) process which is centered on refining and standardizing the process for submission of RADs and applicable documentation.

The Sourcing Workstream is diligently working toward fully leveraging the Wing’s “purchasing power.” The workstream is now focused on ensuring all sourcing activities are aligned to meet the 1KDSP goals. In doing so, the Wing is tracking very closely to its goal for % MSD Spend for Buys.

W O R K F O R C E S T R AT E G Y ( W F S ) The WFS Workstream was chartered to evaluate the Wing's current, and future, workforce. A lack of organizational consistency had resulted in varying levels of effectiveness across the enterprise. The new AFGLSC organizational structure allows for ease in standardization and uniformity, and along with the WFS Workstream activities, will result in a professional, certified workforce resourced to execute a premier supply chain enterprise. The major goals of the WFS Integrated Product Team (IPT) have been to; develop an enterprise plan that includes workforce shaping, training, education, leadership development, employee career development and employee recognition; create a Supply Management Development and Certificate Program with defined levels and criteria for training, education, experience and an evaluation process; and to communicate AFGLSC

Culture and Wingman mindset through a multi-faceted communication campaign.

One of the leading strategic goals of the AFGLSC is to develop a professional, highly skilled workforce. Upon standup of the AFGLSC, an IPT was formed consisting of representatives from each of the Workforce Strategy Offices at the five primary AFGLSC locations: Hill, Tinker, Robins, Scott, and WrightPatterson AFBs. The IPT was chartered to identify and resolve gaps in the development of civilian and military employees. The gaps identified reflected deficits in process ownership and accountability, such as no standardized education and training process, lack of deliberate accession/succession planning, nonexistent career ladder for civilian employees and a poorly communicated mentorship program.

A robust strategy was established as a guide for developing solid, mission ready employees. The IPT developed an Enterprise Workforce Development Plan (WDP) and an Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) to manage all the initiatives that are underway.

To meet the challenge of developing a professional, highly skilled workforce, the AFGLSC has developed a competencybased certificate program in line with the DoD Human Capital Strategy Plan and inclusive of education, training, experience and assessment requirements.

The Supply Management Certificate Program (SMCP) is designed in line with industry best practices and provides employees a marketable certification comparable to world-class organizations. To address the training requirements of the SM Certificate Program, standardized training templates are being developed and deployed across AFGLSC to provide employees, training managers, and supervisors with employee development guidance and training requirements. The Training Scheduling System (TSS), primarily a maintenance training and certification system, is being modified for implementation in the non-maintenance environment across the enterprise and allows us to track training progress. In addition, the 448 SCMW implemented a robust SCM Trainee Review Board process. The Review Board is held once or twice a year, as required, and is chaired by members of senior management to assess the trainees' progress, offer advice to help meet potential career goals, and provide constructive feedback to trainees and

Maximizing the effectiveness of every dollar spent is key to the 1KDSP

Continued on next page...

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SPECIAL SECTION: AFGLSC

supervisors. Similar Trainee Review Boards will be deployed across the enterprise in 2010. The AFGLSC is also developing a performance-based structured on-the-job training program process for the major SCM series personnel.

This structured on-the-job training process is similar to the Maintenance Production Acceptance and Certification (PAC) System. PAC is already being used at Hill AFB for AFGLSC employees and is being adapted by other centers to be applicable to the AFGLSC non-maintenance workforce. Trained SCM personnel will demonstrate mastery of functional 448 SCMW Training Rating (T-Rating) tasks necessary to meet the AFGLSC mission. Concurrent with developWorkforce Development Award – Large Organization Bronze ment, contact with AFMC/A1 has been made and actions are Level Winner. This award recognizes organizations that are underway to work possible Union issues in advance of deploy- achieving excellence in learning and development for their ment. We are currently planning to deploy this program in early employees and identifies best practices for other organizations to 2010, pending Union approval. consider.

AFGLSC has now established standard training templates and is utilizing TSS to schedule and track training. The 448 SCMW implemented a training metric called Training Rating (T-Rating) to track completion of required training courses by our core logistics series personnel. The metric is calculated at the individual employee level and rolled up to track monthly T-Rating information at the organizational level (Wing down to Group to Squadron and below).

As of 30 Sep 09, the 448 SCMW T-Rating (35.9%) had improved by 12.3%, exceeding our FY09 goal of a 10% improvement from the 30 Sep 08 baseline (23.6%). The FY10 448 SCMW T-Rating Baseline is 34.1% with our goal of a 10% improvement. The Trainee Review Boards, an overwhelming success, are helping to ensure the AFGLSC meets the developmental needs of the trainees from various perspectives and ultimately provides better support to the Warfighter.

The 448 SCMW recently completed a pilot study of the newly established AFGLSC SM Certificate Program. Since this program was just launched, the Wing is below the identified goal but expects to exceed the goal in FY10 as the program is fully launched and utilized. Through this program we awarded our first certifications to 448 SCMW personnel between September and December 2009. As a result of these groundbreaking initiatives, the AFGLSC was recently selected as the 2009 Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics

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SPRING

D E P O T M A I N T E N A N C E S U P P LY C H A I N MANAGEMENT (DSCM) In an effort to improve parts supportability to the Depot Maintenance community by providing a strategic and tactical outlook on parts integral to mission supportability, the AFGLSC has implemented the standup of a new workstream: Depot Maintenance Supply Chain Management. Although the workstream is in its infancy, it is envisioned that the DSCM workstream will work in concert with the Maintenance Wings (MXWs), Supply Chain Managers and Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to coordinate the procurement of essential materiel, ensuring uninterrupted serviceability of aircraft.

The DSCM workstream has been divided into three areas: 1.) Strategic DSCM which will attempt to help depot maintenance by recognizing future requirements in advance of actual need. The approach will integrate AFGLSC, DLA, and MXWs’ forecasts, including inventory on-hand and future deliveries, to ensure that 12 to 24 months from now the MXWs will be able to support the requirements. The Strategic DSCM will be an AFGLSC member and will lead the effort with participation from a DLA member and receive support from a Maintenance Wing planner and an Aircraft Sustainment Wing (ASW) Weapon System Supply Chain Manager (WS SCM), where

2010

applicable. A Strategic DSCM team will be located in most Maintenance Wings’ Groups.

2.) Tactical DSCM which will serve as the tactical integrator for supply support to each Maintenance Wing. The Tactical DSCM will focus on current constraints to improve near term parts supportability to depot maintenance. The Tactical DSCM will team with DLA, Supply Contractors, and the Maintenance Wings to resolve supply constraints and avoid delays of the repair task. They will oversee supply support, parts ordering, and task kitting. A Tactical DSCM will also be located in most Maintenance Wing Groups.

3.) Supply Chain Integrator will bring the strategic and tactical support together and work to cohesively integrate both efforts.

This AFGLSC total force will focus on seamless parts support to depot maintenance.

These strategic and tactical DSCMs will implement standard supply processes and tools, review supply policy and implement changes to improve support to the Depot MXWs and overall AF mission readiness, provide standard performance metrics for support lead time away, and initiate actions to ensure parts availability in time of need. Increased parts availability to the Maintenance Wings will boost on-time repair, contribute to a reduction in flow days, and improve the reliability of Aircraft Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM) schedules. In turn, the Warfighter will benefit by having an increase in parts support and Aircraft Availability.

ner and positive support actions are in place through coordination between the FMS customer and the Supply Chain Manager.

A flight chief described the relationship and the value added by the teams, “While the materiel managers in the operational groups focus on the health of the national stock number, the team members accomplish actions specifically related to FMS requisitions, such as initiating direct vendor delivery procurements.” 448 SCMW/CL approval of the initiative establishes the foundation for how AFGLSC will manage foreign customer expectations and relationships.

The business of supplying spares and repair services to more than 50 foreign country customers operating a wide range of weapon systems proves challenging. Success of the wing is measured by two supplier metrics, Open Requisitions and Timely Shipments, established by the customer community, and several internal measures, such as overage requisitions for both replenishment spares and exchangeable repair, and days to purchase request initiation. The 448th SCMW oversees support for approximately 2,000 FMS orders each month valued at $282M and contributes to stock fund sales of $200M annually. The teams are tracking in the right direction as standard processes are laid in place across the 448 SCMW; as one customer recently confirmed, “Setting up these FMS Support Teams is a positive response to our need for standard processes and improved two-way communication. We look forward to working with the teams.”

About the Author: Mercy Becerra, Change Manager for the 448 Supply Chain Management Wing. Mercy has been a logistician for

OTHER BUSINESS PROCESSES

the last 26 years starting her career as an Inventory Management

The focus of the Other Business Processes Workstream is the standardization and streamlining of our enabling business processes that fall outside of Planning, Sourcing, WFS, and DSCM. A shining example of our early success in this area is our result in Foreign Military Sales (FMS). FMS Standardization Streamlining Initiative (SSI) has resulted in the implementation of FMS Support Teams across the 448 SCMW which represent an organization construct dedicated to meeting or exceeding allied partner supply chain expectations within AFGLSC. The six teams (one servicing 638 SCMG, two servicing 748 SCMG and three servicing 848 SCMG), provide management attention to FMS requirements, ensuring issues are surfaced in a timely man-

Specialist at Kelly AFB, Texas.

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Kt

SPECIAL SECTION: AFGLSC

Then AFGLSC synchronizes the entire Supply Chain under a single commander to enhance Warfighter support while saving tax payer dollars by eliminating organizational duplication. (Photo courtesy of AFGLSC/CCX)

By Mr. George Swinehart

“You will not find it difficult to prove that battles, campaigns, and even wars have been won or lost primarily because of logistics.”

–– General Dwight D. Eisenhower In today’s Expeditionary Air Force it is imperative we have the ability to rapidly mobilize our forces and have the agility to support them anywhere in the world for extended periods of time.

The Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (AFGLSC) is focused on balancing Air Force priorities with logistics resources to provide maximum mission effectiveness for the entire enterprise, while gaining operational efficiencies. The AFGLSC achieves this balance by leveraging both technology and the human element in managing the Air Force supply chain. No matter what method is used to enhance supply chain support, there is a universal truth in what we do as logisticians—better logistics is the only currency on the battlefield that allows the Warfighter to manage the complexities of modern warfare and maximize their war-winning capabilities.

WHY CHANGE? After the Cold War ended, the Air Force operational philosophy changed from an in-garrison theme, where we fought from very robust and static operating locations, to an expeditionary mind-set, where we became a very mobile and lean force. At the same time, we started to pay the peace dividend as budgets

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Improved Warfighter Support Through Focused Logistics

shrank and end-strength dropped. This dynamic created a perfect storm delivering a remarkable challenge for the logistics community. Consequently, the Air Force supply chain started its two decade evolution from a base-centric activity to an enterprise tailored organization. The AFGLSC blends all functional areas of the Air Force supply chain under a single commander to enhance the operational effectiveness of this critical business area. The operational arm of the AFGLSC—the 635th Supply Chain Management Wing (SCMW)—is comprised of two subordinate groups established to optimize weapon system availability and Warfighting capability to ensure balanced, enterprise-level support for all units that align with the combat and mission priorities of Air Force leaders.

THE SCC2C CENTRAL RESPONSIVE AFGLSC

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In addition to the two groups, the 635 SCMW hosts the AFGLSC’s Supply Chain Command and Control Center (SCC2C), which integrates the operational view across the entire enterprise and provides tactical support to the Warfighter by tracking the status of expiring contracts, stock out conditions, transportation link performance, etc. The SCC2C is the AFGLSC Commander’s node for bringing the full benefit of the revamped Air Force supply chain to work alongside its logistics partners to provide exceptional combat capability to the Warfighter.

The 635 SCMW provides enterprise supply chain command and control and weapon system operational spares support for strategic and tactical airlift, tanker, rotary, and special operations aircraft through the 635 SCMG at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois and for fighter, bomber, and remotely piloted aircraft though the 735

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SCMG at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. Additionally, both groups provide equipment and commodity spares support to all bases. In the future, the Wing will take on responsibility for Space Command ground radar and satellite systems and Global Strike Command Intercontinental Ballistic Missile systems.

tems that provide visibility to all assets in the Air Force supply chain and in the hands of our government suppliers, allowing the AFGLSC to blend this information with user requirements and mission priorities to manage and distribute finite resources correctly.

WEAPON SYSTEM TEAMS KEY ENTERPRISE SUCCESS

These weapon system teams also maintain links with the suppliers, repair networks and maintenance communities to stay abreast of on-going sustainment issues, reliability concerns and modification efforts. The team leads serve as the voice of the customer within the supply chain so that these issues and concerns are addressed. Finally, the teams and their leaders serve as the “single face� to the Warfighting customer and are available 24/7/365 to field and respond to the needs of the commands and individual units.

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As the two groups transformed from regional supply squadrons (RSS) and major command organizations into a single Wing under the AFGLSC, they continued efforts to optimize Warfighting capability. Collectively, they realized the need to shift from the traditional supply mindset of managing individual shortfalls to taking a weapon system centric approach that views each part in conjunction with its impact or potential impact on the capability of the weapon system and the greater needs of the Air Force. As a result, the groups established weapon system teams with responsibility for all aspects of tactical and operational support to their specific weapon system around the globe.

These teams ensure that units receive the support needed to carry out the missions tasked by commanders in the field while maintaining the balance of logistics among Warfighting forces.

Unfortunately, the USAF does not have an unlimited pool of resources and funds. So these weapon system teams, led by career logisticians, are responsible for maintaining a balanced logistics approach that aligns the available resources with the priorities established by the JCS, COCOMs, Air Staff and MAJCOMs. They do this through a network of information sys-

Furthermore, the weapon system teams provide a broader focus on aircraft availability that has enabled the groups to more readily identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and weave them into process improvement efforts that enhance the balance between logistics support and operations requirements.

One of the first opportunities identified during the transition to weapon system centric spares management was a thorough review of the standard base supply stock control organization and processes. This review led to the first real changes in stock control functions and processes in nearly two decades, and resulted in a shared vision and set of goals for both stock control elements and the functions providing mission capability and contingency sustainment support. Additionally, the review aided in removing the barriers between the element determining requirements and the element responsible for satisfying those requirements, which created an entirely new perspective on requirements determination and removed the old base-level focus and moved towards an enterprise view.

PA R T N E R I N G T O I M P R O V E S U P P LY C H A I N EFFECTIVENESS While there have been numerous other improvements, two were directly spawned from the shift to the weapon system team focus. The first was a weapon system coding initiative and the other was an For the Warfighter, the AFGLSC is the key to unlocking the Supply Chain Enterprise. (Photo courtesy of AFGLSC/CCX)

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Continued on next page...

SPECIAL SECTION: AFGLSC

unrecorded demand data initiative. Both enhanced how the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) provides support to our Warfighting customers by synchronizing Air Force supply processes with DLA operations to achieve the spares levels our customers need.

In the first initiative, while DLA had the recorded demand patterns, the usage was not driving buys due to lack of proper weapon system coding. In order to optimize their resources, DLA places a premium on buying components that are in direct support of a weapon system and particularly those items that render a system inoperable. To identify these items, DLA maintains Weapon System Designator Code (WSDC) and a Weapon System Essentiality Code (WESC) records according to information provided during initial spares provisioning. The weapon system teams discovered that in numerous instances, the proper WSDC and WESC were not passed to DLA which led to the parts not being available when needed. As a result, the weapon system teams implemented WSDC and WESC review processes to ensure DLA’s records are accurate and these key components are funded and available when needed.

A second initiative was corrected a failure to capture demand data on mission critical, DLA-managed items when the urgent needs were satisfied outside the normal supply channels. While drilling into mission capable backorders for DLA-managed spares, the weapon system teams discovered there was no automated approach to transfer demand data to the DLA Enterprise Business System for requirements satisfied through alternative sources and government purchase card buys. As a result Focused logistics provides better Warfighter support at the point of need.( Inside Air of the AF information systems not passing this demand Force Photo Library) data to DLA, our customers were trapped in a vicious spiral that forced increasing reliance on alternatives such as Aerospace and Maintenance Regeneration Group cannibaliza- The long-term effect of the shift to weapon system centric logistions, government purchase card buys and local repair. In these tics management within the 635 SCMW is to provide the most instances, DLA was not buying the number of parts needed effective enterprise solution to any supply problem. This enterbecause the Air Force never provided DLA it’s requirements. To prise focus transpires regardless of whether our Air Forces are correct this problem, the teams developed standard procedures to supporting combat missions at some far away location or conmanually update the DLA information systems with the specifics ducting training missions at home station. of these previously unrecorded demands until the AF supply chain information technology can provide automated data feeds.

This interim workaround and the long-term information technology solution fills the data void in order to provide DLA accurate demand data in order to buy needed materials and to avoid customer backorders. This enables the Air Force to balance the logistics chain and break the vicious cycle forcing workload to the unit level that should be accomplished by AFGLSC.

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About the Author: Mr. George Swinehart has over 34 years logistics experience and is currently serving as the Mission Readiness Division Chief within the 635th Supply Chain Management Group.

Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Swinehart was the C135 Weapon System Management Flight Chief. Additionally, Mr. Swinehart has considerable military experience to include deployments to Saudi Arabia and Kyrgyzstan.

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GLSC Deployed Photos

returns el Bushee Sgt Micha S ) at St IL , ily B m F (Scott A t by his fa G e M m C is S 5 d 5 3 n 6 ent a sy of 63 a deploym to courte o h (P . rt home from Airpo rnational Louis Inte SCMG)

421 SCMS (Tinker AF B, OK) Lt Col David W. Barna, Commander, 586 th ELRS, Camp Arifan , Kuwait, along with his squadron in flight forma tion. (Photo courtesy of 421 SCMS)

591 SCMG (Wright-Patte rson AFB, O (sel) Fujimot H) Chief o breaking bread with National Arm Afghan y Soldiers at Kabul. (Pho tesy of 591 to courSCMG) EXCEPTIONAL RELEASE

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635th Supply Chain Management Wing– We Chase Parts So You Don’t Have To

By Mr. Daniel Fri

MISSION ROLES

AND

RESPONSIBILITIES

The 635th Supply Chain Management Wing (SCMW) is the operational arm of the AF Global Logistics Support Center (GLSC) and the “Single-Face” to the Warfighter for time critical aircraft and support equipment spares, aerial port cargo clearance, and Nuclear Weapons Related Material (NWRM) transactional control and

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facility management. Additionally, the wing operates the Supply Chain Command and Control Center (SCC2C) to integrate support across the supply chain to fill gaps between supplier support and warfighting customer requirements.

The 635 SCMW headquarters is located at Scott AFB, IL and consists of the 635th Supply Chain Management Group (SCMG), also at Scott AFB, and the 735 SCMG at Langley AFB, VA. The wing also has a small cadre of people in operating locations at Ogden, Oklahoma City, and Warner-Robins Air Logistics Centers (ALC) and at Wright-Patterson AFB. The two groups operate 24/7/365 to provide aircraft and equipment spares support to field-level units around the world. While they perform some traditional back-office functions (e.g., computer operations, records maintenance, stock funds management, and equipment management), their primary function is to prevent aircraft mission capability (MICAP)-impacting part shortfalls and to research and expedited the sourcing of parts when MICAP-impacting conditions do occur. As part of the aerial port cargo processing operations, the wing retains the Airlift Clearance Authority (ACA) function, located at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. The wing also has cargo processing liaisons at each of the major aerial ports to schedule and expedite cargo through the ports in order to meet Warfighter needs.

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SUPPORTING

THE

CUSTOMER

IN SUMMARY

Within the framework of the enterprise supply plan, the wing has the authority to direct distribution materiel to meet critical needs.

This includes reallocating assets between all AF storage locations (depot, base, contractor, or Centralized Repair Facilities) and redirecting the source, direction or speed of re-supply. Furthermore, the wing works in conjunction with lead commands, system program offices, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and the 448 SCMW to change priorities and re-direct support to meet emerging Warfighter requirements. The wing currently manages one NWRM storage facility at Hill AFB and will accept responsibility to manage the second facility at Tinker AFB in the near future. To maintain positive inventory control of NWRM assets worldwide, the wing stood up initial capability of an NWRM Transactional Control Cell (NTCC) under the 735 SCMG at Langley AFB in August 2008 and is in the processes of establishing full capability at Scott AFB as a direct reporting function to the wing commander in order to leverage synergies derived from SCC2C functions.

S U P P LY C H A I N M A N A G E M E N T C O M M A N D CONTROL (SCC2C)

The 635 SCMW prides itself in providing superior spares support to the Warfighter and is dedicated to establishing a world class Supply Chain Command and Control Center with “sense and respond” analytical capability that can predict and intervene and to prevent potential problems. The wing is also committed to the Chief of Staff’s priority to “reinvigorate the nuclear enterprise” through establishing a flawless NWRM Transaction Control and Cell and Storage facility network to ensure “positive inventory control” at all time. The wing’s key focus areas of: Fight Today’s War, Improve How We Operate, and Build for the Future, keep the team focused on maximizing the effectiveness of Warfighter support today and tomorrow.

About the Author: Mr. Daniel Fri has over 30 years logistics experience and is currently serving as the Vice Director of the 635th Supply Chain Management Wing. Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. Fri was the Air Force’s Logistics Enterprise Architect at

AND

Headquarters Air Force in the A4/7 Transformation Directorate.

Additionally, Mr. Fri has considerable military experience to include

Still a maturing capability, the SCC2C was established in December multiple assignments in European and Asian theaters. K 2009 and is responsible for integrating the operational view across the entire AFGLSC and providing tactical support to the Warfighter by tracking the status of expiring contracts, retrograde throughput, stock out conditions, transportation performance, depot maintenance support, and other operationally impacting conditions. As the C2 hub in the AFGLSC, this activity will eventually use a complex set of triggers and alerts to identify choke points and disconnects across the AF supply chain and have real-time visibility and directional control over the entire network to rectify constraining situations and conditions.

It is the AFGLSC Commander’s node for bringing the full weight of the revamped Air Force supply chain to work in concert with its commercial, DLA, and USTRANSCOM partners to The 635 SCMW is the Warfighter’s single point of entry for all supply chain support from wholesale to retail to include the many provide exceptional combat worldwide base warehouses. Here SrA Stephen Elia from 436th LRS Dover AFB stocking supply in main supply warehouse.(Photo capability to the Warfighter. courtesy 635 SCMW)

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Automating the Air Force Supply Chain: One Bar Code at a Time.

Certain assets, like these night vision goggles, have limited surface space for an IUID label. Here the 1/4” square label contains only the 2D data matrix with encoded Unique Item Identifier. (Photo courtesy 591 SCMG)

mation that is hidden in the ordinary bar code stamped on the side of every product.

By Mr. Robert Fudge It is not secret the AF is charging ahead with Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century during times of limited personnel and aging resources. There are number of ways to improve organizational practices. Technology is but one of many ways. The Air Force Global Logistics Support Center’s (AFGLSC) Strategy and Integration team in the 591st Supply Chain Management Group is leveraging technology to enhance asset visibility and prepare the Air Force for tomorrow. As the AFGLSC moves forward to implement the Item Unique Identification (IUID) program, it is valuable to look at the private sector for lessons learned and ideas on how to ensure successful implementation. Fortunately to do this you do not need to go any further than your neighborhood Wal-Mart.

The US-based Wal-Mart, the largest retailer in the world, is believed to be the best supply chain operator of all time. Much of the efficiency achieved by the company in managing its supply chain is due to its proactive use of information. Explaining the roots of Wal-Mart’s phenomenal growth and success, Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, states “People think we got big by putting big stores in small towns. Really, we got big by replacing inventory with information.” The key to that—and what Wal-Mart saw and was one of the first retailers to leverage—was the power of the infor-

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Effective use of this information helped Wal-Mart avoid overstocking by learning what merchandise is selling slowly. Additionally, Wal-Mart aggregates the sales information directly from its 8000+ stores to its central supply chain IT system and from that system to its suppliers allowing automatic reordering and better coordination.

Knowing exactly what is selling well and coordinating closely with suppliers permits Wal-Mart to tie up less money in inventory than many of their competitors. At its automated warehouses, many goods arrive and leave without ever sitting on a shelf. Only 10 percent of the floor space in Wal-Mart stores is used as an inventory area, compared to the 25 percent average for the industry. With better coordination, the suppliers can have more consistent manufacturing runs, lower their costs, and pass some of the savings on to Wal-Mart and eventually the consumer—where customers save an average of 15 percent per check out.

Just as in the retail industry applying an industry-standard mark on every item is a starting point for developing an automated inventory system.. In the Air Force, and across DoD, that mark will be a two-dimensional (2-D) data matrix barcode containing a Unique Item Identifier (UII) that globally differentiates that item from all

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others. Much like your social security number, an item’s UII will never change, so it can be reliably used for tracking lifecycle events for that item. Unique Identification (UID) technology will be a game-changer in providing asset visibility across the supply chain, enabling enterprise-level decision making capability and, just like in the retail industry, reducing operating costs and improving inventory accuracy. Now imagine a world where the Warfighter can improve operational planning capabilities due to automatically having parts when they need it, where they need it, and lowing asset management costs in the process— translating to real taxpayer savings. Sound far fetched? The Air Force IUID program is about to make it a reality—21st century logistics solutions for a 21st century supply chain.

Over the next several years, IUID and its use by Air Force data systems will foster success for many of the transformation objectives of eLog21, including the AFGLSC, Asset Management and Tracking (AMT), Enterprise Vehicle Transformation Initiative (EVTI), and the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS).

In an environment where Warfighters are constantly required to do more with less, an eLog21 imperative must be to enable logisticians to do their jobs more efficiently; and unique identification and marking of assets facilitates that imperative. Item Unique Identification policy originated from a General Accounting Office report that noted that the DoD was not doing an adequate job of tracking high-value and critical items. In response, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (AT&L) directed implementation of an IUID program for both new acquisition and legacy items. Certain equipment and reparable assets were selected as requiring an IUID mark and registration in the DoD IUID Registry.

The IUID mark placed on those items will consist of the

item’s UII encoded in an industry-standard, machine-readable, 2D data matrix barcode. The machine-readable UII, much like the barcode on a can of soup, will enable the implementation of automated lifecycle event and inventory management processes.

In order to improve equipment inventory accuracy and automate inventory processes, Headquarters Air Force equipment managers directed all items tracked in the Air Force Equipment Management System (AFEMS) be assigned a UII and marked with an IUID label. These items include general support equipment, small arms, vehicles, automated data processing equipment (ADPE), and certain COMSEC items. Without question, the Herculean task of marking all equipment items in the Air Force, while cleaning up item data, will require a concerted effort on the part of multiple organizations at all levels, but some have already been laying the groundwork for the effort. The Air Force Automatic Identification Technology Program Management Office (AIT PMO), as part of the AFGLSC, is charged with developing technology solutions to support logistics challenges.

Continued on next page...

On some items, such as this satellite telephone, the IUID label must be placed on an available flat, smooth surface to improve adherence. Each label is intended to last the life expectancy of the item. (Photo courtesy 591 SCMG)

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A I R F O R C E S U P P LY C H A I N THE

E R : A U T O M AT I N G

The framework for making the marking effort possible has already required the AIT PMO to bring in strategy development support, secure label production capacity, and develop data management capability. The Enterprise Barcode Service (EBS) contract will give DoD users a standard web-based system for researching label requirements for a specific item, ordering consistent, reliable data labels and accessing the training materials to guide them through the marking and registration process.

Finally, an Automated Inventory Management Tool (AIMT) was developed to enable data capture and cleansing, association of the UII with other item data, and serves as an inventory tool to scan applied IUID labels.

An initial marking pilot began in the summer of 2009 at WrightPatterson AFB to determine appropriate training methods, procedures, and material specifications for labeling a wide variety of AF equipment items that includes everything from telephones to treadmills to trucks. During the pilot, each equipment account custodian is provided labels that have a UII contained in the 2D data matrix. Armed with both labels and training, the custodians are also given a handheld computer preloaded with an account inventory, software, and reference data that helps them capture both label application activity and any new information that may be missing or incorrect in the current inventory.

Following the initial labeling efforts, AIMT can become the standard inventory tool for equipment items, eliminating the current manual, paper-based inventory system used across the Air Force. Several technology and process lessons learned have been captured from the Wright-Patterson AFB pilot and are already being incorporated into a second pilot project at MacDill AFB. MacDill AFB was chosen as the second pilot primarily because it is one of the first three bases scheduled for ECSS implementation. The other two initial ECSS locations are Hanscom AFB and Ellsworth AFB, which are scheduled for IUID marking in early 2010.

The greater challenge lies in development and execution of a strategy for marking all equipment items at all Air Force bases in time for ECSS implementation in 2012. In preparation for that deadline, representatives from AF/A4ID, AF/A4LE, MAJCOM Command Equipment Management Offices (CEMOs), fieldlevel Logistics Readiness Squadron (LRS) personnel, and the AFGLSC met in August 2009 to develop an initial strategy and established a target date of December 31, 2011 to complete marking at all main operating bases in the Air Force.

As with any logistics activity, the success of this effort will rely on the training, ability, and attention-to-detail of the people doing the task. In the actual marking effort, we will be asking

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literally thousands of different people across the Air Force to take the time to learn how to use a handheld computer to collect information such as the part number and serial number from the items in their inventory. They will then be responsible for correcting any incomplete or erroneous data, properly preparing the surface of the item, attaching a label to the item, and scanning the data matrix on the label to associate that UII with the other data in the inventory. Success will depend on leadership support at all levels to ensure the person correcting the data and applying the label is motivated to do it right. The reduction in inventory time and improved accuracy should help overcome the “change management” issues that inevitably arise when introducing both new technologies and processes, but it will require active participation and support of everyone involved to succeed.

The MAJCOM and base LRS equipment managers will play a significant role in both preparing the data and orchestrating the day-to-day marking activities at their bases.

While equipment items are tracked in AFEMS, AFEMS receives its data from the Standard Base Supply System (SBSS) and items are added and removed from accounts through SBSS. As such, there is a reconciliation process that must be completed before marking can begin. Failure to properly reconcile SBSS and AFEMS can result in significant discrepancies between the SBSS R14 currently used for inventory accomplishment and the AFEMS data for that same account. In fact, failure to properly reconcile SBSS with AFEMS and deal with any “rejects” created by the reconciliation can result in missing accounts altogether.

The IUID marking effort and AIMT use the AFEMS inventory because the R14 does not have individual lines of data for those items that are not serially controlled. For most support equipment items, an account has both “authorized” and “in-use” levels at the National Stock Number level. In other words, the R14 may indicate that there are 10 generators on a certain account, but it will not indicate which 10 generators they are. When that account is pushed to AFEMS a separate line is created for each of the 10 generators, but since each of the serial numbers was not placed in SBSS it will not fill the serial number field of AFEMS. Obviously, that is insufficient when the goal is to uniquely identify all items tracked in AFEMS. Therefore, once the data reconciliation process is complete, an AFEMS extract is taken from all the accounts on the base and placed into the AIMT software.

The software compares that data to FEDLOG (a Defense Logistics Information System product) as the next step in the data cleansing process. Each item is researched in FEDLOG and potential data refinements are made in the software. For example, AFEMS may only contain the NSN and description for a specific item. FEDLOG can help identify potential CAGE codes (manufacturers), part numbers, and the official nomenclature for

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the item. Those bits of information can then be added as dropdown boxes in AIMT to assist the person marking the items in capturing accurate data. Reconciliation and FEDLOG matching are just the first two steps in improving data quality. The collected data will also be verified for accuracy following the marking effort and any identified discrepancies corrected before sending the data to the DoD IUID registry, AFEMS, and Air Force Data Services. Assignment and marking of a UII to every asset and the association of accurate data with each asset will enable ECSS to track equipment inventory levels and supply chain events at an enterprise level.

While daunting, initial asset-marking efforts across the Air Force supply chain enterprise present a relatively short-term logistical challenge that will pay long-term dividends for improved logistics management systems. Development of solid marking strategies that are efficient, affordable, repeatable, and able to produce reliable data should encourage enthusiastic support from all levels and result in marks that can actually be used to improve Air Force inventory management processes.

Once a majority of assets are marked and accurate data is in place, the Air Force will have a more comprehensive view of its

inventory and can use that improved visibility to efficiently manage the expensive, critical, and sensitive items that demand tighter inventory control. Ubiquitous IUID marking of both new acquisition and legacy assets enables automated data capture capability at selected touch points along the supply chain that can be used to help formulate decision-support tools for the AFGLSC in accomplishing its primary task of supporting the Warfighter by effectively directing the supply chain.

About the author: Mr. Robert Fudge, Deloitte Consulting, provides consulting support to the Serial Number Tracking/Item Unique Identification (SNT/IUID) Project Office within the Air Force Automatic Identification Technology Program Management Office (AF AIT PMO) as part of the AFGLSC. Mr. Fudge served 25 years active duty in the Air Force as an aircraft maintainer and has worked for nearly four years since his retirement from active duty, providing logistics consulting support to the Air Force.

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SSgt Jeff McGrath demonstrates the ease of scan technology to AFGLSC audience. (Photo courtesy AFGLSC/CCX)

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The Air Force Supply Chain Command and Control Center (SCC2C): Exercising Global Supply Chain Command and Control

By Mr. Si Bratcher The 2009 Campaign Plan of the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (AFGLSC), Strategic Goal 2, stipulates the AFGLSC will “exercise enterprise global supply chain command and control.”

The Supply Chain Command and Control Center (SCC2C) is the AFGLSC/CC’s organization of choice for turning this strategic goal into an operational reality. The SCC2C provides the AFGLSC, under the command of Major General Gary T. McCoy, with a collaborative, leadership decision-support network for critical Supply Chain (SC) processes. Its primary mission is to utilize all available SC processes and resources to identify, evaluate and recommend to AFGLSC leadership courses of actions necessary to aggressively respond to, prevent and/or resolve actual or potential AF supply chain mission disruptions.

The SCC2C is tasked by AFGLSC leadership to identify and utilize expertise from all segments of the supply chain - including military, civilian and government-contracted service providers - to support Above: AFGLSC Supply Chain Command and Control Operator TSgt Heather Anderson utilizes her extensive knowledge of SC processes, gained from her previous assignment at the 635 SCMG, to assist various organizations and customers to navigate the multiple organizations and processes currently utilized throughout AFGLSC.(Photo courtesy of AFGLSC)

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the supply needs of the AFGLSC’s primary customer, the Warfighter. The center serves to provide mission management and decision-support information and capabilities to ensure a smooth and seamless operation of supply chain functions across the AFGLSC, which is comprised of the 635th Supply Chain Management Wing (SCMW) (including the 635th and 735th Supply Chain Management Groups (SCMG), the 448 SCMW and 591 SCMG. Additionally, AFGLSC and the SCC2C partner with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), USTRANSCOM, and the Logistics Readiness Center.

The objective of the SCC2C is to be the focal point of the AFGLSC for gather SC intelligence. Functions of the SCC2C include activities to provide real-time situational awareness of the health and posture of all segments in the SC. Situational awareness information can include knowledge of the impact of severe weather patterns, troop deployments, and incidents at deployed locations that warrant the need to deploy a replacement capability.

Additional functions include developing analysis capabilities to measure the overall effectiveness of SC processes with alerts and triggers needed for personnel to react aggressively and proactively to avoid mission impacts and to provide the best possible support to the Warfighter. The ultimate goal of these combined efforts is to provide the Warfighter the right part, in the right place, at the right

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time every time with a reasonable cost, so that we can keep the ground already gained, and gain further ground in the war on terrorism, to keep both our country and our allies safe.

The operations of the SCC2C center can be further broken down into smaller but equally important functions with the intent to provide: n

Focused oversight and standardization of all classes of supply that fall under the command and control of AFGLSC

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Direction and assistance navigating SC organizations and processes during day-to-day operations and emergency responses

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Integrated Warfighter sustainment capabilities in support of combatant commanders

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Synchronization and integration focal point for all AFGLSC mission areas to ensure safe, secure, reliable, effective, and accountable weapon system support

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Risk assessment and review of SC concerns, ensuring all data or intelligence gathered is accurate, relevant, timely, and applicable, thereby allowing the best decision to be made.

The SCC2C mission and processes undergo continuous review and improvement as C2 continues to anticipate – and react to – the challenges of managing a global logistics supply chain.

The SCC2C center maintains historical data on the performance of all weapons systems. This data allows C2 to view the status of a particular item over a period of time, provide in-depth analysis of past improvement efforts, and lessons learned which will prevent a negative recurrence and enable accurate prediction models.

Another key aspect of the SCC2C is its capability to help decision-makers at all levels of the SC make informed command decisions regarding Warfighter support by providing quality, actionable information prepared and validated by trained analysts using both routine and tested processes. In addition to information being accurate, relevant, timely, and applicable, it is also complete, brief, usable, and secure.

The criteria for success, failures and tradeoffs of the SCC2C will center on this organization’s operational capabilities, service to the Warfighter, and integration efforts between the AF Supply Chain and its suppliers.

About the Author: Mr. Si Bratcher has over 29 years of US Air Force Logistics/Supply Support experience, including 22 years of active service and extensive experience as a Supply Systems Analyst. Mr. Bratcher joined the civil service in 2003, and currently serves as Operations Officer for the AFGLSC Supply Chain Command and Control Center at Scott AFB.

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Air Force Supply Chain Integration and Optimization – Essential and Challenging

The 591 SCMG has a diverse portfolio of activities that enable the entire Supply Chain. (Photo AFGLSC/CCX)

By Mr. Jeff Acred and Mr. Steve Gray To the Warfighter, the AFGLSC mission is simply stated: “provide parts at the place, time and condition needed.” Executing this mission is anything but simple though. Consider that the Air Force supply chain is perhaps the most complex in the world, consisting of 115,000 unique aircraft items supporting 68 weapons systems as well as engines and other end items spread over hundreds of worldwide operating locations and depots. Eventually, the AFGLSC will manage approximately two million items. There is no commercial enterprise whose supply chain comes anywhere close to the complexity of the Air Force supply chain.

The mission of the 591st Supply Chain Management Group (SCMG) is to integrate efforts across the AFGLSC to optimize this supply chain. Figure 1 shows the diversity of the 591st portfolio.

Together, these activities enhance supply chain support to the

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Warfighter. The 591st has also been assigned some specialized responsibilities relating to the management of the Nuclear Weapons-Related Material (NWRM) supply chain and contingency support planning under the Combat Spares Planning, Execution and Control (CSPEC) effort. In short, the 591 SCMG ensures process standardization and consistent application of business rules and resources across the supply chain to best support the AF mission.

E A R LY S U C C E S S E S Formed less than two years ago, the 591 SCMG has implemented strategies and associated initiatives that already are paying dividends for Warfighters. Here are a few examples.

Enterprise Distribution Strategy – One of the AFGLSC’s enterprise distribution strategies is to reduce wait time for the Warfighter by creating a competitive environment among commercial carriers.

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agement of Second Destination Transportation (SDT).

SDT funds pay for transportation of items already owned and possessed by the government and pertains to all modes of transportation.

Without SDT, virtually every facet of Warfighter support would quickly grind to a halt.

This strategy, known as the Fastest and Most Reliable Carrier Program, has been the major contributor to reduction in transit times for cargo destined for the Southwest Asia (SWA) Area of Responsibility (AOR).

Here’s how the program works.

On a weekly basis, members of the 591st SCMG Diagnostics and Analysis Flight extract performance data from a variety of supply and transportation systems to capture the prior 8 week’s high priority cargo Most SDT moves are movements.

Carrier metrics funded by a Centrally are created for cargo transiting Managed Allotment from CONUS to various desti(CMA), now managed nations in the SWA AOR. by the AFGLSC. The 591st personnel then analyze CMA funds more the metrics and underlying data than 60 SDT proto identify the fastest, most religrams associated with able carrier for each AOR desitems such as aircraft tination.

Carriers performing Comparing engines, vehicles, significantly better than others carrier performance by location and aerospace ground for a particular destination are sharing the results with customers, suppliers, and the carriers themequipment (AGE), identified to Air Force and DLA selves drives healthy competition and more reliable transportation. (Photo 591 SCMG) troop subsistence shippers as the fastest and most (food), military workreliable.

This approach gets cargo to the Warfighter faster, rewards the best performing carri- ing dogs, munitions and special weapons, as well as resupply for ers with more business and provides feedback to all carriers for remote locations such as Greenland, Alaska and the Ascension Islands. Because of the large amount of funding associated with their process improvement efforts. the SDT CMA and the pressure to do more with less, the CMA To further improve carrier performance, AFGLSC conducts facehas become an attractive target for absorbing budget cuts and as to-face meetings with each major carrier to highlight significant a source of funding for important unfunded programs. opportunities to improve performance and, in turn, gain greater To address these issues, AFGLSC has transformed SDT. market share of Air Force distribution business.

Transformation was formally kicked off in Oct 08 by creating the Fastest and most reliable carrier shipping data is provided to the SDT Transformation Team, including the Headquarters Air Warfighter each week via the OEF/OIF tool and weekly reports Force (HAF) Transformation Office, HAF SDT Program to the MAJCOMs. Since 2001, this strategy has resulted in a Element Manager, HAF Installation and Logistics managers, 50% overall reduction in transit times from CONUS to SWA AFGLSC functional managers, AFMC financial managers, MAJAOR destinations. With the implementation of the AGLSC, COM customers, SDT program managers, and AFMC/A9. t the Fastest, Most Reliable Carrier program was expanded to USAFE and PACAF. Carriers continue to be benchmarked The first phase of SDT transformation seeks to minimize the against each other and their performance has continued to beat impact on mission critical support by generating accurate SDT requirements, defending those requirements with accurate misestablished contract carrier standards. sion impacts and, when required, deciding the most important Enterprise Supply Chain Transformation – One aspect of the supply chain that has been problematic for the Air Force is manContinued on next page...

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municate to senior leadership the specific mission impacts on the Warfighter.

As a result, $42M in program funding was provided, effectively restoring SDT funding to FY09 levels and avoiding harsh restrictions and mission impacts on the Warfighter. According to 591 SCMG Director, Richard Reed, “the new prioritization model developed under phase 1 of our transformation effort paid for itself 10fold and did exactly what it was developed to do.”

requirements to fund when inadequate program funding is available. An important first step for the team was value-stream mapping of the entire process for SDT requirements generation, budgeting and execution.

From this, the team was able to create the “to-be” process and identify gaps that exist between the present and future process.

Next, the team fundamentally changed the way SDT Applying LEAN techniques and principles were key to starting the SDT transformation requirements are gathered process. (Photo AFGLSC/CCX) from SDT program managers and how they are communicated through AFGLSC and AFMC to HAF. This revised process was enacted at the 2009 FUTURE FOCUS Worldwide SDT conference in which SDT program managers were required to present and defend their program requirements Moving forward, the 591st is undertaking efforts that will both to an SDT Oversight Board. This process yielded previously improve efficiencies and Warfighter support. The 591st is leverunavailable insight to the specific mission impacts to the SDT aging Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century Oversight Board. This information is now quickly and suc- (AFSO21) to achieve process improvements throughout all cinctly communicated up the chain of command with credibili- aspects of AFGLSC business. Employing a variety of problem solving and analytical techniques, the AFGLSC is making headty to obtain needed funding to support mission needs. way on several fronts. First, by streamlining processes, scarce Next the SDT Transformation Team focused attention on adding funds can be freed to enhance Warfighter support or to offset two capabilities to an AFGLSC tool known as the budget cuts. Next, reducing wait times and process errors in the Transportation Requirements Tool (TRT), which gathers, prices, supply chain will eliminate constraints to preventing MICAP and conveys SDT requirements over the Future Years Defense impacting requirements. Finally, improving our approach to Plan (FYDP). The first revision was to align SDT requirements measuring Air Force supply chain effectiveness will improve with the POM capabilities of Global Power, Global Reach, and AFGLSC’s capability to identify the most beneficial improveGlobal Vigilance. Now a standard terminology is used to com- ment and optimization opportunities. On that front, the municate requirements and mission impacts throughout the AFGLSC is changing the way it measures itself.

POM corporate structure.

Measure What’s Important to the Customer – Perfect Order The second TRT enhancement enacted a standard process of pri- Fulfillment – One of the most important initiatives within the oritizing each SDT requirement among all other SDT require- AFGLSC is to measure itself from the customers’ point of view. ments. This capability is based on a “value-focused” model To do so, the AFGLSC adopted Perfect Order Fulfillment (POF) developed by AFGLSC and AFMC/A9 that assigns a relative as an enterprise-level metric. POF is a common commercial priority to each requirement based on factors such as mission metric that is computed on a pass/fail basis. A customer order is impact, mission importance and cost. When needed funding is “perfect” if the order is delivered on time, in the right quantity, unavailable, this value-focused model quickly determines which without defect, and with the correct documentation. If an order SDT requirements will not be funded. does not pass all of these categories, the entire order fails for These improvements are already paying dividends to the metric purposes.

Warfighter. When FY10 SDT funding was cut by 32 percent, AFGLSC was able to quickly and effectively determine and com-

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maintenance as a whole). For each POF segment, standards are set to measure supply chain effectiveness. For example, the timeliness component of POF is measured against established DoD time definite delivery standards. Quantity and quality components are measured against AFGLSC stretch goals of 95 and 99 percent respectively.

In the context of the AFGLSC Balanced Scorecard (BSC), POF is the top customer-oriented metric and is a decisive move away from traditional measures of supply performance. Perfect Order Fulfillment is a multi-faceted measure, which broadens the perspective beyond an issue-effectiveness point-of-view to cover a customer order in a holistic approach. Simply put, it does little good to get an order delivered on time if the product is damaged, or received in the wrong quantity. Using POF information, the AFGLSC will set initiatives in motion to improve areas of poor performance.

Carcass Constraints Management Strategy – as part of the AFGLSC’s strategy to optimize Repair and Return processes, the Carcass Constraints Management Strategy was developed to identify and resolve carcass constraints that prevent the speedy induction of spares into repair at our depots and centralized repair facilities. At inception, roughly 53% of the constraints inhibiting repair were attributed to lack of carcasses at the source of repair. In many cases, the carcasses existed, but were unavailable for induction to repair.

As part of the Carcass Constraints Management Strategy, a Carcass Constraint Integrated Process Team (IPT) was formed to identify and resolve carcass constraints. The key question was…”if the supply chain has enough carcasses to support repair, where are the carcasses if they aren’t available for repair?”

The Carcass Constraint IPT took advantage of Carcass Constraint Reports available from the 948th Supply Chain Management Group and began to identify misplaced, missing, or otherwise constrained carcasses Key performance indicators and move them to the help keep the AFGLSC appropriate source of focused on providing better support the Warfighter while saving repair. The IPT found taxpayer dollars. that carcasses unavailable

for repair are typically located at the depot in awaiting parts condition, in off-base storage, at the base-level in due-in from maintenance status, or in storage at the wrong location. The Carcass Constraint IPT is working to resolve these issues. As a result of their efforts, carcass constraint reports will be added to existing Execution and Prioritization of Repair Support System (EXPRESS) reports and made available through the EXPRESS website.

At the same time, metrics have been instituted showing total carcass constraints and the largest populations of constrained assets. These metrics are now briefed to AFGLSC leadership as part of the Weekly Operations Review. You can review Carcass Constraint reports at the stock number level by going to the 948th Supply Chain Management Group Community of Practice and viewing reports in the “Carcass Constraints-EXPRESS” folder. Eliminating carcass constraints should significantly improve supply chain responsiveness and reflect positively on the POF metric and on weapon system availability.

O T H E R K E Y A C T I V I T I E S P R O V I D I N G S U P P LY S O L U T I O N S A N D I N T E G R AT I O N To continue the theme of Solutions and Integration, the 591st also executes a multitude of other of programs that enable the supply chain.

The Air Force Automatic Identification Technology (AIT) Program Management Office is responsible for deploying AIT such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Item Unique Identification (IUID) which enables item-level identification, tracking, and visibility of material and equipment throughout the supply chain.

The Air Force Program Office for Mechanized Materiel Handling and Storage Aid Systems (MMHS/SAS) also resides in the 591st. This group of industrial engineers with their unique expertise modernizes and equips existing and new facilities with state-ofthe-art MMHS/SAS resulting in increased flow of materials and efficiency, reduced operating costs, improved safety, improved customer service, and reduce material damage. Another hidden gem in the 591st is the Air Force Packaging Technology and Engineering Facility (AFPTEF). This operation is the

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premiere packaging engineering organization for the Air Force satisfying customers' Packaging, Handling, Transportation and Logistic (PHST) needs. Using advanced computer and engineering software technology, they develop specialized shipping and storage containers to protect assets during world-wide transportation and storage. Through design, test, and fabrication of these specialized containers the organization promotes continuous improvement of processes, procedures, methods, and policies. Our challenge is to reduce our customers’ life-cycle costs while maintaining quality and environmental sensitivity in our changing global posture. The last key capability brought to the table by the 591st, is a squadron of subject matter experts covering every process in the supply chain.

Their charge is to insure the supply chain is effectively and efficiently executed through policies, procedures, standardization, and systems.

The mission of the 591 SCMG is to integrate logistics, beyond traditional supply and transportation, to include data system, policy, and funding into an end-to-end supply chain management capability backed by the leading edge technology and the strategic initiatives of eLog21, LogEA, AFSO21. Improved carcass inventory management enables more effective and efficient depot maintenance operations. (Photo 448 Focusing on NWRM accountabili- SCMW) ty, expanding the enterprise distriAbout the Authors: Jeff Acred and Steve Gray are professional bution strategy, transforming Second Destination Transportation, and refocusing Enterprise logisticians supporting the 591st SCMG at Wright-Patterson AFB, metrics are essential elements of the AFGLSC’s Enterprise Ohio. Jeff and Steve are former Air Force logistics officers with Strategy. The aforementioned AFGLSC initiatives are only a extensive experience in aircraft maintenance, supply and transsample of an important stream of work currently underway in the 591 SCMG. For more information on the 591 SCMG and its portation. Numerous others within the AFGLSC also contributed to this article with their subject matter expertise and editorial supproducts, see the AFGLSC homepage on the Air Force Portal. port.

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In Aug 2009 the Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Installation and

Advancing Operational Effectiveness with Supply Chain Analysis

Mission Support (AF/A4/7) and the Air Force Materiel Command’s Vice Commander (AFMC/CV) asked if the AFGLSC has the capability to access spares support required for a specified OPlan.

Specifically, the AFGLSC was tasked to demonstrate their assessment capability using available resources (personnel, skills, data systems) to determine resources required to support the OPlan from a Supply Chain Management perspective.

The tasking included requirements to provide AFMC/CC/CV and AF/A4/7 with 30 day and 60 day briefings on OPlan assessment approach, capabilities, results, and recommendations on how to formally link AFGLSC supply assessment capability to the Air Force Agile Combat Support (ACS) Command and Control initiative.

By Mr. Frank Washburn and Mr. Jim Weeks

The 401st Supply Chain Management Squadron (401 SCMS) led a team comprised of members from the 591st Supply Chain Above: A Blackhawk helicopter off load from the C-5 strategic airlifter workhorse illustrating the vital support that GLSC provides to our nation's strategic airlift mission. (USAF photo)

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Management Group (SCMG), 635th Supply Chain Management Wing (SCMW),

AFMC’s Studies and Analyses Division

(AFMC/A9A) and 754th Electronic Systems Group (754 ELSG).

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The effort was designated as the AFGLSC Combat Spares

chain from an enterprise perspective versus a traditional unit

Planning, Execution, and Control (C-SPEC) initiative. Mr. Jim

level review.

Weeks, 401 SCMS, collaborated with the ComponentNumbered Air Force (C-NAF) to obtain the OPlan’s TimePhased Force and Deployment Data and wartime planning documents to establish a baseline for the assessment and ensure accurate modeling of the spares support assessment.

The team rolled up the results and delivered a well received decision briefing to the AF/A4/7 and AFMC/CV, which led to a mandate requiring the AFGLSC to create a permanent Supply Chain assessment capability for global OPlans. The 591 SCMG stood-up an AFGLSC provisional assessment capability, devel-

The C-SPEC Team manually "matched" tasked Readiness Spares

oped personnel position descriptions, outlined a draft concept of

Packages (RSPs) to OPlan wartime sorties, and identified dis-

operations, and developed a phased OPlan assessment plan to

connects between OPlan sortie rates and RSP planning factors,

establish a basis for integrating consumables and aircraft engines

exposing potential causes of spare part shortages.

into future wartime capability evaluations. The AFGLSC assess-

Using the OPlan’s wartime planning factors and Weapon Systems Management Information System Sustainability Assessment Model (WSMIS-SAM), the C-SPEC Team identified 188 items (NSNs) driving critical shortfalls to the specified OPlan. WSMIS-SAM uses historical item level failure rates, current asset position, flying hours, and other factors to assess the spares support capability of a given scenario. The results include

ment capability will provide the warfighter with enterprise level assessments of Agile Combat Support, better planning results, incorporate supply chain factors earlier in the assessment process, identify cross-theater and conflicting taskings, provide objective justification for depot repair surge capability planning, and provide better justification to enhance the planning and budgeting decision process.

projected aircraft availability and specific problem items based

The AFGLSC OPlan assessment was lauded as a model for oper-

on spares posture at the time the model is executed. WSMIS-

ationalizing the impact sustainment decisions have on Air Force

SAM incorporates the sourcing of on-hand assets from a tasked

Agile Combat Support Command and Control (ACS C2) and

unit for “intra-base robusting” of a unit RSP. However, WSMIS-

secured AF wide support for AFGLSC wartime assessment capa-

SAM does not currently have the capability to re-distribute

bilities.

assets globally in support of specific RSP spares shortfalls.

Therefore, the team leveraged the AFGLSC’s Supply Chain

About the Authors: Mr. Frank Washburn is a career Air Force

operations arm in the 635 SCMW to source parts globally and

logistician. He served 28 years on active duty and 5 years as a

relocate them in support of the OPlan’s RSPs. As a result, the

civil servant with supply chain related assignments at base level,

C-SPEC team reduced potential problem items from 188 to 34.

The team then assessed the repair enterprise’s capability to surge

Major Command staffs (USAFE, SAC, ACC, and AFMC), region-

and produce the 34 problem items with existing capacity and

al supply, Foreign Military Sales, and numerous deployments. He

resources. This effort reduced the number of unsupportable

is currently assigned as the Deputy Director, 401st Supply Chain

spares to 24 items, providing the AFGLSC a clear requirement

Management Squadron.

gap. As a result of this study, the AFGLSC is working to acquire the 24 items to eliminate future mission limiting shortfalls.

Mr. Jim Weeks is a career Air Force logistician. He has served the

In addition, the C-SPEC Team exercised an enterprise RSP

Air Force logistics community for nearly 33 years, with assignment

robusting model that increased engaged aircraft availability 32%

at Robins AFB, Headquarters Air Force, and Wright Patterson

by automating the parts redistribution process. The automation

AFB.

Mr. Weeks is recognized as the Air Force expert on

reduced redistribution decision process time by 90%, while minimizing the impact to non-tasked units by sharing the sourcing responsibility across the entire enterprise.

The OPlan assess-

ment was the initial operational test of the enterprise RSP

Readiness Spares Package policy and procedures. He is currently assigned to the Stockage and Requirements Flight, 401st Supply Chain Management Squadron.

robusting tool and provided an example of modeling the supply

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Leading the Way in Achieving Positive Inventory Control of Nuclear WeaponsRelated Materiel (NWRM) NWRM was changed to “O” – preventing NWRM items from being treated as unclassified items during the pick, pack, and ship processes. Third, to participate in the massive effort to establish separate secure facilities to house assets identified as NWRM. The initial facility for this purpose was established at Ogden Air Logistics Center, accommodating the NWRM assets that were being stored in the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) facility. The AFGLSC and AFMC/A4 worked with host base civil engineers and NWRM experts to ensure facility modifications were made in order to provide the proper level of security necessary to store the NWRM assets.

By Mr. Donald K. Kringen and Lt Col Sue Drabing

In 2006, four high-tech electrical fuses for Minuteman nuclear warheads were sent to Taiwan in place of helicopter batteries. The mistake was discovered in March 2008 – a year and a half after the erroneous shipment. In 2007, the Air Force disclosed that it inadvertently let a B-52 bomber carrying six nuclear cruise missiles fly from Minot AFB to Barksdale AFB – a total of 36 hours passed before the missiles were properly secured. These incidents triggered a series of reviews and investigations ordered by the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Air Force, which concluded the Air Force Nuclear culture had atrophied, resulting in a diminished sense of mission importance, discipline, and excellence.

In October 2008, newly appointed Secretary of the Air Force, Michael B. Donley, identified reinvigorating the Air Force Nuclear Enterprise as our No. 1 priority. Thus began a series of massive initiatives to regain Positive Inventory Control (PIC) over Nuclear Weapons-Related Materiel The AFGLSC is synchronizing all elements of NWRM (NWRM) and the over-arching policies and procedures that govern the handling of inventory management. this materiel.

The Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (AFGLSC) has played a key role in defining and instituting a NWRM PIC concept of operation to deliver the ability to identify, protect, and account for the location, and condition of NWRM anywhere in the supply chain at any point in time. In establishing a firm grip on this initiative, the AFGLSC participated in the initial worldwide inventory to establish an accurate accounting for the assets currently in the inventory; subsequently, tasked as the office of primary responsibility (OPR) to direct all future NWRM semi-annual worldwide inventories. Second, to identify the cataloging changes necessary to readily recognize and distinguish these assets for special handling, the Controlled Inventory Item Code (CIIC) for unclassified

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The AFGLSC was also instrumental in designing the necessary modifications and in assisting with the design and development of the Automatic Identification Technology (AIT) needed to attain positive inventory control. Finally, the AFGLSC assisted in drafting and coordinating a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Air Force Materiel Command and DLA to govern the transfer of NWRM into both facilities. This agreement cements the relationship between supply chain management and handling of NWRM, where Air Force gets the best out of its two newest organizations through stringent core competencies – Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) and AFGLSC. AFGLSC will carry out supply chain management processes supporting AFNWC, and take the lead in securing, storing, and movement of NWRM. The MOA is a significant milestone that advances the progress based on direction from the Secretary of Defense and the vision of the Air Force Secretary and Chief of Staff to reinvigorate the Air Force’s nuclear enterprise.

The process of establishing PIC of NWRM is a multi-faceted effort.

In order to track and control materiel moving through the supply chain, legacy data systems were modified to accommodate new tracking and National Stock Number (NSN) identification codes –

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including a comprehensive review of regulatory guidance, the identification of outdated references, and an examination of completed Air Force, Department of Defense Inspector General and Government Accounting Office audits for the past five years to validate that previous deficiencies have been corrected and highlight those that have yet to be completed. Interfaces with other data systems were established to ensure movement data was not lost. And the AFGLSC initiated several software changes to comply with new NWRM guidance and developed an Automatic Data Capture (ADC) tool to capture an asset’s pedigree data which supports the use of Passive Radio Frequency Identification, and Item Unique Identification (IUID). This is important because it allows the people who process NWRM material for shipment to access the information needed without having it displayed on the container where a casual observer could compromise the information.

One of the key factors in establishing positive inventory control rests with the Item Manager (IM) who is responsible for the overall management and movement of NWRM assets. The AFGLSC worked closely with the AFMC/A4 to identify existing policies, update existing IM training, and identify new course material requirements. In addition, the AFGLSC is coordinating with the AFNWC on Training and Certification and piloting a Supply Management Certification Process. Our goal is to ensure that all of our personnel have the necessary training they need to ensure positive inventory control of all NWRM under their management.

The transportation of NWRM poses its own unique set of problems and the AFGLSC was ready to attack those head-on. A risk analysis was performed which compared several major alternative shipping scenarios, ranging from satellite tracking, to Department of Defense (DoD) Courier Service. A cost analysis of these alternatives was forwarded to HQ Air Force for their information and use to formulate an overall transportation plan. The analysis also covered the risks

The ability to identify and account for the location and condition of all NWRM assets anywhere in the Supply Chain at any point in time is a priority for the AFGLSC. (USAF photo by 2dLt Parawee Euavijitearoon, )

associated with a variety of alternative methods of transportation with respect to loss, compromise, or lack of timely delivery.

Many of the initiatives undertaken as a result of our efforts to reinvigorate the Nuclear Weapons Enterprise have far-reaching implications for the entire Air Force Supply Chain. For example, reviewing and updating current supply policy and procedures have resulted in improvements to our processes that benefit all DoD supplies. The goal of achieving PIC of NWRM is not complete. We have a long way to go before we can declare victory. But the strides we have made in the last two years have been tremendous in terms of improving our capability to deliver the right part, to the right place, at the right time, at the right cost. Already, we have noticed a reduction in the average NWRM receipt processing time from 20 days to less than 48 hours. Rest assured, the AFLGSC will continue to vigilantly keep the goal of achieving PIC of NWRM a foremost priority – ensuring exceptional stewardship of its nuclear arsenal.

About the Authors: Mr. Donald K. Kringen, supports the 401 SCMS. Mr. Kringen has over 40 years of government service. He worked on several facets of the NWRM issue prior to retirement in October 2008, and currently supports the 401st on a variety of issues.

Lt Col Sue Drabing is a clinical nurse with 16 years experience working cross functional initiatives in AFRC, AMC and AFMC. She is currently supporting the AFGLSC Plans and Programs Special Asset Management Division and is assigned to the 932 Aeromedical Staging Squadron, 932 Medical Group, 932 Airlift

The AFGLSC is leveraging technology to maintain Positive Inventory Control of NWRM.

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A LT E R N AT E S O U R C I N G / PA R T S MANUFACTURER A P P R O V A L ( P M A ) is changing the Maintenance Repair and

The Strategic Alternate Program Office (SASPO)

Overhaul (MRO) industry, as well as promoting competition and innovation in the aviation industry. In this program, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifies manufacturers other than the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to manufacture or repair replacement items. The airlines and MROs can then make use of the PMA certification holders to broaden their vendor base and achieve significant savings through greater competition. The use of PMA parts will enable the Air Force to maintain configuration control while ensuring operational safety, suitability and effectiveness of our weapon systems at a lower cost.

By Ms. Sim Tran The Strategic Alternative Sourcing Program Office (SASPO) located within the AFGLSC, is a diverse organization tasked with the following mission elements: Alternate Sourcing/Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA), CommTraercial Derivative Repairs (CDR), Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS), Item Unique Identification (IUID), Consolidated Sustainment Activity Group (CSAG) and General Support Division (GSD) Sustainment Engineering, and the Discrepant Materiel Program.

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After reviewing lessons learned from the Tinker PMA initiative, SASPO chose to expand the activity beyond the common commercial items shared with PMAs to include alternate sourcing of all parts/material. As part of a Rapid Improvement Event (RIE), a methodology was developed to target specific items for alternate sourcing to provide maximum savings. The target list consists of best value parts that are managed by the AF, where the AF owns the data rights, and has fewer than three sources. This gives ven-

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dors the best opportunity to become qualified on parts that the AF actually needs and help the AF establish new sources.

SASPO ensures the target list is made public to encourage industry submission of Source Approval Requests (SARs) by attending industry days, conferences, tradeshows and posting to the public website.

T H E C O M M E R C I A L D E R I VAT I V E R E P A I R S ( C D R ) program studies both commercial approaches to repair and the use of cuttingedge technologies. Air Force assets that are beyond established organic repair processes or capabilities can be recovered with improved performance, shortened delivery time, and reduced cost.

By collaborating with the Air Force Supply Chain Management and industry, SASPO identifies repair candidates and works to infuse these commercial repair processes and technologies into AF operations.

SASPO is a cross-functional team focused on increasing supportability, increase competition, and reducing costs (Source: 448th Supply Chain Management Wing)

DIMINISHING MANUFACTURING SOURCES AND M A T E R I A L S H O R T A G E S ( D M S M S ) is the overarching title given to resolving issues associated with aging aircraft and obsolescence. The SASPO has brought AF DMSMS activities under one roof to help maximize benefits and minimize cost. The program’s mission is to help identify potential Bill of Material (BOM) support issues in a timely manner and resolve them proactively versus reactively.

The Strategic Alternate Sourcing Program Office assumed the responsibility of the AF’s DMSMS program from Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) 1 October 2008. Current initiatives include: (1) Manage information, tools and services to support timely; effective resolution of DMSMS issues Air Force wide; (2) Implement a proactive DMSMS program to reduce total ownership cost; (3) Analyze and resolve obsolescence issues identified by the predictive tool Health Analysis; and (4) Work with Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS) developers to ensure compatibility with DMSMS requirements. mandate, the I T E M U N I Q U E I D E N T I F I C A T I O N ( I U I D ) program office was established.

IUID differentiates items from all others throughout the DoD supply chain and applies to a majority of demand items from acquisition through disposal or reutilization.

In

response

to

DoD

IUID results in a globally distinctive marking to the asset tag or surface that will link parts with reliability, availability, and accountability information. IUID markings are scanned and read to establish a real-time data link to distinguish parts operational, transportation, and maintenance status or history.

Through parts tracking using IUID, the Air Force can expect more parts availability and increased aircraft readiness. As higher reliable parts remain in the inventory increased maintenance efficiency and lower cost to the Warfighter is imminent.

C O N S O L I D AT E D S U S TA I N M E N T A C T I V I T Y G R O U P (CSAG) AND GENERAL SUPPORT DIVISION (GSD) S U S T A I N I N G E N G I N E E R I N G E F F O R T . SASPO provides guidance and program management support for sustaining engineering projects to improve safety, sustainability and reliabilitty of Air Force weapons systems. SASPO’s role includes the facilitation of an annual data call, project validation, project prioritization due to limited funding and weapons system criticality, monitors funds execution, tracks and reports on returns on investments. SASPO’s future goal is to finalize an overarching AFMC Instruction, enhance the existing project tracking tool,

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create a standardized project priority ranking chart, and develop a clear standardized process for all three AFGLSC sites for the submission and execution of engineering projects.

D I S C R E PA N T M AT E R I A L P R O G R A M - The AF recognized a need for a single point of entry for receiving discrepant materiel notices and the handling of non-conforming parts.

As a result, the new Discrepant Materiel Program was established with ownership residing with the 448 SCMW and the SASPO serving as the program office.

The Discrepant Materiel Program is charged with ensuring a closed loop A1C Steven Durr, an aerospace propulsion maintenance apprentice with the 28th Maintenance Squadron, removes reporting process for the AF by utilizthe safety wire on the augmenter flame holder from a B-1B Lancer engine at Ellsworth AFB. (USAF photo by A1C ing a single point of entry for all dis- Anthony Sanchelli) crepant materiel notices involving counterfeit and non-conforming n Provides effective resolution of DMSMS issues AF-wide parts. Notices are received, researched, tracked, and reported both proactively and reactively back to initiator with corrective action taken. The program ensures stock screening of discrepant materiel is conducted and n IUID provides AFGLSC the ability to eliminate "bad actor" parts from inventory, and provide the most reliable parts to removed from the AF inventory. priority missions The program addresses various types of discrepant materiel with an emphasis on preventing counterfeit parts from entering the n Provides an AF single point of entry for discrepant materiel notices AF supply system. Efforts on mitigating risk, in addition to detecting and disposing of counterfeit parts are on-going to n Provides a closed loop reporting process for stock screenensure safety to the Warfighter. ing/purging of Discrepant Materiel The SASPO acts as a focal point and facilitator not only to our users/customers, but also the commercial communities. Below are some of the benefits the SASPO brings to the Air Force: n

Virtual Interface with Program Office Members, ALC System Program Offices (SPOs) and Product Center SPOs

n

Provides a Single Program Point of Contact (POC) for the Air Force

n

Streamlines and Standardizes Source Approval Requests (SAR) Process between AFGLSC Sites

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Allows Cost Benefit, Increases Competition, and Tracks Potential Savings

In keeping with the virtual construct of the AFGLSC, SASPO is located within the 448 SCMW at Tinker AFB. About the Author: Ms. Sim Tran is a career Management Analyst.

She completed a Tinker Intern Program (TIP) position in Oct 2008 with a degree in Operations Management and Analysis. The opportunity to expand her knowledge and skills during the course of the internship has added value to her working experience.

n

During the research of the internship, she was excited about the Strategic Alternate Sourcing Program Office (SASPO) and requested to be placed there. She is currently assigned to the AFGLSC, 429 SCMS/GUBA, SASPO.

Promotes technology insertion for repair initiatives, reverse engineering, and depot enhancement through CDR

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Give Them the Recognition They Deser ve!

Do you know someone who always goes above and beyond?

Nominate those deserving individuals for a National Award!

NOMINATIONS ARE DUE 1 AUGUST. M I C H A E L E . Z E T T L E R L I F E T I M E A C H I E V E M E N T A W A R D - This award recognizes members of the Logistics Officer Association who have demonstrated sustained superior leadership in service to this organization. The nominees for this award will have at least 20 years of service in a logistics related career and also at least 10 years of membership in the LOA. G E O R G E T. B A B B I T T A W A R D - This award recognizes the two LOA National members who made the greatest contributions to the furthering of LOA National’s goals and objectives.

M A RY L . S A U N D E R S C H A P T E R D I S T I N G U I S H E D S E R V I C E A W A R D - This award recognizes the three LOA National members who made the greatest contributions in support of their local LOA Chapter activities.

D O N A L D J . W E T E K A M C H A P T E R O F T H E Y E A R A W A R D - This award recognizes the chapter (large category) which displayed outstanding support of LOA National objectives, innovation of programs for their local membership, and community involvement.

J A M E S L . H A S S C H A P T E R O F T H E Y E A R A W A R D - This award recognizes the chapter (small category) which displayed outstanding support of LOA National objectives, innovation of programs for their local membership, and community involvement.

All nominations are due by 1 August 2010 and should be sent via e-mail to InfoOfficer@loanational.org.

Chapter leadership should refer to www.loanational.org/about/guidance.php for specific guidance on award nominations.

.50.

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LOGGIES DEPLOYED

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Successful Logistic Readiness Reachback Support Across the Pacific

By Mr. Alexander M. Reyna, Jr.

“Logistics generates world class airpower in the largest AOR on the globe for maximum combat capability!” –Brigadier General B. Baker, Director of Logistics, HQ Pacific Air Forces The Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) Area of Responsibility (AOR) extends from the west coast of the United States to the east coast of Africa and from the Arctic to the Antarctic, yet the Air Force Global Logistics Support Center (AFGLSC) continually provides outstanding logistical support to our nine main operating bases. The enormity of the PACAF AOR can only be appreciated by understanding its vast size and support requirements - 16 time zones, 60% of the world’s population, 43 countries, a million square miles and more than 1,000 languages. The AFGLSC is the Air Force Supply Chain Management (SCM) Process Owner providing enterprise planning, global command and control in support of the full range of military operations. It provides all levels of SCM support for our command—one stop shopping for airborne and non-airborne maintenance personnel. PACAF’s logistics airpower support requirement is engaged 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year.

Despite the tyranny of distance, the AFGLSC continues to modify its policies and processes to better support the PACAF AOR, both in the near term and strategically. Major General McCoy, AFGLSC Commander stated, “AFGLSC manages and executes $8B of diversified business that directly supports Warfighter missions. Business encompasses enterprise supply and transportation management funded by supply working capital and appropriated funds. We are the single face to the Warfighter and functional owner for all supply chain systems.” As would be expected, PACAF’s SCM support 72

has been impacted by the war effort. In fact, aircraft selected have been grounded for spares only available to AFCENT AOR engaged units. Yet, AFGLSC must be commended for their efforts in balancing spares support to the non-tasked units, which is illuminated by excellent stockage effectiveness rates, Mobility Readiness Spares Package (MRSP) fill rates, and Not Mission Capable-Supply (NMCS) hours/incidents for primary PACAF weapons systems over the past twelve months.

AFGLSC sustained PACAF fighter stockage effectiveness rates range between 85%-90%…some of the best rates in the CAF. Likewise, fighter MRSP fill rates paced the CAF, averaging over 85% (except during annual reconciliations Oct-Dec) and the Consumable Readiness Spares Package (CRSP) rates exceeded 95%...with the exception of a complete A-10 CRSP delete/reload in Jan 2009. Fighter NMCS hours and incidents improved during the past quarter; however, the primary factors driving PACAF’s NMCS rates have been 1st and 2nd time demands, in which AFGLSC could not forecast or anticipate the requirement, resulting in lengthy lead times. Our MAF weapon system SCM rates were similar, and AFGLSC support improvements were illustrated with a positive NMCS hour trend and a corresponding improvement in overall incidents between August - December 2009.

Time Definite Delivery (TDD) measures the percentage of customer requirements delivered within a pre-determined number of days to the final customer. DoD Instruction 4140.1 establishes TDD standards requiring 85% of customer requirements be delivered within varying timeframes based on priority group and geographic location.

These standards only apply to requisitions to wholesale sources of supply for which assets are available for release upon receipt of the requirement. AFGLSC is taking a more expansive view of TDD, encompassing all customer requirements, including those satisfied from base-level stocks and those back-ordered at the wholesale level. This TDD process provides a more complete and accurate

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view of how effectively the supply chain anticipates and responds to Warfighters’ needs. AFGLSC personnel worked with PACAF/A4R to test and roll out an initial implementation of the TDD concept in the summer of 2008.

Representatives of the AFGLSC Diagnostics and Analysis Flight ran a six-month test on high priority customer requirements, identified as Supply Priority 1-8 for Kadena and Kunsan Air Bases. The test focused on meeting a 10day TDD at 95% target achievement, a target that historical data collected from March 2007-March 2008 indicated was aggressive.

The test provided an opportunity for AFGLSC to develop, with input from HQ PACAF supply chain experts, a means to effectively measure, stratify, and analyze TDD performance, as well as to build initial tools to help automate these processes in preparation for AF-wide application. In August 2009, the AFGLSC team traveled to HQ PACAF and presented recommended targets to PACAF A4, and after some negotiation the targets were approved.

The new standards took effect in October 2009, and both staffs agreed to evaluate supply chain performance for the next six

months and re-evaluate standards at that point. AFGLSC personnel continue to refine their methods for establishing TDD targets and for portraying and reporting performance. They will also work with other MAJCOMs to expand application of this key supply chain metric.

Beyond enhancing our SCM processes, AFGLSC continually provides expertise to our logistics conferences to enlighten our attendees and partner with us to improve international relationships with our Pacific allies. Below are just a few examples of this invaluable support.

We are very grateful to the AFGLSC, 402 Supply Chain Management Team for their outstanding support! In December 2009, representatives from their team visited PACAF and provided keen insights towards enhancing our distribution processes. Of note, we are especially grateful to Mr. Mike Howenstine for his outstanding presentation to 40 PACAF LRS leaders attending the PACAF Deployment and Distribution Workshop. Mike provided excellent presentations on the AFGLSC Evolution and Structure, the AFGLSC Enterprise Scorecard, Fastest & Most Reliable Carrier Program, and Time Definite Delivery. The information he imparted to the conference attendees not only increased awareness about what AFGLSC does, but will have a direct impact on improving cargo distribution efficiency.

As part of the PACAF A4’s Strategic Roadmap to engage regional partners to promote stability and security, the Director of Logistics hosted three logistics officers from the Indian Air Force—two LROs and an engineering(maintenance) officer.

Since India is acquiring the C-130J weapon system, our visitors toured the USAF Supply Chain from base-level to depot.

Their cross country tour began with MAJCOM-level briefings at HQ PACAF and included a tour of LRS facilities at Hickam AFB. The IAF officers then traveled to Scott AFB to observe AFGLSC operations in action. The trip concluded with an overview of C-130 depot support at Warner-Robins ALC. The IAF officers were very impressed with the USAF global view of SCM, in large part because of the outstanding briefings provided by AFGLSC staff members.

The AFGLSC’s impressive logistics contributions provide outstanding support to PACAF in many different areas. We are truly one team working together with one mission, and that is to support our Warfighters by providing the best logistical support possible throughout the PACAF AOR! Our Headquarters PACAF Logistics Readiness staff would like to sound off with a big “Mahalo!” (Hawaiian for “thanks!”) to our AFGLSC teammates for their outstanding support!

About the Author: Alexander M. Reyna, Jr. is the Chief, HQ PACAF Materiel Mgmt Branch Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii with extensive experience in supply logistics.

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The Dirty Dozen Still At Large

By Major Rich Branson In 1967, the world was introduced to Robert Aldrich’s movie “The Dirty Dozen.” The Dirty Dozen was a team of Army misfits and criminals who successfully carried out a top-secret suicide mission to infiltrate a chateau near Rennes and eliminate the senior German officers vacationing there prior to the D-Day invasion. Today, we have a similar dirty dozen that is still just as determined in their mission to wreak havoc on their intended victims. The largest difference, however, is that their Rennes chateau is our own maintenance organizations. In order to effectively guard against their efforts, it is critical that we know what today’s dirty dozen looks like, determine if they are resident in our own units and, if so, how to eliminate them prior to them harming our people or our mission.

role in hampering mission effectiveness. For example, lack of teamwork within a unit, across diverse and mutually supporting organizations or even between wings and major commands places a tangible drag on mission accomplishment that taxes those shouldering the workload. This tax serves nothing more than to increase the amount of effort required to successfully achieve the common goal.

The lack of teamwork example is excellent for illustrating the “dirty” secret of the dirty dozen. This secret is simply that they work together and leverage one another to increase their effectiveness. Where there is a lack of teamwork, you’re more than likely to find poor communication, lack of awareness or knowledge of the

THE DIRTY DOZEN Today’s dirty dozen are much more amorphous than the searing Maj John Reisman or crazed Archer Maggot of the original twelve, but the results of their efforts are just as tangible as the death and destruction wrought on the Third Reich officers in the movies finale. Whether it be one of the “lacks” or “abundances” of the dirty dozen listed in chart or a combination of some or all, each of the twelve fills a niche of a human factors Above: MSgt Terence Davis, 736 AMXS Pro Super, puts eyes on potentially bad brakes of a recently recovered C-17 with Crew Chief TSgt Jose Gonzalez of the 712 AMXS. (Photo by Jeffrey Fry, 736 AMXS)

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task or mission, distractions, perhaps complacency and certainly the resultant increases in stress. Individually, each of the dozen can inhibit the best organizations, but when coupled or working in tandem they can severely hamper, if not prevent, mission accomplishment. Unfortunately for many, the dirty dozen have proven themselves skilled and merciless in extracting payment from those who have fallen victim to their plots. Many of us know of, or have experienced, the stories of a troop being badly injured or killed or a piece of equipment or aircraft being badly damaged while attempting to get the mission accomplished while not seeing the crescendo of the dirty dozen’s plan at hand.

RECOGNIZING

THE

ENEMY

Given the dangers, it’s important to recognize the manifestation of these “lacks” and “abundances” within our organizations. As to the question of whether they exist in your unit, I’d postulate that potentially every one of them exist in all of our organizations. What unit can look introspectively and not desire improved communication, awareness, knowledge, teamwork, assertiveness or most assuredly resources. Perhaps the view highlights a need for reducing stress, distractions, fatigue, complacency or undue pressure from our people. On a more basic level, we can personify the twelve human factors more concretely in negative quality assurance and safety trends, miscues between supporting organizations that prevent on-time departures, sustained reliance on surge-level shifts (12+ hours) at home-station, accidents and mishaps, missed training and appointments, decreasing medical and deployment readiness, disciplinary issues

and degradation of our Airmen’s family and home life.

In looking throughout your own organization, you may readily see these incarnations and many others that require some level of attention. And it’s worth noting that issues within the “lack” and “abundance” areas ebb and flow; what is great today may not be so tomorrow and vice-versa. Therefore, keeping sentry on these persistent invaders is critical for all, but none more so than leadership. As our folks tend to their particular duties, the larger picture may not be readily visible, and vigilance is required at all levels of leadership to head off potential problems. For many organizations, continuous process improvement initiatives may be aimed at the process aspect of this mitigation effort, but nothing can replace engaged leaders.

M I T I G AT I N G T H E D I R T Y D O Z E N ’ S EFFECTIVENESS The capability to identify the dirty dozen and the understanding that they inhabit all organizations in some form provides leaders a great advantage in combating them and their effects.

Although each unit has its own nuances, there are some common tools within all of our toolkits to employ against these elements. It all starts with knowledge.

Knowledge is critical in the battle against the dirty dozen. It’s an adage to bloom where you’re planted and that includes aggressively understanding exactly what the job at hand is. How do you do it; what standards and policies frame how it’s accomplished; how do you know if you’re doing it well; are the metrics right and do they measure the right things; what resources, both internal and external, are available; how does it fit within the overall mission; and how will the failure to execute it impact the Warfighter? Questions such as these will need to be answered in order to effectively meet the challenges laid before you and meet them well. More importantly, knowing the job provides a lens in which to gauge whether or not problems and negative norms have taken root and help establish a pathway in which to rectify such problems.

Much like building blocks, the investments made in laying the foundation in earlier roles will serve to strengthen awareness and reasoning abilities needed as the scope and complexity of

Maj Rich Branson, 736 AMXS/CC, discusses upcoming job and kittingimprovements with TSgt Avanti Borucki, 736 AMXS Crew Chief. (Photo by Jeffrey Fry, 736 AMXS)

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Continued on next page...

E R : T H E D I R T Y D O Z E N S T I L L AT L A R G E

the organizations you lead increases. Further, knowing the job well creates a potential for discovering gaps that can be filled through continuous process improvement initiatives. Again, none of this can happen if one does not know the mission at hand or the manner in which to execute it.

Secondly, the need for effective communication cannot be stressed enough. It is potentially the most valuable asset at the leader’s disposal in fending off the dirty dozen. Whether written or verbal, getting across the core ideas that are essential for effective mission accomplishment is the responsibility of leaders throughout the organization. Communication is needed to educate the team on the mission, reinforce standards, highlight Capt Steven Brown, 736 AMXS Operations Officer checks in on the Home Station Check team tremendous accomplishments, alleviate concerns, as they begin inspection look phase. Investing experience into Crew Chief A1C John Mosley is integrate initiatives, cheerlead and motivate, Propulsion Journeyman SSgt Andrew Peterson, both 736 AMXS members. (Photo by Jeffrey Fry, reduce stress, refocus on priorities, curtail negative 736 AMXS) trends, and much more. Practically every aspect of communication serves as a nightstick at the ready for combating many of the dirty dozen. One key aspect of improvement, and the shoulders upon which this responsibility effective communication is the need for persistence. According rests is leadership. Effectively enforcing these standards may to Edgar Dale’s Cone of Learning Theory, we remember only 10 require deeper investments in training, significant probing by percent of what we read, 20 percent of what we hear and 30 per- quality assurance, targeted awards programs and disciplinary cent of what we see. It’s not surprising given those statistics that actions where required. No matter the approach, one thing is the policy we believe was so brilliantly expressed two weeks ago clear: in order to enforce the highest standards, unit leaders hasn’t seeped its way even a third of the way through our organ- must know their folks, observe them and interact with them and izations or worse has abated since last being called from the these tasks cannot be best accomplished from a desk or via mountain tops. That being the case, simplicity, consistency and Power Point charts. In short, leaders need to be engaged in the repetition of message is a key component while engaging with unit and its people to build and sustain an organization that not members of our organizations. Lastly, nonverbal communication only meets standards but eclipses them. is readily perceived and much more salient in cementing what’s acceptable and not. Our actions must reinforce the messages we intend to convey as duplicity will only serve to open the door of opportunity to the enemy within.

Third, everyone must zealously enforce the strictest standards.

This entails both an expectation that each individual understands their part and executes it well. It also has an external component as we are our brother’s keeper. Knowingly watch your mate take a shortcut or fail to utilize appropriate safety precautions puts both individuals at risk and at the mercy of the dirty dozen’s game plan. If these types of behaviors transition into acceptable norms, the entire organization is at risk of sliding into mediocrity. Once such acceptability occurs, the downhill momentum requires incredible action to recover and often necessitates a significant change in leadership. Preventing this scenario requires the coupling of knowledge of the mission with communicating the suitable framework and intent within which to execute it. All executable aspects of the unit’s mission must fit within these established constraints, to include process

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Yes, the dirty dozen are still at large and working towards their sinister ends even as we read this. Fortunately for each of us, their identity is out there and the approach they take towards diminishing our organization’s effectiveness is fairly well understood. Although there may be many methods available attuned particularly to your mission, all of us can leverage knowledge, communication and a fervent adherence to maintenance discipline to protect against these human factors shortfalls. Doing so will ensure our organizations do not face the same dramatic demise as the Rennes chateau in the original “Dirty Dozen” and become that next tragic story that spreads like wildfire throughout our communities.

About the Author: Major Rich Branson is currently serving as the Commander of the 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Dover AFB, Delaware. The squadron maintains, generates, operates and deploys C-17 aircraft providing rapid global reach in support of inter/intra-theater combat and contingency operations.

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AFSO21 CrossTalk 2 0 T H M X G S H AW A F B S M A R T O P E R AT I O N S A P P L I E D

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F-16 ENGINE CHANGES

E R : A F S O 2 1 C R O S S TA L K

Submitted by 2d Lt Jason N. Martin (Jason.martin@shaw.af.mil) Recently, a hand-selected team of eight maintenance professionals Members of 20th MXG participate in an RIE on the F-16 engine removal and installation process. from the 20th Maintenance Group at Shaw AFB SC embarked on a week-long AFSO21journey. The team participated in a RIE on the F-16 engine removal and installation process. One of the major items reviewed was the length of time taken to perform aircraft bay inspections. In an effort to provide helpful information and improve maintainer confidence in signing off bay inspections, the team developed a bay inspection reference book. Large pictures and easy to read verbiage will give all maintainers access to the in-depth knowledge of a 7-level with years of F-16 maintenance experience. The reference books, along with a consolidated tool kit, using cordless drills rather than speed handles, a quick reference consumable list, and dedicated trailers and equipment are expected to decrease the engine change time and result in higher quality maintenance. By following through on easy to implement changes the team estimates aircraft downtime for this one job will decrease by at least 200 hours per year while improving Quality Assurance pass rates to an all time high.

23RD MXG MOODY AFB RIE

FOR

ANCILLARY TRAINING

Submitted by Major Maurice L. Lee (Maurice.Lee@moody.af.mil) In order to streamline the ancillary training process, a Rapid Improvement Event (RIE) for ancillary training was held in December 2008. As a result of this event, all applicable Air Force general and select maintenance computer based training (CBT) were consolidated into a pre-existing block training course format. The block training course was extended from one duty day to two duty days to ensure all designated training is completed at one time. To finalize the course consolidation, course codes which had been individually tracked in the Integrated Maintenance Data System are now listed under the narrative of the local course code. By doing this we have alleviated the need to update additional course codes as well as minimized overdue numbers. The consolidation of course codes into one central code has been implemented as of 1 October 2009. Merging training requirements returns person78

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nel to their duty section fully qualified and is estimated to save the 23rd Maintenance Group over 15,000 man hours.

MSgt Gina Thursby and MSgt Bobby Hargis - 23 MOS MTF Leaders.

AL DHAFRA AB B O U N C I N G O U R WAY I N N O VAT I O N :

TO

Submitted by Capt Timothy W. Brokaw (timothy.brokaw@adab.centaf.af.mil) and Capt Gary W. Charland, Jr. (gary.charland@adab.centaf.af.mil) Bouncy Castles are not just for kids anymore. Using the same technology, we can protect our Airmen and aircraft from the harshest environmental conditions- which is no easy feat at Al Dhafra AB where the summertime heat index can reach 133F. This $35,000 desert diamond is an environmentally controlled commercial off-the-shelf wide-body engine change shelter that makes a world of difference to the E-3 and KC-10 flightline maintainers. One of the best attributes of the shelter is it adds next to no time to any maintenance. Once the 100-pound rollaway dolly is on the flightline, it only takes four people about 2 minutes to position and inflate the shelter. The applications are limitless; our unique KC-10 electrostatic-free underbody fuel shelter enables safe performance of in-tank fuel cell maintenance at a location that has no hangar space.

Each use saves the Air Force $500,000 on an aircraft swap. Innovation awaits you! K

An engine change shelter and underbody fuel shelter are shown here.

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Retrograde Parts: Should They Move at a Higher Priority?

effective. First, a definition from JP 1-02, DOD Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms, describes retrograde movements as When ancient armies moved, they found it easier to “dispose” of evacuating cargo from a theater of operations. For the purpose of unneeded materials in whatever land the conquered and “acquire” this article, the researcher used a narrower definition: retrograde the needed replacements from the local movements involve the planning, economy. They did not need to worry implementing, and controlling “We may take it then that an army about repair cycle management and retrothe efficient flow of reparables grade shipments. Present day armies do from the point of consumption to without its baggage-train is lost; withnot have the luxury of “burn-and-pillage” the repair activity for the purpose out provisions it is lost.” ––Sun Tzu logistics, but instead have become dependof recapturing value. ent on a robust repair cycle to maintain a constant, predictable flow of spare parts H I S T O RY O F AV I AT I O N R E T R O G R A D E and equipment to support the deployed forces. An often overlooked MANAGEMENT portion of the repair cycle is the retrograde movement. This article provides a brief history of aviation retrograde management The problem of reclaiming damaged or defective parts is not new processes, summarizes current USAF doctrine and instructions, pres- for the USAF. As far back as May 1918, the Division of Military ents research results on retrograde management’s impact to deployed Aeronautics was created to “handle the functions of supply, finance, operations and finally makes two conclusions and one recommen- traffic, storage, material, construction, salvage, and engine and airdation that may make our retrograde process more efficient and plane maintenance and repair.” The inclusion of the word salvage

By Major Craig Giles

Above: Radio calls from incoming aircraft were monitored by personnel at the traffic control point during the Berlin Airlift in 1948. The traffic control point used this information to help facilitate loading operations. (USAF Courtesy photo)

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in the charter marks the first official mention of an aviation retrograde program. Prior to this, if a part could not be repaired in the field it was simply discarded in place.

During World War I and World War II, American forces employed a three-tiered support concept with large base depots located in theater with 45-days of supply and a repair capability.

Intermediate and advanced depots maintained 30 and 15 days of supply respectively but no repair capability. Under this concept, the retrograde process would move reparable assets from the frontline (advanced depot) to the base depot in theater for repair. While the reparable asset is in the repair cycle, the front line was supported with the 90-days of supply maintained between the three depots. This support concept worked well, but maintaining 90-days of supply in theater is very expensive.

Additionally, this concept only works when the advanced and intermediate depots are located in relatively safe locations, a lesson succinctly learned in Korea.

Aircraft maintenance quickly became a problem in the Korean War. For the first time in generations, America was fighting a war involving frequent retreats. The extreme fluctuation of the frontlines caused constant movement of support forces. The combat aviation units had to be extremely mobile, and could not support maintenance facilities as they had become accustomed to in World War II. Often, they couldn’t unpack essential equipment because they might very quickly have to move again.

To overcome these challenges, the USAF split units and created the Rear Echelon Maintenance Combined Operations (REMCO). Support organizations were set-up under more stable

Military trucks are unloaded from the nose ramp of a C-5A Galaxy transport aircraft of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Military Airlift Command, in support of Operation Desert Shield. (USAF Courtesy photo)

conditions in Japan. At these sites, suitable hangars, shops, and inspection dock facilities were established with adequate base support to do extensive maintenance work. Tactical units on the ground in Korea functioned from small airfields with only a few personnel to perform basic inspections and servicing.

With the advent of REMCO, came the first requirement for a proactive retrograde system. Since the forward location did not keep a large supply of parts on-hand or any intermediate level repair capability, they were totally dependent on the repair cycle for sustainment. Daily transport flights delivered parts to the forward airstrips and returned to Japan with all of the unserviceable assets. These assets were then input into the repair facility at the REMCO, repaired and warehoused awaiting a demand from the forward airstrip. Without the rapid two-way transportation between the forward operating location and the repair activity, the REMCO would quickly run out of unserviceable assets and in turn have no serviceable assets to issue.

During the 1970s and 80s, American war planners moved away from planning small-scale contingencies and towards an all-out war with the Soviet Union. This shift in national military strategy dramatically changed the USAF logistics strategy, and they moved back towards a robust three-level maintenance concept.

Each USAF base possessed the capability to perform on-equipment maintenance and intermediate-level maintenance of their assigned aircraft. Five aircraft depots provided periodic in-depth inspections. For each base to perform on-equipment and intermediate-level maintenance required extensive manpower, equipment, and infrastructure.

Additionally, reliance on the intermediate maintenance capability allowed the transportation system to lower the priority of retrograde shipments with no impact to mission-capable rates.

Although the USAF maintained an overwhelming strategic capability during the Cold War, the Gulf War in 1991 highlighted the need for a light, lean, and flexible Air Force.

When US forces were ordered to deploy to the Persian Gulf in August 1990, the challenges confronting logisticians were unparallel since World War II. The deployment required movement of over 500,000 personnel with an 8,500 mile supply pipeline. The large, Continued on next page...

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HIGHER PRIORITY? AT A

E R : R E T R O G R A D E PA R T S : S H O U L D T H E Y M O V E

slow, Cold War era Air Force was not prepared to perform expeditionary operations. The Cold War maintenance concept required an intermediate maintenance facility be deployed with the units. This extra amount of personnel and equipment bogged down the transportation system, and thousands of pieces of needed equipment were lost in the system.

At the end of the war, logisticians were faced with returning hundreds of thousands of US military personnel, immense stockpiles and inventories of munitions, building materials, vehicles, rations, and spare parts. This post-war retrograde operation took over five years to accomplish. Although the war was a success, logisticians and war planners learned valuable lessons concerning the size and supportability of deployed forces.

CURRENT USAF DOCTRINE INSTRUCTIONS

AND

Current doctrine clearly identifies the need for a robust, proactive retrograde management program. Air Force Doctrine Document 2-4, Combat Support, states, “depots will establish accountability measures to ensure assets coded for repair are located, prioritized, tracked and moved to the repair activities as soon as possible.” By returning all reparable assets quickly, the repair activity will not be carcass constrained and can maintain a constant, predictable flow of components to the field. Air Force Instruction 24-203, Preparation and Movement of Air Force Cargo, states that “RDD 999”, the code used for MICAPs, identifies shipments having the most urgent need. However, it goes on to say that “RDD 999 may not be applied to … retrograde movements.” Additionally, AFI 24-203 establishes delivery standards for expedited shipments, including RDD 999 and two-level maintenance retrogrades, but only for shipments from CONUS, USAFE or PACAF, not from deployed locations.

A 48th Tactical Fighter Wing F-111F Raven aircraft departs for Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield. (USAF Courtesy photo)

F-86 Sabres with their 51st Fighter Interceptor Wing "Checkertails" are readied for combat during the Korean War at Suwon Air Base, South Korea.(USAF Courtesy photo)

R E T R O G R A D E M A N A G E M E N T ’ S I M PA C T D E P L O Y E D O P E R AT I O N S

ON

The lack of deployed retrograde shipment standards and the inability to process a retrograde shipment with an RDD 999 priority leads to the following two research questions: Is there a statistically significant difference between the shipment times of MICAPs and retrogrades to and from deployed locations? And, if so, can the difference in shipment times have an impact on the deployed Total Non-Mission Capable for Supply (TNMCS) rates?

To answer these questions, a study gathered data during a B-1 deployment from September 4, 2003 through March 7, 2004. The deployed unit experienced a significant number of radar signal processor failures and quickly depleted the deployed Mobility Readiness Spare Package (MRSP). Similar to the USAF’s experience under REMCO during the Korean War, the deployed unit had no spares on-hand and no intermediate repair capability. Without a proactive retrograde program and efficient two-way transportation, the supply chain would not be able to keep up with demand.

To answer the first question, the research tracked 398 MICAP shipments from CONUS to the deployed B-1 unit and 111 retrograde shipments returned to the CONUS from the same B1 unit. The route traveled by both MICAP and retrograde shipments was broken into three segments: CONUS travel time (to and from the repair activity and port), port hold time (awaiting airlift), and AMC travel time (to and from the port and deployed location). Finally, using a two-tailed independent sample t-test, the research determined if the difference in each segment was statically significant, tested at a 95% confidence level (p < 0.05). Table 1 summarizes the results.

Not surprisingly, there is a statistically significant difference between the shipment times of MICAPs and retrogrades.

MICAP shipments took an average of 9.11 days to cover all three segments, but retrograde shipments took 26.21 to cover

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the same route in the other direction.

An interesting outcome of the research is only the CONUS and port hold segments of the retrograde movements were statistically slower than MICAP shipments. The times spent in AMC segment were statistically indistinguishable (p = 0.057).

For the purpose of this research, the only variable manipulated was the repair cycle time. The next step is to quantify the impact of the shortening the repair cycle on the MRSP equilibrium level.

TA B L E 1

The model used the results from the first research question to determine how short the repair cycle could To answer the second be if the retrograde shipresearch question (Can the ments were treated with difference in shipment times the same priority as have an impact on the MICAPs. All segments of deployed TNMCS rates?) the route where the retrothe research used a model An air-to-air view of an A-10A Thunderbolt II attack grade shipments are statispopulated with actual data aircraft from the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, tically slower than the from the deployed B-1 unit.

Myrtle Beach Air Force Base, S.C., during MICAP shipment for the The first step was to calcuOperation Desert Shield. (USAF Courtesy photo) same segment are replaced late the point of MRSP with the MICAP shipment equilibrium. time. The priority repair cycle time is expressed as Tp. Figure On initial deployment, assuming the MRSP is full, there is a burn2 is a graphical representation of the change in MRSP equilibriin period where parts are being removed from the MRSP with no um caused by shortening the repair cycle. parts being delivered. The burn-in period ends when serviceable parts are delivered to the FOL at a rate equal to the failure rate. The change in MRSP equilibrium resulting from the shortened In a closed loop supply chain, the only source of serviceable parts repair cycle is calculated as: is from fixing the unserviceable ones. In this case, the burn-in ΔYT = YTp - YTo period ends when the unserviceable asset is returned to the source Substituting Equation 1 yields: of repair, repaired and shipped back to the FOL. The MRSP level ΔYT = (Yo - λTp) - (Yo - λTo) at the end of the burn-in period is the point of MRSP equilibrium. Figure 1 is a graphical representation of the MRSP level. or more simply: The MRSP equilibrium point is a function of the number of radar signal processors in the MRSP at the start of the deployment, the failure rate of the radar signal processor, and the repair cycle time. The point of MRSP equilibrium, YT, is calculated with the following equation: YT = Yo - λTo

ΔYT = λ(To - Tp)

(4)

Table 2 displays the actual data compiled during the B-1 deployment. The final step to answer the second research question is to translate a change in MRSP equilibrium into a change in the TNMCS rate.

(1)

TA B L E 2

where Yo = Initial MRSP level λ = Failure rate = (ASD x Sortie Rate) / MTBF

(2)

To = Repair cycle time = Retrograde Time + Repair Time + MICAP Time (3) Increasing the initial MRSP level, extending MTBF, or reducing the repair cycle time will increase the point of MRSP equilibrium.

Radar Signal Processor MTBF Sorties per day ASD Initial MRSP Level In-shop Repair Time (Days) Number of Aircraft Deployed

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180 hours 3 15 hours 5 2 8 Continued on next page...

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HIGHER PRIORITY? AT A

E R : R E T R O G R A D E PA R T S : S H O U L D T H E Y M O V E

The TNMCS rate is expressed as the number of aircraft non mission-capable for supply aircraft by the number of deployed aircraft. The B-1 has two radar signal processors per aircraft; therefore, for every two additional radar signal processors delivered to the FOL, an additional aircraft will become missioncapable. Equation 5 represents the change in the TNMCS rate.

Change in TNMCS = ΔYT / (2 x number of aircraft deployed) (5) Substituting ΔYT with eight aircraft deployed into equation 5 results in a change of the TNMCS rate of 26%.

This research yields two clear conclusions. First, there is a statistically significant difference between the shipment times of MICAPs and retrogrades to and from deployed locations. It’s not difficult to figure out why. Even though AFDD 2-4 says retrograde shipments should be moved as quickly as possible, the more directive AFI 24-203 specifically forbids moving retrogrades as quickly as possible. It is not economically feasible to move every retrograde with an RDD 999, but there may be cases when specific parts should be returned with the highest shipment priority, as identified in the next conclusion.

The second conclusion is that slower retrograde shipment times can have an impact on deployed TNMCS rates. The research indicated a possible 26% TNMCS reduction by processing the B1’s radars signal processor retrogrades with the same priority as MICAPs. An obvious question why did deployed maintainers and logisticians accept such an obvious limitation to the deployed operation? An assumption made during the research is that the radar signal processor operates in a closed loop supply system.

That may not be the case. When the deployed MRSP reaches zero balance, maintainers and logisticians develop workaround to mask the problems of the repair cycle. Workarounds include cannibalization, lateral support from other units, and even cannibalizing a part from home station and sending it with baggage during a scheduled rotation of personnel. While these actions may improve the combat capability of the deployed unit in the short term, they are always less efficient than using the repair cycle

already in place. Just because we have the ability “to rob from Peter to pay Paul” does not mean that we should. Instead we should optimize the existing repair cycle.

The single recommendation from this research is to implement supply chain management techniques that can correctly prioritize all shipments based on urgency of need, not solely on which direction the item is moving in the repair cycle. As the results of the B-1 deployment research indicated, there are times when reparable assets warrant the highest movement priority.

To effectively identify, prioritize, transport and track retrogrades that are limiting operational capabilities requires a robust command and control (C2) system. In their article, Sense and Control Combat Support, Amouzegar, et. al., state that C2 of combat support functions must have their goals and objectives directly linked to operational goals and objectives. Currently, the USAF does not have a single system that links the various data bases with real-time total asset visibility and links logistics capabilities to operational goals. However, the Expeditionary Combat Support System (ECSS), currently under development, is designed to create a capability for simultaneous planning for all maintenance and supply functions based upon enterprise requirements. Additionally, it will result in increased visibility of total repair capability across bases, centralized repair facilities, and air logistics centers. Ultimately, ECSS should relate how combat support performance and resource levels affect operations, but as Amouzegar, et. al., conclude, current theoretical understanding limits these relationships.

If developed correctly, ECSS will be able to integrate across the entire USAF enterprise, identify when a breakdown in the repair cycle is degrading combat capability and effectively prioritize shipments, including retrogrades, based on urgency of need. It is not likely the USAF will return to a robust three-level maintenance support concept anytime soon, and as long as the repair activity is geographically separated from the point of consumption, proactive repair cycle management is required to efficiently meet our operational goals and objectives.

About the Author: Major Craig Giles is the Commander of the

FIGURE 2

NATO Electronics Maintenance Squadron at Geilenkirchen Air Base, Germany, where he commands 153 NATO military and civilians from 15 nations maintaining the mission systems on 17 NATO E-3A AWACS. He graduated from the US Army Command and General Staff College in 2009 and the USAF Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Officer Course class 04B. This article includes portions of research from his AMMOS research paper and Master’s thesis for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. K

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Rapidly Fielding Combat Capability: A Test in Innovation and Teamwork

By Captain Scott Hall Somewhere in Afghanistan, a Joint Tactical Air Controller (J-TAC) calls in close air support for an Army patrol under enemy fire. The mountainous terrain makes it difficult to send and receive radio transmissions with the aircrew. Enemy forces seem to be advancing, and minutes feel like hours as the ground controller radios for help.

Suddenly, out of nowhere a 20th Fighter Wing (20 FW) F-16 swoops in and drops two GBU-38s; and then, there is only silence where enemy forces once stood. The soldiers regroup and continue their mission with a renewed confidence that someone is watching out for them. If this scenario had occurred six months earlier, that same 20 FW jet may not have received the J-TAC transmission in time.

In April 2009, the 20th Maintenance Group (20 MXG) received a call from the F-16 System Program Office (SPO) that a new capability would be fielded for the 79th Fighter Squadron’s upcoming deployment to Afghanistan. Only one minor detail needed to be worked out…the capability didn’t exist yet. The SPO would develop and field this modification as a just-in-time (JIT) initiative, completing the final installs only days before the unit’s deployment departure date. Acquisitions managers designed this latest initiative to expedite combat capability to the Warfighter. Ultimately, it became a success story for innovation, Continuous Process Improvement (CPI), and teamwork.

Members of the 573 AMXS depot field team perform the BLOS modification on an aircraft to support the 20 Fighter Wing’s next deployment. (Photo by Captain Scott B. Hall)

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The new aircraft modification was the Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) Satellite Communications (SATCOM) radio upgrade, which allows aircraft to communicate with coalition forces using a satellite interface. Communication with ground forces would otherwise be unreliable due to interference from mountainous terrain.

Furthermore, the Combined Forces Air Component Commander mandated this capability for all F-16s entering the Operation ENDURING FREEDOM area of operation.

The BLOS fielding would test the prowess of the 20 MXG through a variety of challenges that would consume manpower, equipment, and aircraft availability. Fortunately, the 20 MXG would not go it alone; the Ogden Air Logistics Center’s (OO-ALC) 573rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (573 AMXS), 309th Aircraft Maintenance Group (309 AMXG) provided a robust Depot Field Team (DFT) to perform the modification. Still, the parts delivery schedule and Air Forces Central Command’s (AFCENT) deployment timeline drove a very aggressive installation schedule, dedicating between five and six aircraft at a time to the BLOS modification. Additionally, the JIT installation plan required the field level maintenance unit to remove and install several aircraft components to help facilitate the DFT BLOS modification. Removal, installation, and operational checks of items such as the seat and canopy, Jet Fuel Starter (JFS), hydraulic reservoir, gun barrels, avionics components, and engine required 22 maintainers, 3 days, and two 12-hour shifts per aircraft to meet the installation timeline. Furthermore, the modification timing imposed risks to the flying schedule while the pilots trained for combat operations.

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In mid Aug 2009, the SPO conducted the initial design kit proof at Shaw AFB one week before the scheduled installation start date.

The kit proof identified several shortfalls that would test the SPO and depot teams’ resourcefulness. First, the kit delivery schedule did not meet the installation timeline and several kit shipments were short of parts. Next, the engineering drawings did not match the deploying aircraft configuration, which then required maintainers to cannibalize environmental ducting from other aircraft.

What’s more, functional checks required special test equipment the field unit did not use. Technical orders did not include troubleshooting, ordering parts, corrosion control, or aircraft pre/post flight inspections. Finally, no software was available, spare parts were not contracted, and no satellite time was planned to operationally check the modified system.

With several modification risks identified only weeks before the impending deployment date, senior leaders from the SPO, OOALC, ACC, 20 MXG, 20 OG, and the contractor established a stakeholder’s working group that soon tackled every obstacle; the most critical being shortage of parts. The contractor developed a parts delivery forecast to determine the number of aircraft that could begin the modification as parts shipped. To overcome kit shortages, the DFT modified the aircraft in sections as parts were delivered. After purchasing the required test equipment, the team developed a procedure to complete operational checks and return aircraft to flight status while awaiting final parts delivery.

The remaining logistical hurdles were critical for the unit to successfully sustain the modified system in the field. With no fielded software available, the team used flight test software to verify that the new avionics system worked properly before returning modified aircraft to the flying schedule. Likewise, to ensure the unit had spare parts on hand in theater, Nellis AFB shipped assets from the flight test program. Also, missing ducting parts were located and sourced through the supply system, alleviating the need to cannibalize parts from other aircraft. The contractor and local engineers worked together to develop interim troubleshooting guidance for avionics technicians. Meanwhile, the team borrowed SATCOM time from other programs so pilots could functionally check the modified system.

Without a doubt, the DFT’s willingness to integrate the modification effort with the maintenance unit’s prep and rebuild was the most critical component in the successful execution of the installation plan. Both teams worked together and identified a systematic process to integrate aircraft prep, modification, component installs, and functional checks. First, the DFT modified the aircraft in sections, starting with the cockpit and moving towards the tail section.

Then, as the DFT routed the wire harnesses, the maintenance unit followed behind and installed the components in that section. This innovative process significantly reduced aircraft downtime and the modification program finished two weeks ahead of schedule.

As the DFT became more proficient with modification installs, they began to improve upon the original engineering design and lessened the maintenance unit’s prep/rebuild burden. Initially, the team found they could route the wire harnesses without removing the JFS. After that, they were able to modify the cockpit using the raise and tilt mode for the seat, which alleviated the need to remove the seat and canopy. Finally, with only days remaining, the DFT successfully modified an aircraft engine bay without fully removing the engine. The maintenance and depot team demonstrated ingenuity that saved the field unit an amazing 122 man-hours per aircraft.

The maintenance unit also showed impressive innovation by integrating the BLOS modification into the scheduled maintenance plan for its AEF deployment prep. When possible, scheduled maintenance actions were bundled with BLOS tasks. Managers scheduled egress time changes with the seat and canopy removal.

Similarly, production supervisors delayed or accelerated engine changes and inspections in conjunction with the modification.

Crew chiefs thoroughly evaluated the airframe and components for opportunities to repair delayed discrepancies. Specialists performed a new digital video recorder modification while avionics components were removed. Weapons expeditors skillfully integrated armament systems reliability checks into the final operational checks. Ultimately, these scheduling initiatives avoided approximately 367 hours of aircraft non-mission capable time and reinvested 877 man-hours back into sortie generation.

The success of this JIT program was a pinnacle moment that shifted the paradigms of the acquisitions and maintenance communities.

By combining the DFT and field unit efforts, the modification and aircraft prep was completed in time for the 79th Fighter Squadron’s AEF rotation, ensuring 12 BLOS modified F-16s successfully deployed in Oct 09. These overwhelming results are a testament to the amazing working relationship cultivated by the DFT and maintenance field unit. The F-16 SPO recorded the lessons learned and best practices to incorporate into additional BLOS modifications that will occur simultaneously across three bases. The 20 MXG and 309 AMXG team benchmarked these procedures to prepare for the 20 FW’s next deployment and BLOS upgrade, with plans to incorporate even more scheduled maintenance. Most importantly, the program’s success means US and Coalition troops on the ground can continue to fight for freedom in Afghanistan knowing air power will be there on time/on target.

About the Author: Capt Scott Hall is the Operations Officer for the 20 Aircraft Maintenance Sq, Shaw AFB, SC. He is responsible to the commander for the scheduling, maintenance, and sortie production on 87 F-16CJ aircraft valued at $2.1B. He also has experience in acquisition as a program manager and flight test manager on both aircraft and SATCOM programs.

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Comrades serve again! Lt Col Ed Malinowski and Lt Col Bridges serve together again in the 379 EMXG, South West Asia. (Photo courtesy of Lt Col Ed Malinowski)

Engineering Technical Assistance Request A Swiss Army Knife for the Warfighter

By Lt Col Ed Malinowski Many of us have been deployed to forward locations. You quickly realize the maintenance reality of long work hours and tight quarters, but also supply requests that may take longer to fill than CONUS locations.

You have probably seen, or heard, the horror stories of forward location supply

requests with 3-week to 15-month lead times. A critical airframe or Low Density High Demand asset that is non-mission capable waiting on parts, cripples your ability to fight. Many grounding conditions can be remedied through technical assistance requested through an Engineering Technical Assistance Request (ETAR).

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Technical order (TO) 00-25-107 explains technical assistance as: Provides advice, assistance, disposition and training pertaining to installation, operation and maintenance of equipment using authorized procedures. Provides authorization for one-time repairs or time definite repair opportunities beyond what is spelled out in

existing TOs (the accomplishment of the provided repair procedure is authorized for a defined amount of time, with a 120 dutyday maximum timeframe). Provides the one-time authority to use a specific part/commodity with defects or deviations beyond TO limits. Provides authorization for limited use of non-listed substitutes (supplies, components, support equipment, etc.) to prevent work stoppages.

You can exploit this assistance to the missionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s benefit at your forward location.

We had a KC-135 with Main Landing Gear (MLG) door damage. The door was removed for a sheet metal repair, requiring us to remove hinge pins that were secured by roll pins. The MLG door was repaired and reinstalled with its hinge pins holding the door in-place. As often happens, the old roll pins were not reusable after they were removed and new pins were not onstation.

We needed technical assistance.

Engineers at our forward location were asked to look into alternate means for another way to secure the hinge pins and prevent rotation. Analysis of the hinge led to a suggestion of using looped safety wire or a cotter pin as substitutes for the roll pin. An ETAR was filled out by the deployed engineer and sent to the KC135 engineers for disposition. The disposition came back within a few hours with approval to use a substitute until the roll pins arrived. The airplane was quickly returned to service with safety wired hinges in accordance with the approved ETAR guidance and was able to rejoin the fight. The roll pins arrived four days later and were installed in accordance with TO guidance. Without ETAR, that otherwise perfectly good, critical jet, minus the roll pins, would have sat for four days. That would cost us four sorties at our rate of flying â&#x20AC;&#x201C; might not be a big deal at home, but

refueling is critical in executing the combat ATO. This success story is just one of the varieties of possible ETARs. Some of the other successes we had included: local manufacturing of brackets and other simple hardware, extending engines beyond published technical data, crack growth limits extensions, limited continued operations with partially capable equipment, approving suitable substitutes for broken or hard to find ground equipment, wiring variances, and non-standard troubleshooting procedures when all other published methods did not reveal the root anomaly.

Every one of these ETARs directly resulted in combat sorties.

AFMC has depot liaison engineers currently deployed to AFCENT supporting OIF/OEF. If one day you find yourself deployed to South West Asia needing help to fix a jet, call your AOR engineer.

About the Author: Lt Col Ed Malinowski

is

a

career

Traditional Reservist logistician and serves as the Deputy Commander at the 910 MXG. He was selected to fill a 120-day deployment as the Deputy Commander of the 379 EMXG, South West Asia.

He recently escorted

the Air Force Division at 56th Inaugural Parade. He was an Action Officer at HQ USAF/ILMY and has served as a Squadron Commander.

As a civilian, he is an Air Safety Investigator for the NTSB and has been the Investigator-In-Charge over 400+ tions.

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investiga-

Purchasing Outcomes

A line of C-130 Hercules taxi during a Mobility Air Forces Exercise at Nellis AFB. (USAF photo by A1C Stephanie Rubi)

While we obviously can’t do that, the concept reveals that parts are not the goal, but rather a means to a goal.

By Colonel (ret) Larry Kingsley It was Stephen Covey who said you should begin with the end in mind. Covey’s idea applies equally as well to acquisition strategy as it does to business. We need to think about what we are really trying to achieve with our logistics support. An acquisition strategy must have at its foundation a clear vision of what we want to have at the end when all the acquisition is done and it’s time to conduct combat operations.

When the Air Force was young, one acquisition strategy that was commonly used was the just-in-case strategy. This approach was appropriate when parts were cheap and transportation was expensive. Comparing aircraft to cars, if we stockpiled fenders, it made sense to have as our goal: have enough fenders for combat and attrition. This Supply Effectiveness had real meaning. How many fenders were you supposed to have on the shelf and how many did your supply experts stock for you?

But let’s be clear. Even with large warehouses filled with effective supply prowess—the real goal was never getting parts. The goal was to support the war effort effectively and we had to have parts to do it. Taken to the extreme, it would be nice to have a strategy that could support the war effort without having to buy any parts at all.

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KEEPING SCORE

FOR THE

WRONG GAME

The shift away from the just-in-case strategy has profound implications that sometimes carry forward incongruent baggage from an earlier paradigm. If we are no longer interested in a just-in-case supply strategy, what is our strategy? Just-in-time is usually offered as the replacement. This approach is better because the focus shifts from the warehouse to the entire supply chain. But the problem with focusing on just-in-time is that the focus is still on the fenders, and that is a legacy perspective, which unfortunately does not automatically translate into higher mission capability. No, the focus must shift from keeping a warehouse fully stocked to generating aircraft that hit enemy targets.

From centralizing repair capability for critical high-value assets, to improving response times and unifying supply chain management to increase agility, it all points to something more than buying parts. The goal is to maintain mission capability. The conclusion for the supply chain is that it just doesn’t matter anymore if the warehouse is full of parts, if the part that is keeping an aircraft grounded is not on the shelf. So carrying forward the old Supply Effectiveness measurement

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is more than just outdated. It is keeping score for the wrong game.

Supply Effectiveness is a distraction from the real goal: mission capability. And rewarding a system for just having plenty of parts is counterproductive.

One of the most controversial aspects in shifting acquisition strategies has been in contracting vehicles. As we moved away from the warehouse and toward the flightline in our focus, it should have come as no surprise that we would begin to purchase what we needed for the mission, rather than what we needed for the warehouse.

We don’t need parts lined up on the shelf. We need mission-ready aircraft lined up for the flying schedule. It’s great to say we want to focus acquisition on mission-ready aircraft, but in the past, our method for doing that has been to buy parts timely and efficiently.

It’s clear that we need an approach that is not parts focused.

Fortunately, we have just the approach. We have a method to subordinate parts to capability (performance). The Department of Defense has directed that Performance Based Logistics (PBL) contracts are preferred and should be used “whenever feasible.”

This change to performance focus has not been without its issues.

Controversy has swirled around PBL, for example, the GAO objects to claimed savings and flawed Business Case Analysis. But in fact, from the beginning, readiness has been at the center of PBL goals, with savings as a by-product.

SKILLED CRAFTSMEN DON’T BLAME TOOL

THE

The Quadrennial Defense Review in 2001 highlighted readiness improvements expected by the PBL approach. “DoD will implement Performance Based Logistics to compress the supply chain and improve readiness for major weapons systems and commodities.”

Others have claimed the PBL is simply out-sourcing the government’s logistics function. PBL is a tool, just like any other tool. It can be used well or it can be used poorly. PBL is expected to be tailored to the desired outcome. In other words, just as in every other contracting action, we need to ensure we are contracting for what we want. Randy T. Fowler, Assistant Deputy Under Secretary of Defense stated, “PBL has not significantly changed DoD’s

P B L S AV I N G S

reliance on contractors; it has only changed the nature of how we use their services. Simply put, we have transitioned from buying iterative discrete quantities of goods and services (transactional logistics) to acquiring sustainment via top-level outcomes (PBL).”

DoD Directives make this clear.

In DoD Directive 5000.01 it states, “Sustainment Master Sgt. Bill Ladd checks in cargo in the supply warehouse in Karshi-Khanabad AB, Uzbekistan. strategies shall include (USAF photo by TSgt. Scott T. Sturkol) the best use of public and private sector capabilities through government/industry partnering initiatives, in accordance with statutory requirements.” Bill Kobren, Director, Logistics and Sustainment Center, Defense Acquisition University stipulated that while it is a concern for some that depot workload would impact the statutory 50-50 requirement, it is in fact, “a facilitator of public-private partnering” —who does the work is not the issue. How we measure success is the issue. Public-private partnering is but one of many options available in crafting a methodology for achieving the required performance.

BARGAIN FENDERS

ARE NO

BARGAIN

None of these concerns undermines the premise upon which PBL is based. We must purchase what we need. Concerns about expected PBL savings, the role of the government, and the extent of public and private partnerships are about PBL construction, negotiation, measurement, accountability, and so forth. These concerns are about how PBL is crafted, and are not about whether PBL contracts are appropriate or not. In other words, our concern needs to be how we do PBL business. Well contracted PBL agreements will allow us to buy real mission capability as efficiently as possible instead of simply filling our warehouses with bargain fenders.

About the Author: Col (ret) Larry Kingsley was a career maintenance officer who retired with over 30 years of service in 2008. His last active duty assignment was as the Deputy Director of the 542 Combat Sustainment Wing, Warner Robins ALC. He continues to serve the warfighter as a Program Manager for BAE Systems in New Hampshire.

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Mr Charles Murzyn from the engine repair line at Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center demonstrating the working end of the Repair Network.

Murzyn is inspecting the B-1 F-101 working the low pressure turbine #5 bearing.

(Photo courtesy OC-ALC)

F101 Repair Network Integration...

It’s Not Just Another “Catch-Phrase!”

By Captain Ola Ekundayo As a Logistics Readiness Officer assigned to the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, I had the privilege to complete rotations with the 327th Aircraft Sustainment Wing’s B-1 System Program Office and the 76th Maintenance Wing’s Propulsion Maintenance Group. These two assignments have allowed me to

become intimately familiar with a critical initiative that promises to transform the way we do maintenance in the US Air Force.

Repair Network Integration (RNI) exists as one of the key ingredients in the Expeditionary Logistics for the 21st Century campaign. RNI infuses agility and predictability in the maintenance repair chain giving wing commanders maximum aircraft availability to support an array of tasks in support of combatant commander priorities. According to Col Bob Helgeson, Chief, Repair Network Implementation Program, HQ AFMC Directorate of Logistics (A4) at WrightPatterson AFB, RNI is expected to “produce standardized, repeatable processes that will enable the Air Force maintenance community to be responsive, flexible and predictive in providing efficient and effective support to the Warfighter.” To illustrate the capability of the “network” here is the story how RNI literally saved the day when the B-1B bomber’s power plant (F101 engine) reached critical availability levels.

In July 2009, F101 engine serviceable engines declined to dangerously low limits

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due to the dynamic and unpredictable challenges of sustaining an aging weapon system.

The acceptable War Readiness Engines (WRE) level was 29 and only six engines were available across the enterprise to meet mission requirements. Senior and mid-level managers at the four repair nodes acted swiftly. An instant engine inventory, plus support equipment and workload manpower assessments were conducted. To get back on-track, all repair nodes worked together to increase the number of available spare engines as opposed to working individually.

Stakeholders were optimistic and Tinker’s repair network manager for the RNI initiative and Director, 537th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron, Bobbi LaRue stated, “The thing that made this work so well is that everyone came to the table and everyone worked together. There was no bureaucracy. We were going to do whatever it took to work together as a team in a safe and cost-effective manner. It was all-handson-deck.”

Harnessing capabilities across each and every single engine repair component and element was crucial.

Communicating engine repair parts shortages effectively to the Air Force Global Logistics Support

Center (AFGLSC) and the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in a timely manner was important. Master Sgt. Scott Shaw, former F101 Centralized Repair Facility Flight Chief for the 545th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron agreed wholeheartedly saying, “It went from a vertical communication to horizontal communication with the snap of a finger. We had to. We had to speak with everyone that had F101 repair capabilities.”

The slightest possibility of having the B-1B fleet grounded completely due to lack of engines was unacceptable. Without delay, Tinker personnel shipped two engines to Edwards AFB for repair, and two sets of engine stands were shipped to Dyess AFB to assist in increased repair capability.

Consequently, 17 Dyess AFB maintenance personnel also traveled to Tinker AFB to help with on-site F101 engine repair.

Additionally, supportability and allocation of components were coordinated rapidly through telephone calls between all four repair centers.

“We basically micromanaged the entire fleet at a serial-number level,” Ms. LaRue stated.

“We made timely and effective decisions daily with flight chiefs from all the units through video teleconference or phone calls.” Just barely two months after the F101 engine WRE levels dropped to a dangerously low level of six, this F101 RNI initiative produced 57 spare engines in the test period and reached a level of 25 spare engines across the enterprise for the Warfighter.

The RNI initiative implementation started back in October 2008 when the CSAF tasked HQ AFMC to develop a phasedapproach for the implementation strategy.

Six months later, the CSAF approved the proposed implementation strategy after AFMC coordinated with all the MAJCOMs and Air Reserve components. The RNI initiative was programmed to be tested and deployed through several phases. Phase 1 (Proof of Concept) investigated the basic enterprise management of repair networks using B-1 Fleet, Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) pods, and the F101 engine. Phase 2 (Prototype) will focus on propulsion and ways to further increase enterprise management of repair networks to additional plat-

forms. Phase 3 (Concept Refinement) and Phase 4 (End State) will further expand the enterprise management of the repair networks as concepts and processes are determined, analyzed and established.

To logically meet and sustain these strategically phased objectives, the F101 engine repair nodes or repair activities must work together with other repair networks (i.e. B1B and LANTIRN pods) to embark on effective management in order to support the repair enterprise. A cultural shift in business practices from base-level repair methodology to the Air Force maintenance repair enterprise is expected to ensure the F101 RNI initiative doesn’t become just another catch phrase. Conscientious management of repair networks solely centered on “big picture” priorities as opposed to base-level priorities will ensure a “bulls-eye” effect on weapon system availability.

In the not so distant future, similar F101 RNI initiative success stories like the one at Tinker will no doubt contribute to its rapid deployment across other platforms. RNI implementation promises a more capable, productive and reactive Air Force maintenance repair enterprise.

HQ AFMC continues to lead the charge on this initiative and one can only be optimistic that the future repair network will set the stage for how we conduct business within the Air Force and ultimately with our joint partners.

About the Author:

Capt Ola

Ekundayo is a Logistics Readiness Officer in the HQ USAF Logistics Career

Broadening

Program.

Officers in the program are competitively selected and developed as materiel officers with the potential to fill future senior materiel management leadership positions in the Air Force and Joint Logistics sysTSgt Fred Prater from the engine repair line at Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center demonstrating the working end of the Repair Network. Sgt Prater is inspecting the B-1 F-101 working the high pressure turbine. (Photo courtesy OC-ALC)

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tem.

He is currently assigned to

Tinker Air Force Base.

K

(L to R) Mr. Shane Korytko, U-2 Airframe Program Manager; Mr. Michael Fitzpatrick, U-2 Airframe Flight chief; and Mr. Robert O’Hern, U-2 Avionics Program Manager.

(Photo courtesy of 576 ACSS)

Vanquishing a Vanishing Vendor Issue for the Dragon Lady

By Ms. Lisa Mathews The old saying goes ‘good things come to those who wait’ and while the 576th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron (ACSS) at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center (WR-ALC) might not have waited patiently for their solution, in the end the delay in finding a solution to their problem paid off in a very big way. About five years ago the squadron realized they would soon be faced with a vanishing vendor issue for the navigation unit – specifically the embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) – on the U-2 aircraft. The squadron realized that action had to be taken. The company that manufactured and repaired the items was no longer able to support the unit. Efforts were under way to find a solution to keep the U-2 mission on track.

“The contractor for the Inertial Navigation System (INS) – the guidance system of the airplane – brought this to our attention and said, ‘We’re not going to be able to provide the repair on this,’ “ said Shane Korytko, U-2 Airframe Program Manager in the 576 ACSS. “They offered several options to include a new GPS and they estimated $5-

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7M to develop a solution.” The squadron also looked at re-engineering options which were also in the $5M price range for research and development. Not one of these solution options came to fruition.

But it came to the squadron’s attention that the Coast Guard used similar units which were a ground-based version of the same type of unit. The Coast Guard had a contract with a company that was actually repairing the circuit cards in the GPS modules. “Since the Coast Guard had the contract, we were going to leverage off of that existing contract,” said Korytko. “We were going to send them money and have the Coast Guard repair the units through their contract.” He contacted the Coast Guard a second time about 1 ½ years ago. “In the process of contacting the Coast Guard the second time, he learned they were replacing these old units with new units.”

POT

O F G O L D AT T H E E N D O F T H E R A I N B O W

“We asked them what they were going to do with their old units,” Korytko said. “Basically they were putting them on the shelf.” The Coast Guard was going to send the units to DRMO. Because of this,

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the price tag for acquiring the units was only the cost of shipping – much less than the initial $5-7M price tag for re-engineering the units. The final cost could have been much greater than that in the end, due to integration costs, Michael Fitzpatrick, U-2 Airframe Flight chief explained.

That’s when Bob O’Hern, U-2 Avionics Program Manager in the 576 ACSS, stepped in. “I managed to find a point of contact that could get us some of these units. We weren’t sure they were actually going to be compatible with the airborne GPS, so we asked them to send us some for sampling,” O’Hern said. “ Lt Kenny Hydock was my primary contact with the Coast Guard and paved the way for us to receive our initial batch of GPS ground receivers for evaluation. He also put me in touch with Brent Carroll, a civilian with the Coast Guard, who was responsible for locating and shipping the balance of the ground receivers the Coast Guard provided us,” O’Hern stated.

He explained they only had a part number list and a limited amount of drawings to work with. O’Hern also worked with Northrop Grumman contractors to obtain what limited drawings were available so the 576 ACSS could compare them to the receivers that were taken out of the units from the Coast Guard. “We took the top off and compared the part numbers to see if they matched,” he said.

“Some did and some didn’t. It turns out there were two different types of ground-based units. It was critical to us to have the exact same part number. “So about 30 percent of what (the Coast Guard) had available would work for our application,” he explained.

The squadron shipped one of the cards to Northrop Grumman for bench test and acceptance test procedures. The test came back with positive results. “We got with the Coast Guard and they sent us some units, and between what they were able to give us and what we had managed to get authorized for Northrop Grumman to repair for us, we’ve been able to

extend availability of this item for the minimum of five years and probably closer to seven,” O’Hern said.

This extension is critical to the U-2 program as the program is scheduled for retirement in 2012. “They say scheduled because it could continue on past that date,” said Fitzpatrick. “We need to be prepared for that as well. We need to look beyond the scheduled retirement date, because things aren’t slowing down. This will give us time to look at re-engineering possibilities in the event of an extension on the retirement date.” The scheduled retirement had already been pushed back one year from 2011 and no one is really sure just how long the program will actually continue. The units the squadron was able to obtain from the Coast Guard should keep the program operating through the scheduled retirement date and, if the retirement is delayed, this will give the squadron time to look for other solutions if they become necessary.

HELP

FROM ANOTHER

WR-ALC

GROUP

There remained yet one more hurdle for the 576 ACSS to jump.

Critical to the application is a specific coating on the card. “It was the navigation card that goes into the GPS system that was the vanishing vendor issue … it was the thing that breaks all the time,” O’Hern said. “The cards have to have a conformal coating put on them so they can operate in the U-2 environment. None of the Coast Guard units had that coating because it’s not required for ground operations.” He contacted Bill Cowart with the 402nd Electronics Maintenance Group (EMXG) at Robins AFB for assistance. “Mr. Cowart was my primary POC with the 402 EMXG. He is the one who walked me through the process of obtaining a quote for circuit card conformal coating work – the coating which is required to go on the GPS cards,” O’Hern said. The 402 EMXG will be able to complete the coating work needed for the units.

“This is a case of one Robins unit helping another Robins unit to help the Air Force,” Fitzpartick said.

“The big impact of this is the availability of the U-2,” Korytko said.

“If we hadn’t been able to solve this problem, we already would be losing inertial navigation systems as there would be holes because the GPS systems are not getting fixed.”

About

the

Author:

Ms.

Lisa

Mathews is a program management analyst in the Warner Robins Air Logistics

Center's

Plans

and

Programs Transformation Office. She is responsible for ALC strategic communications to support major transformation initiatives.

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Material Support for High Velocity Maintenance The Task KitDesign team: Left to Right: Shelbie Purser , James Whitfield, Josh Logan, and Jim Stepnoski. (Photo by Gary Cutrell-78 ABW)

By Ms. Shelbie Purser Material Support has been one of the success stories in the ongoing High Velocity Maintenance (HVM) Validation Process at Robins AFB. Robins is in the process of validating HVM for C-130 aircraft.

HVM is the result of benchmarking best practices from the private airline industry.

Several significant contrasts between Air Force Programmed Depot Maintenance (PDM) and best practices in private industry are noteworthy. Inspecting aircraft more frequently, knowing the condition of aircraft prior to induction for programmed maintenance, developing daily point of use task kits, and deploying standard sequenced and choreographed work processes resulting in increased manpower loading of the aircraft are some of the primary tenets of HVM. Integration of field and depot level maintenance processes is also a key component.

In an attempt to know the condition of an aircraft prior to induction, a process called Pre-Induction Inspection (PII) has been developed. PII is an inspection that occurs on a specific aircraft tail number 618 months prior to depot induction and

requires minimal access to accomplish.

For the first time, a bore scope was used to facilitate the PII. Traditionally, bore scopes have been used for inspection of engines. When its use is applied, a bore scope provides better visibility to areas that traditionally require more invasive methods of inspection (such as under floorboard inspection). The PII approach provides identification of long-standing technical, maintenance, supply and engineering shortfalls culminating in better defined maintenance requirements.

A better defined maintenance requirement provides supply upfront knowledge of what parts will be required when the aircraft is inducted into the depot. Today, methods used for part forecasts are based on probabilities. For example, if five upper longerons were required for 10 C130H aircraft this Fiscal Year (FY), our models would indicate a 50% replacement rate for upper longerons on those C-130H aircraft coming to depot next FY. However, those forecasts canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t provide information about which aircraft will require the part. Using PII, it is possible to identify which aircraft will require an upper longeron prior to induction to

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HVM. Hence, for a specific aircraft tail number, it is possible to identify whether there is a 0% or 100% replacement factor.

The replacement rate forecast of 50% will still be required for budgeting purposes, but the PII gives supply the specific aircraft tail number and the schedule when the part will be required.

HVM has also developed an integrated team deemed the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Integratorâ&#x20AC;? to improve materiel support. This team is led by the Global Logistics Support Center (GLSC) with members from Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), maintenance, and contractors. The Integrator is the single point of supply for maintenance, and thus, collocated in the aircraft maintenance facility. This integrated team is responsible for inventory control and serves as the single repository for all materiel required for the HVM aircraft.

Another important responsibility of the Integrator is to develop task kits. This effort includes maintaining standard processes, resources, and relationships necessary for sourcing and assimilating kit content from existing government and/or contractor sources. Kit content includes

parts (both consumable and reparable), hazardous material, tools, and non-issued personal protection equipment. Standard processes consist of determination of kit lay-out, build-up, and delivery to the Point of Use (POU); synchronized to daily standard work; and retrograde. The bottom line is this: anything required for a mechanic to do a specific task is provided.

Under the C-130 HVM process, the five year PDM cycle is broken into four 18-month cycles. Since field level isochronal (ISO) maintenance inspections are currently conducted every 15 months, four 18-month Shelbie Purser, HVM team lead shown at the visual task kitting Board. (Photo by Gary Cutrell-78 ABW) cycles allows the isochronal maintenance activities to be integrated with each of the four HVM cycles. The four outstanding. The PIIs have identified Knowing ahead of time what materiel will cycles to be validated are Fuselage, Wing, approximately 65% of major findings prior be required by aircraft tail number providEmpennage, and Flight Controls/Paint. to aircraft arrival. Based on these find- ed by the PII has been extremely helpful ings, task kits have been developed and to the supply community. The use of an As of January 2010, Robins Air Force provided based on scheduled daily work. Integrator and task kits has provided Base is validating the second Fuselage Task kits have also been developed for exceptional support to the mechanic and cycle aircraft. Materiel support has been those 100% tasks that the shop floor. However, there is still occur during the ISO much work to be done to improve inspections.

The materiel support for maintenance. HVM Integrator concept has is leaning forward to be able to underprovided tremendous stand specific demand patterns by Mission support to the shop Design Series (MDS) and even a specific floor. Materiel issues aircraft tail number. Many other initiaare handled in an tives are underway as well. It is underexpeditious manner stood that fully executed materiel support and parts status is is fundamental for â&#x20AC;&#x153;high velocity maintealways current. This nance.â&#x20AC;? allows for real time scheduling decisions. About the Author: Ms. Shelbie Purser is a For example, if a part professional manager with an extensive is not available for two background in Supply Chain Management. days, but the task is Currently, she is serving as the HVM scheduled for the folRequirements and Materiel Team Lead, lowing day, the work 330th Aircraft Sustainment Wing (ASW), can be rescheduled for the day the part will be Robins AFB. Prior to her assignment in HVM, she was the C5/C17 Deputy available.

A portion of the "Scuff Plate Replacement" task kit. (Photo by Gary Director, 730th ASW, Robins AFB.

Cutrell-78 ABW)

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Chapter CrossTalk DESERT EAGLE LOA CHAPTER - AL UDEID AB Submitted by Maj Jeffrey Hayden The Desert Eagle Chapter at Al Udeid AB hosted Lt Gen Loren Reno, AF/A4/7, at a well-attended dinner in December 2009. Lt Gen Reno shared his top priorities, and stressed the need for us to perform our mission as logisticians with precision and reliability. Additionally, he stressed the importance of balancing family concerns with professional responsibilities and shared his thoughts on how the Air Force manages officer career opportunities during the question and answer session. We thoroughly enjoyed this time with the AF’s Top Loggie.

MOUNT VERNON LOA CHAPTER – HQ DLA - FT BELVOIR, VA

E R : C H A P T E R C R O S S TA L K

Submitted by Col Rich Schwing The Mount Vernon Chapter hosted a unique event to give members a different perspective of one of the Military Services through a visit to the National Museum of the USMC on 18 Dec 09. Members from the Mount Vernon and Capital Chapters gathered at the museum for a private docent-led tour of this tremendous facility just outside of the Marine Base at Quantico, VA. The museum provided a complete overview of the Marine Corps from its inception to the present day, with representative tanks, artillery, aircraft, and realistic life size depiction of Marines in action.

Parking and admission are free - If you are ever in the Northern VA area, highly recommend a visit to this outstanding facility!

Members of the Mount Vernon and Capital Chapter gather at the National Museum of the USMC on 18 Dec 09.

AIR BRIDGE LOA CHAPTER – DOVER AFB, DE Submitted by 1st Lt James Harris Yet again, it has been a busy quarter for the members of the Air Bridge Chapter at Dover AFB, Delaware. This quarter we had several events to improve both relationships with sister Chapters and to work on the “O” in LOA! First, we invited Dr. Mark Conversino from Air University. He specializes in Russian studies and was able to provide a very thorough and thought-provoking briefing which showed that while Russia may seem to be down, they should not be thought of as any less of a world superpower. Additionally, our Chapter brought in Mr. Doug Keene from the C-130 Depot at Warner-Robbins Air Logistics Center. Mr. Keene brought a look at the High Velocity Maintenance concept currently being implemented/used for PDM maintenance on C-130 aircraft. He highlighted how through, careful use of several AFSO21 principles and precise scheduling can drastically reduce the overall downtime for an aircraft while maintaining the integrity of the inspection process. In January, our Chapter hosted a visit from the McGuire Pudgy LOA Chapter. We were able to provide a tour that showcased several of the key sites at Dover AFB, to include the new Superport and the Regionalized ISO Inspection Section. Finally, the Chapter has begun a quarterly reading program.

Readings are assigned and we discuss pertinent questions and issues that arose in each reading. This is intended as both a source of

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professional growth and as a mentorship opportunity for the younger members. As is readily apparent, it has been an extremely eventful quarter for our Chapter. We look forward to continuing this into the spring season and trying to take our Chapter to new heights.

MUROC LOA CHAPTER – EDWARDS AFB, CA Submitted by Lt Col Steve Grotjohn The past few months have been a blur of activity here at the Flight Test Nation, aka Edwards AFB. In October, many of the Chapter’s members helped put on the most successful Air Show and Open House in recent memory showcasing to the public not only the Air Force’s unequaled capabilities, but also the incredible diversity at this unique air patch. Nothing demonstrated this better than the show’s finale as one of nearly every MDS assigned to Edwards from fighters to tankers to bombers performed a flyby as a single formation to the ovation of the estimated 225,000 visitors. No small logistical feat!

In January, we welcomed the AFMC/A4, Maj Gen Kathleen Close, to the base on a whirlwind tour. Although her schedule was packed, she specifically carved out time to have breakfast with the Chapter where she was able to transmit as well as receive on a variety of topics, most notably the Air Force’s and MAJCOM’s priority on nuclear weapons and its impact to the logistician.

Additionally, as part of her itinerary, she previewed the plan for conducting Logistics Test and Evaluation (LT&E) on the F-35 once the aircraft begin arriving in late Spring/early Summer. A concept born and matured on programs such as C-17 and F-22, LT&E will be hitting its stride with the Joint Strike Fighter as over 1,000 test points are planned, all intended to make this aircraft the most maintainable and supportable aircraft in the inventory.

WARRIORS OF THE NORTH LOA CHAPTER - GRAND FORKS AFB, ND Submitted by Maj Sarah Williams The Grand Forks Warriors of the North Chapter was honored to host several guest speakers this quarter. Capt Mike “Brain” McConnell, USAF AMMOS Director of Operations, provided valuable insight into the USAF AMMOS mission and way ahead.

USAF AMMOS is increasing its spectrum of teaching advanced tactical maintenance and logistics through the first-ever Advanced Production Superintendent Course this summer. USAF AMMOS continually looks for ways to improve its curriculum, with potential additions including opportunities for integration with the USAF Weapons School curriculum and additional advanced logistics courses for Air Force and possibly joint CGOs and SNCOs. Mr. John Priddy, Deputy Director for Air Operations, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Air and Marine, spoke about the current and future UAV mission in the northern tier. LOA members gained knowledge about the capabilities of the Predator MQ-9 Reaper and the dynamics of the CBP’s responsibilities to keep terrorists and their weapons out of the United States.

Most recently, Grand Forks was proud to host Lt Gen Loren Reno, Lt Gen (Ret) Michael Zettler, and Maj Gen Timothy Byers. We gained great insight from our interactions with these senior leaders.

The Grand Forks Warriors of the North are committed to uniting our members through a cross section of meetings, professional tours, and daily communication among logisticians.

COMMANDO LOA CHAPTER – HURLBURT AFB, FL Submitted by Lt Col Dee Dee Richards Airmen and C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., landed in Port-auPrince, Haiti, the evening of Jan. 13 and are continuing to provide disaster relief to area ravaged by a 7.0 earthquake.

Maj Raquel Wasilausky, 1st Special Operations Maintenance Operations Squadron Commander, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

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MC-130H Combat Talon IIs and a C-130E and MC-130 P Combat Shadows from the 1st Special Operations Wing within hours of the earthquake, delivered relief supplies and continues to transport generators, vehicles, fuel, food and water, and communications packages, as well as specialty teams like special operations medical units and special tactics teams.

The Airmen will continue to support requirements as additional aircraft like the MC-130Ps Combat Shadows are en route carrying people and equipment.

BLACKJACK LOA CHAPTER NELLIS/CREECH AFB, NV

–

E R : C H A P T E R C R O S S TA L K

Submitted by Maj Matt Wynn This quarter started by helping host the 2009 LOA conference--what a great event! We also teamed up with Luke AFB's LOA Chapter for a combined orientation to several Phoenixarea companies. The group first went to the Honeywell factory to view the MQ-9A Reaper's engine production line and to provide an overview of how the product is employed by logisticians at Creech AFB and around the world. The next stop was to the Boeing AH64 Apache refurbishment plant to get an overview of actual lean concepts being applied in an industrial setting. The group concluded with an orientation to Luke's operations and the world's largest F-16 flightline.

Members of the Nellis Creech Blackjack and Luke AFB LOA Chapters tour the Boeing AH-64 refurbishment plant

RAZORBACK LOA CHAPTER – LITTLEROCK AFB, AR Submitted by Maj Dino Tsoukatos The Razorback Chapter recently hosted a luncheon during AETC’s Senior Leader Maintenance Course (SLMC) at Little Rock AFB, which had 16 key wing leaders (vice commanders, group commanders, and deputies) from around the command.

Each LOA member in attendance

also hosted a junior enlisted airman for their professional development. The luncheon provided an excellent opportunity for Airmen to speak with senior leaders.

Additionally, the Razorback Chapter toured the Little Rock LOA members in front of the Georg Fischer plant in Arkansas. From left to right: Maj Tsoukatos, Lt Col Pethel, Capt Hernandez, Capt Delph, 1st Lt Busalacki, Lt Col Osurman, 2d Lt Clark, Capt Foster, Maj Makalena, 2d Lt Eubanks, 1st Lt Birge, Capt Mahayossanun (Royal Thai Air Force exchange officer), 2d Lt Jones

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Georg Fischer plant outside Little Rock, AR. The plant manager covered in detail the pipe manu-

facturing process from the arrival of raw materials, production processes throughout the assembly line, and packaging and shipping.

Quality control measures were discussed as well as challenges in the current economic state.

PIKES PEAK LOA CHAPTER – PETERSON AFB, CO Submitted by Mr. Rich Bliss The Pikes Peak Chapter had a busy 2009 as its members gained valuable insight into Logistics Management issues experienced by both our civilian counterparts as well as our joint military members. We visited and were privileged to see behind-the-scenes logistics in use at North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and United States Northern Command (NORTHCOM), the Cheyenne Mountain complex, and the AF Reserve tenant unit, the 302nd Airlift Wing, where in addition to the transportation of personnel and cargo; they’re detailed to provide aerial support to firefighters on the ground.

Successful events such as these site visits allowed our members to “compare notes” with their counterparts in order to get a more thorough understanding of logistics policy and procedures. Future ventures are currently in the planning phase and are sure to further develop our Logistics Cadre into a highly motivated and effective team.

ALAMO LOA CHAPTER - RANDOLPH AFB AND LACKLAND AFB, TX Submitted by Mr. Gary M. Grandstaff The Alamo LOA Chapter is committed to supporting those less fortunate in the San Antonio Community. In the past, the Alamo Chapter has raised money and donations for various causes such as Toys for Tots and the San Antonio Food Bank. This past Christmas, the Alamo Chapter donated over $3,000 in gift cards, toys, and toiletry items to the Battered Women and Children’s shelter of Bexar County. The donated items were given to residents just in time for Christmas. The donations went to 75 women and 85 Children. Our efforts ensured that all the children in the shelter received a Christmas gift.

On a professional level, the Alamo chapter is reaching out to our Army brothers and sisters at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio Texas, to join the Alamo Chapter. Fort Sam Houston, Randolph AFB and Lackland AFB are combining under the 2005 BRAC commission Joint Basing initiative to form DOD’s largest Joint Basing effort, known as Joint Base San Antonio. Full operational capability for Joint Base San Antonio is set for October 2010. The first Joint Base San Antonio Commander is Brigadier General Leonard Patrick, USAF. The Alamo LOA chapter is hosting General Patrick at a luncheon on 16 March 2010 to discuss the stand up of Joint Base San Antonio and the efficiencies of combing Fort Sam Houston and the two AF Bases’ Base Operating Support under a single Commander. The Alamo Chapter is looking forward to bridging the gap between AF and Army logisticians in the San Antonio area.

CROSSROADS LOA CHAPTER – TINKER AFB, OK Submitted by Nicole Fleischer & 1Lt Cassandra Espy Tinker AFB Crossroads Chapter spread holiday cheer by volunteering at the local Salvation Army Toy Distribution Center (SATDC). The LOA professionals dedicated an entire Saturday sorting donations and gifts, which the Salvation Army later delivered to over 800 children. The SATDC truly demonstrates the idea of streamlined logistics with pre-printed tags, toys organized by sex and age group, and each child’s wish list serially controlled to ensure that the utmost care and consideration is given to every child’s wish.

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E R : C H A P T E R C R O S S TA L K

Members of McConnell AFB’s Air Capital Chapter visited the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center focusing on AFSO21 initiatives and events to include tours, discussions, and lively loggie interaction with the Tinker Crossroads Chapter.

Stops on the tour included the Mission Control Center where members were educated on enterprise transformation efforts. After taking the wellknown ‘trolley tour’ around the Center, members from both chapters enjoyed lunch together before visiting the B-1 and KC-135 PDM lines.

GOLDEN GATE LOA CHAPTER - TRAVIS AFB, CA

Members of the McConnell AFB Air Capital Chapter visit Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center.

Submitted by Lt Col Ley Havird The Golden Gate Chapter closed out 2009 with a flurry of activities highlighted by a Medical Logistics tour at David Grant Medical Center (DGMC). Fourteen chapter members were able to get close look at how a large medical center sources, distributes, and sustains medical supplies critical to patient care. DGMC is also the host of a Patient Movement Items Tracking Unit and a Medical Equipment Repair Center. Both of these organizations are regionalized Air Force activities that support multiple users. The visit provided us a great opportunity to see lean logistics in action as DGMC maintains a highly accurate supply Maj Gen Close meets with the LT&E experts of the F-35 Integrated Test Force. L to R: Ms Mary inventory system that enables it to limit on-hand Parker, Gov’t Logistics Lead, Mr Pete Pezzini, Gov’t LT&E Lead, LtCol Steve Grotjohn, 412 supplies to support its daily operations and uses a AMXS/CC and Muroc Chapter President, MajGen Close, AFMC/A4, Col Mary Ann Behne, 412 forward supply logistics concept whereby supplies MXG/CC, Mr Jim Cheeley, Lockheed Martin Logistics Lead. go direct from the receiving dock to the patient service areas. We concluded the visit with a chapter meeting featuring Colonel Michael Minihan, 60 AMW/CV, as our guest speaker. Having recently concluded a staff tour at United States Forces Korea command, he gave us an outstanding briefing on the relevance logistics officers have in defense of the Korean peninsula.

We closed December with a Community Service project supporting the Travis Fisher House, which provides extended-term billeting arrangements for families of long-term recovery patients at DGMC. We collected over $450 in high use items for the Fisher House and delivered them just in time for Christmas. We are currently planning a Professional Development Tour to the San Diego area to visit US Navy and commercial logistics activities in February 2010 that should prove to be a great opportunity to share crosstell with our Naval loggie counterparts. Happy New Year LOA! K 102

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Milestones MAJ JOHN SCHROEDE

R WRITES:

COL CHARLES WESTGATE III

Started my 3rd 1-yr remote in 6 years in May 09 at the Office of the Defense Representative - Pakistan. Yes, I volunteered for all three. Yes, I am crazy.

After spending a "very tough" year at ICAF, I am now the 100 MXG/CC at RAF Mildenhall, England.

COL MICHAEL ARCENEAUX COL WILLIAM GOAD

WRITES:

ER: MILESTONES

Left Command of 49 MMG Holloman AFB and retired after 29+ years at the end of October 09. I have thoroughly enjoyed my AF career and all of the people who make up our great Air Force... What a ride! Working for a local container company now in Charleston, SC. The best to all of my loggie friends...you have my undying respect and admiration for your expertise and professionalism. I always have a good cigar and a bottle or two of single malt...you’re always welcome. Good luck and God bless!

LT COL MARK ROSE

WRITES:

Moved from being the Shaw 20 AMXS/CC to the Nellis 57 MXG/CD position in Jul 09. Shaw was an incredible ride, but now it’s time to say hello to the Blackjack Chapter!

MAJ A.J. GRIFFIN

LT COL DAVID REGA

WRITES:

I have retired as of 1 Jan 2010. Thanks to all in the AF who made my 20 years a wonderful experience. I’m now at Whitney, Bradley & Brown in Reston, VA working as a consultant for life cycle logistics.

COL JOE DIANA

WRITES:

In conjunction with the summer 4th MXG change of command, I will be retiring and relocating to the San Antonio area. I plan to remain active in LOA and look forward to seeing you all at future events.

WRITES:

SPRING

WRITES:

After 40 awesome months as the MXG/CC Elmendorf Maureen and I have flown south to Hickam AFB as the PACAF A4M. The door is always open!

After three great years as the Director of AMMOC, Yuliya and I, along with Alex and Kira are now living in Montgomery AL; ACSC AY10. School is great and looking forward to graduation--June 2010.

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LOGISTICS OFFICER ASSOCIATION Post Office Box 2264 Arlington, VA 22202

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

Permit No. 768 Nashville, Tennessee